St.Thomas/St.John snorkeling recommendations?

Heading out to St.Thomas next week. Will have a rental car.
I'll be staying at secret harbor, and am also planning to hit
Coki point once or twice.

Any other off-the beach snorkeling recommendations? I'm
snorkeling alone this trip, so I want to stay conservative with
respect to tides/currents/etc. My wife would kill me if I killed
myself.

Also plan to take the ferry to St.John Any recommendations
there? I'm thinking trunk bay if I can get there early, maybe
cinnamon bay. What's good?

Not sure if it's worth trying to make a day trip to Virgin Gorda.
For one thing, I'd need my passport to get in, and then what
do I do with it when I'm snorkeling? Are there lockers at the
ferry station? (Spanish Town, I think)

Seems a little tight to get in, go through customs, get down to
The Baths, snorkel, and get back in time for the last ferry.
Anybody do this?

Thanks in advance.

snorkeling in VG. Not sure if there are lockers there or not BUT
if you are worried about your personal belongings being sorted thru in
your absence - you could book a day trip - any of the hotels will tell
you how and then go over with a handful of others (usually 8-15) people
and spend the day. The catamaran will have drinks and very simple
lunch on board. Snorkeling at the baths is very worthwhile. If you
had your wife join you - the beach on the other side (coming out of the
caves) is very pleasant and they do offer a few shaded places - she
could relax while you snorkel and watch your stuff. Same with trunk
bay, but go there early before all the cruise ships dump their guests
for the guided underwater park. Another option is renting a small boat
yourself (at Red Hook) for the day. If you rent a boat there are
palces they will poitn out that (memory) have beautiful scenery for
snorkeling. There are larges rocks juttign out of the water called
three feathers I think??? Anyway the baot part is easy to do and easy
to get around the waterways.

A nice place to spend the day and some fun snorkeling is Sapphire
Beach. The beach is short but very long and attractive - lots of room.
Plus there is usually a good lunch, barbecue, comfortable chairs and a
really pretty view - (this is between Coki and Red Hook)...your wife
might enjoy the day there.

As far as tight - seems to me (we stay on Tortola) that we always have
a sense of a full day anywhere we go (JVD, VG, STh, & ST J) and we take
the ferry all the time - Have fun!

Also - the customs part is easy and fast. Much faster than the
airports etc.
bongo wrote:

"blue" wrote:

snorkeling in VG. Not sure if there are lockers there or not BUT
if you are worried about your personal belongings being sorted thru in
your absence - you could book a day trip - any of the hotels will tell
you how and then go over with a handful of others (usually 8-15) people
and spend the day. The catamaran will have drinks and very simple
lunch on board. Snorkeling at the baths is very worthwhile. If you
had your wife join you - the beach on the other side (coming out of the
caves) is very pleasant and they do offer a few shaded places - she
could relax while you snorkel and watch your stuff. Same with trunk

I got the impression that she wasn't going to be there at all.

If you are going to the BVI, I'd head to the Rhone first - perhaps go
via a day trip.

bay, but go there early before all the cruise ships dump their guests
for the guided underwater park. Another option is renting a small boat

The snorkeling that I've done was Cinnamon (where they have lockers
although they don't always work) and Waterlemon (which I did from a
boat so I don't know about lockers), and I've also heard good things
about other places like near Maho.

yourself (at Red Hook) for the day. If you rent a boat there are
palces they will poitn out that (memory) have beautiful scenery for

If you rent a boat, you will need to be able to pick up a mooring.

snorkeling. There are larges rocks juttign out of the water called
three feathers I think??? Anyway the baot part is easy to do and easy
to get around the waterways.

Are you thinking about the Indians?

A nice place to spend the day and some fun snorkeling is Sapphire
Beach. The beach is short but very long and attractive - lots of room.
Plus there is usually a good lunch, barbecue, comfortable chairs and a
really pretty view - (this is between Coki and Red Hook)...your wife
might enjoy the day there.

As far as tight - seems to me (we stay on Tortola) that we always have
a sense of a full day anywhere we go (JVD, VG, STh, & ST J) and we take
the ferry all the time - Have fun!

Also - the customs part is easy and fast. Much faster than the
airports etc.
bongo wrote:

Rosalie B. wrote:


Are you thinking about the Indians?

** that soudns right ** it was many years ago but it was stunning
views. Never did lockers either.

bongo wrote:


Also plan to take the ferry to St.John Any recommendations
there? I'm thinking trunk bay if I can get there early, maybe
cinnamon bay. What's good?

cinnamon bay is better; there are reefs along shore to the right, an
island straight out.. There used to be a plane about 50 feet from
shore about 100 yards to the left. Lemon key off to the left from
Annaberg was very good but it's a short swim over deep water

Thanks for the tips, everybody!

cheers,
--bongo

bongo wrote:
Heading out to St.Thomas next week. Will have a rental car.
I'll be staying at secret harbor, and am also planning to hit
Coki point once or twice.

Any other off-the beach snorkeling recommendations? I'm
snorkeling alone this trip, so I want to stay conservative with
respect to tides/currents/etc. My wife would kill me if I killed
myself.

Also plan to take the ferry to St.John Any recommendations
there? I'm thinking trunk bay if I can get there early, maybe
cinnamon bay. What's good?

Not sure if it's worth trying to make a day trip to Virgin Gorda.
For one thing, I'd need my passport to get in, and then what
do I do with it when I'm snorkeling? Are there lockers at the
ferry station? (Spanish Town, I think)

Seems a little tight to get in, go through customs, get down to
The Baths, snorkel, and get back in time for the last ferry.
Anybody do this?

Thanks in advance.

Check the National Park site for Cinnamon Bay. See if they still offer
a "snorkel around the island" tour. I was there a few years ago and did
this. You go on a boat and the boat makes several stops at what are the
best spots for the water conditions that day. It's not off-the-beach,
but it sure was fun. We stopped at one site that had been an old
underwater laboratory. Tons of coral and rock formations and a tube
that, if you could hold your breath for awhile, go through.