hmc snorkeling

[hvm57]

Can someone tell me if on half moon cay you can snorkel and see nice fish? is this possible on the beach where you land with the tenders?

[michmike]

You can see SOME fish but certainly not a lot, if you head for the area along the rocks that will be to your left as you stand on the beach and look out at the water. HAL has some cement balls with holes cut in them that they are using to try to simulate a reef habitat w/ relatively limited success.

 

If you truly want a quality snorkeling experience you would be much better served by booking a trip with a local vendor on one of the islands you will be visiting. You can get that info from the ports of call boards or from the snorkeling/diving board here on cruise critic.

[pipedreams62]

If you walk all the way to the other end (away from the crowds) probably a mile or two. There's some rocks/reef and you can see a few fish. On the other side of where everybody sits there's a long stretch of beach with nobody on it. I've seen some nice fish over there groupers etc. There's nobody over there so you have to be careful.

 

The place is awesome and seeing a few fish is just a bonus. Have fun.

[Birdieman1]

We've never been to Half Moon Cay, as we always have been on the Princess Lines, sounds like this Half Moon would be the same as Princess Cays, would that be fair to say. Thanks

[Boytjie]

We've never been to Half Moon Cay, as we always have been on the Princess Lines, sounds like this Half Moon would be the same as Princess Cays, would that be fair to say. Thanks

 

The two private islands are quite close to each other. I think Princess Cay actually had somewhat better snorkeling posibilities than HMC.

[Birdieman1]

Thanks Peter, that's what I was thinking

[Stevesan]

Can someone tell me if on half moon cay you can snorkel and see nice fish? is this possible on the beach where you land with the tenders?

 

The beach area is sand bottom. Thus, no coral and few fishies.

 

HAL offers a boat snorkel which is not at all bad. About a 1/2 mile off shore is a coral garden with some sea life.

Take the boat snorkel, and lay out on the beach after.

 

Mitchmike said:

HAL has some cement balls with holes cut in them that they are using to try to simulate a reef habitat w/ relatively limited success.

Early on they tried strawberry planters. That didn't work, either. :p

 

 

[Harry1954]

The snorkeling at HMC is not very good IMHO. We snorkel at all island stops each year on our Caribbean cruise and we quit even bringing snorkel gear ashore there.

harry

[Harry1954]

The snorkeling at HMC is not very good IMHO. We snorkel at all island stops each year on our Caribbean cruise and we quit even bringing snorkel gear ashore there. That having been said, we love going there as it is a beautiful island and very relaxing day (assuming the weather cooperates).

harry

[gophercruiser]

The Hal boat snorkel on HMC is excellent , we have done this many times.It is only about a 15 minute cruise from the dock and the variety of fish is very good, including sting rays when we were there in March of this year.

[cp556]

On one of Zaandam's first cruises we visited the then-newly opened Half Moon Cay. In the clear blue waters of the main beach area were numerous schools of small fish, who swam right up to you and circled you. It was SOOO cool. One of the little guys even nibbled me on the knee ... I had a "fish lips" mark there for a few days. (what a great souvenir!).

 

I'm guessing from reading this thread that those schools of little fish are long gone from the beach area ... :(

[luvcruisn']

Last time I was at HMC, in Jan./08, I went out by the rocks, from the left as you are on the beach, and did see some schools of small fish.