Snorkeling in St. Thomas

[KLH 1973]

Anyone who has done any snorkeling in St. Thomas, where would you suggest I go for some really good coral and fish action. Would you go with Disney or did St. Thomas offer better places on their own. Thanks guys.

Kristin

 

[abitjaded]

Coki Beach is great if the waves are not high. Some Black Coral! Easy taxi ride on your own. Many folks also ferry over to St John, lots of good snorkeling there, especially Trunk Bay. We took the DCL-sponsored Trunk Bay-5 Star, but the Leylon Sneed couldn't get there due to a Northern swell (or likely, a late arrival due to tendering in Charlotte Amalie with a Customs slow down). They took us to Little St James, instead, Half Moon Bay. It was good, lots of blue sea fans, sea stars, rays, tons of Hermit Crabs on the beach and a gazillian conch off the beach. Fairly standard fish, Sergent Majors, Parrot, Yellow Jack, Tang, Wrasse, Angels, a few Puffers. The boat has dingies that the guys use to run you over to better sites, good if you are experienced. We also used a charter from shoretrips.com on another trip. They took us over to Buck Island, off the Charlotte Amalie bay. Good fish, but deeper water and no beach trips. Saw a good variety there and lots of octopus nests, but no octopi (sp). Nice charter, smaller group then the masses of a Disney excursion. We beat the Disney charters and had more time. The snorkelers on large trips tend to be less experienced and stick closer to the boats, but there is usually someone willing to point out the more obscure things, and if they have a small boat or dingies, they are willing to run you a bit further away from the anchorage.

Carla

 

[ZebraStripes]

We did our own excursion with Sail Jester . It was the best excursion we have ever done. We snorkled off a beach at St. John. So relaxing. Didn't have to worry about lots of other people on the boat...it was just the 4 of us with the captain.