What are the best and most unique snorkeling locations in the Caribbean?

[CaribbeanChick]

The Indians near Tortola BVI are one of my favorite Carib. spots. I live in St. Thomas and we have some REALLY nice secret places. Places that don't see traffic from cruisers. Here's one of my favs: Secret Reef - YouTube Unfortunately I had JUST stopped filming when a big nurse shark came up over the ridge and directly at me lol. She saw the bubbles and took off.

The pier and cane bay in St. Croix are also great. I can spend hours looking for critters on the pier columns. Waterlemon in St. John is nice too but not THAT great IMO. I do regularly see sharks there which are fun to photograph! Always turtles there but then again we see turtles every time in the water lol. I am starting to feel they are not so endangered anymore. Saw 6 greens and a hawksbill today while spearfishing.

These are pics from one of our secret spots - same place as the video above. Not a lot of SPS in this spot - a few big elkhorns, but it is always teeming with life.


^^^ Please do not use or copy my photos, thanks!

I should add that the west end of St. Croix (in the water in front of coconuts - the bar) is a sure fire swim with dolphins encounter in the summer months. 7-8am and right before sunset. We LOVE to go spend the weekend with our friend and swim with WILD dolphins... as they should be! This guy was really having some fun with us - make sure your volume is up.
http://youtu.be/mh-qD2k-BQE

 

[Testudo]

The Indians near Tortola BVI are one of my favorite Carib. spots. I live in St. Thomas and we have some REALLY nice secret places. Places that don't see traffic from cruisers. Here's one of my favs: Secret Reef - YouTube Unfortunately I had JUST stopped filing when a big nurse shark came up over the ridge and directly at me lol. She saw the bubbles and took off.

The pier and cane bay in St. Croix are also great. I can spend hours looking for critters on the pier columns. Waterlemon in St. John is nice too but not THAT great IMO. I do regularly see sharks there which are fun to photograph! Always turtles there but then again we see turtles every time in the water lol. I am starting to feel they are not so endangered anymore. Saw 6 greens and a hawksbill today while spearfishing.

These are pics from one of our secret spots - same place as the video above. Not a lot of SPS in this spot - a few big elkhorns, but it is always teeming with life.

View attachment 160603View attachment 160604View attachment 160605View attachment 160608View attachment 160611View attachment 160618View attachment 160619
^^^ Please do not use or copy my photos, thanks!

I should add that the west end of St. Croix (in the water in front of coconuts - the bar) is a sure fire swim with dolphins encounter in the summer months. 7-8am and right before sunset. We LOVE to go spend the weekend with our friend and swim with WILD dolphins... as they should be! This guy was really having some fun with us - make sure your volume is up.
Swimming with dolphin in St. Croix USVI - YouTube

Looks like the videos of secret reef are taken during a scuba excursion???? Have to get to STX one day to check out the snorkeling.

 

[CaribbeanChick]

I work for a private eco-tour company and had no tours on this Sunday so we took the boat out to take some pictures of our new adventure - meditation diving. We were scuba diving in the video, with a snorkel afterwards. Reef is in 15ft and slopes to sand at about 30ft. Its a killer spot! My boss getting some Zen

 

[Testudo]

I work for a private eco-tour company and had no tours on this Sunday so we took the boat out to take some pictures of our new adventure - meditation diving. We were scuba diving in the video, with a snorkel afterwards. Reef is in 15ft and slopes to sand at about 30ft. Its a killer spot! My boss getting some Zen

View attachment 160645

Not asking you to divulge any secrets, but is "Secret Reef" reachable from shore or is it a boat trip? Trying to decide what position STX should be on my must snorkel list.

 

[CaribbeanChick]

Well "secret reef" is STT not STX and a boat trip but only a very short distance from shore. I guess you could kayak, SUP to it but I wouldn't lol. On STX I would take a boat trip to Buck Island, dive Cane Bay and snorkel/dive the Fsted pier. If you dive go very early morning or towards sunset and you will see seahorses usually at the base of the pillars. Just curious why you chose STX over STT? STJ is a $12 ferry ride from STT and on STX youre kinda stuck... although there are some GREAT places to dive and snorkel. You can also check out someof the BVI's from STT by ferry too.

Dont forget in STX to leave your car doors unlocked and NOTHING in the car. I say unlocked if you dont get the rental insurance from the rental company. De break da windows. Lots of theft lately over there, I had some stuff stolen last month when I went over. Annoying.

Dont forget west end in front of coconuts for dolphins.

 

[Testudo]

Oops, thought it was off STX. Looking for new spots to explore in the Caribbean. Been to STJ a dozen times and STT a couple, never made it to STX. I free dive, so 30'-40' deep reef, though not ideal, is explorable. Thanks for the heads up on the crime issues. Unfortunately, petty crime, and worse, is quickly becoming a fact of life on many of my favorite snorkeling islands.

 

[Harmonyhallresorts]

Just got done talking to a known travel writer who said don't do the typical French Polynesia thing but rather go find Micronesia or the Cook Islands. Every bit as good and half the price. I say come find "Tahiti of the Caribbean" with us in St.Vincent. If you liked the snorkeling around St.John this will literally just blow your mind. Thriving reefs in shallow calm bays. NO crowds. No big resorts. Notoriously clear waters. 3-1 exchange rate you can spend a month for less than what it costs for a week in St.John once your there. Look us up and ask how we can help you save and see even more. We're happy to share our "hidden spots" with you.

 

[Testudo]

Any pictures of what snorkeling from shore off St. Vincent is like? Honestly, I have not heard many good things regarding the quality of snorkeling there, but never been myself. In that neck of the woods, Grenada, Carriacou, Petite St. Vincent, and St. Lucia were all lack luster. The Tobago Cays was great, but that is a boat trip.