Where have you snorkeled, and how was it?

[mickeyboat]

Have snorkled in St. John and The Bahamas. St. John was amazing - there are some beautiful, almost deserted beaches with some great snorkeling. There are also some very beautiful crowded beaches there (Trunk Bay) when the cruise ships are docked in St. Thomas. We saw lots of fish, a sting-ray, sea turtles and a shark, which scared the bejesus out of us, even though it was a little one.

Denae

 

[luvflorida]

I also snorkeled in Hanauma Bay HI. It was really crowded when I was there which spoiled the atmosphere just a bit, but I saw some interesting fish and a sea turtle.

What time of year did you go to Hanauma Bay? We're going to be there over Christmas, and I bet the crowds will be big. I might try to find a more secluded place! I'm really hoping to see sea turtles somewhere.

 

[PatriciaH]

I think the best snorkeling we did was in Turks and Caicos. Beautiful coral and fish and great visibility. Grand Cayman was also very nice-saw a huge moray eel and the stingrays are awesome of course. Cozumel, Cancun and Playa del Carmen, Mexico were pretty good and Xcaret and Xel-Ha (nature parks) are fun and a good start to snorkeling. The cenotes/caves in Mexico are also very cool. We did not see much in the Bahamas, Punta Cana, DR or Labadee, Haiti. John Pennekamp was very sandy/cloudy the day we went-we will have to go back.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Hawaii from beach... eh
Just S. of Playa del Carmen, from boat... eh
All over Belize.... AWESOME.

 

[njzieglers]

I tried snorkeling on the upper east coast, NJ/NY, and the water was cloudy and really turbulent. Did you see anything good?

You're right, we don't have the clarity up here that they do down south. It usually is turbulent (and cold too). There are lots of areas with structure and wrecks that attract lots of fish/crabs/lobsters. I actually do more scuba than snorkeling, so I can actually do and see more while I am down.

 

[FLMOMWITH3GIRLS]

Since we live in Florida we do a lot of snorkeling from the Keys we love it there however, 9 times out 10 it is off a boat which can get really tiring!!

 

[njzieglers]

Hey Newton !! Rockaway here !!
Ive snorkeled off Bermuda also - got really scared when a whole bunch of barracudas stop by to meet me....

Hey Rockaway, was just working in Denville today! I saw one of those 'cudas in Bermuda last year, he was huge. Last month in Jamaica we were scuba-ing and came across a school of them, but much smaller. Those big guys can be startling!

 

[ADisneygirl]

We have snorkeled in the Bahamas off a sailboat on an excursion and also on Castaway Cay, Disney's private island they take you to on their cruises. Off the boat was a bit scarier to us, because we were out in open water. We saw a lot of beautiful fish though.

When we snorkeled off the beach at Castaway Cay, there were not as many fish, but there was Mickey Mouse down there, and a few other Disney things to find the further out you went. It is best to get out into the water early in the day before a lot of people have gotten off the ship and gotten to the beach because once it gets crowded visibility decreases underwater. (all that sand stirred up) Also, the risk factor was much lower there because they have a net set up all along the perimeter way out by the lifeguards. This net prevents big predators from getting inside the protected areas of the family beach. We did see baracudas though, and I swam directly back to shore after that!

We did swim all the way out to the net before we saw the baracudas. I actually imagined a bunch of big sharks with knives and forks in their hands waiting just on the other side of the net!

 

[Mimi Q]

Grand Cayman- absolutely breathtaking.

 

[Kitty 34]

I have only snorkled at that place in Typhoon Lagoon which was a lot of fun. However, we go on our cruise very soon and plan on doing some at our stop in Cozumel. Not sure where yet!!

 

[Judy from Boise]

I love to snorkel. the three famous spots I've enjoyed
Hunahma bay - wonderful and very secure feeling and a ton of critters!
Molikini - not as good very rough the day we were there, and not as much to see
Great barrier reef - nice coral but too much of it. I got claustraphobic because there was so little break in the coral ! We actually had a s much fun exploring the tide pools on the Quay.

 

[Katie]

We have been snorkeling at St. Thomas;Antigua;Barbadoes;Key West..but i think the best snorkel is been in Belize!!! They took us to the 2nd largest barrier reef....the plant life and marine life was fabulous!!!! It was the hardest snorkeling I had done..we had to swim probably 1/2 mile to the reef from where the boat was and it was pretty wavey out there...but it was great!!!!!!

 

[Honu]

Oh, goodie my favorite topic.

On Oahu your best chance for turtles (Honu) is probably Hanama, but do go early. Waialae Beach, also on the south side, is more secluded and another good choice.

My favorite snorkling on Maui is out on the point of Black Rock on Ka'anapali beach or a place called Fish Bowl in the south. IMO the Molokini crater is overrated, but the boats often cruise through turtle town on their way back to port and you'll see lots from the boat.

The guaranteed turtle action is at Kahalu'u beach in Kailua Kona on the Big Island though. There are usually so many here and they could care less about all the swimmers around them.

The Honu are protected by the Endangered Species Act. It is illegal to touch or harass (chase) them, so please keep your distance whether on land or in the water. The picture below was taken at Turtle Pinnacles on the Big Island.

 

[brermomof2]

Wow, I'm jealous. I snorkeled in a pool once when I was 9.

 

[shortbun]

OK, now you've hit one of my favorite things to do! St. John(Trunk Bay was ok but Waterlemon Cay was amazing and Mary's point OMG!), BVI(Baths),Cayman(loved the Stingrays! but the sandy beach even had some good stuff!) Yucatan(Cozumel, Palancar Reef and Cancun's south beach, Akumal and the cenotes, Xel-ha), Molokini years ago,off Maui's beach north of Wialea somewhere that's developed now, The Big Island off shore somewhere from a snorkel tourboat, Eleuthera, Nassau, off the beach in Jamaica(not so good). I want to go snorkeling. DH and I have literally spent all day in the water from St. John. We take MRE's in a net bag and have a beach lunch. It's amazing!

 

[Teris]

We went to Islamorada a few years ago, and went out to the Dry Tortugas. We loved it! We stayed at the Cheeca Lodge, and they can also take you out to snorkle out over some reefs. Was a brilliant time!

 

[minniepumpernickel]

What time of year did you go to Hanauma Bay? We're going to be there over Christmas, and I bet the crowds will be big. I might try to find a more secluded place! I'm really hoping to see sea turtles somewhere.

I was there in early September. I saw a lot of buses parked in the lot so it must have been tour groups. I was just afraid that the crowds would scare away some of the fish! I still got to see a turtle, though!

I hope that you have a great trip!

 

[minniepumpernickel]

You're right, we don't have the clarity up here that they do down south. It usually is turbulent (and cold too). There are lots of areas with structure and wrecks that attract lots of fish/crabs/lobsters. I actually do more scuba than snorkeling, so I can actually do and see more while I am down.

I want to dive a wreck so badly. I have read that there are a lot off of the NC coast too. I got scuba certified a few years ago. I actually inherited scuba equipment when my uncle died. The stuff is kind of old so I hope that it is still good!

 

[luvflorida]

We take MRE's in a net bag and have a beach lunch. It's amazing!

What does MRE stand for? I've been trying to figure it out, but nothing makes sense!

 

[bsnyder]

What does MRE stand for? I've been trying to figure it out, but nothing makes sense!

I'm going to venture a guess and say Meals Ready to Eat.