Snorkeling Suggestions?

Newbie Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 12 Location: Tampa, FL

Hello all! My fiance and I will be in GC in June form 7am to 4pm on a cruise. This will be our 3rd time back to GC and have already done the Stiingray city tour twice. We are very interested in doing some snorkeling and looking for suggestion on a great spot or spots to spend the day. I have been reading on some other sites about some of the wrecks just off the shore, cemetery beach and also Run Point. I know Rum Point is a totally different direction so is it worth going there or are we better off hitting some of the other sites near 7 miles beach. Thanks in advance Smile

Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Posts: 5

Rum point is a waste of time if you are only here for half a day.

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 4:24 pm Post subject:

Hi jessie073- Welcome to the fourm. There are a lot of ideas in this section - have you checked some of the existing posts?

Stingray City with Sotos Cruises

The Wharf for snorkeling and lunch

Stingers behind Comfort Suites for a great pool bar, snorkeling and lunch or snacks

There is a whole thread on about Colombian Emeralds, Pure Art, Cathy Church, Hard Rock Cafe, Eden Rock, and many more.

Add the National Museum to the list as well. They are right in town across the street from where you dock. There is a coupon for them on the coupon page in this section as well.

When you check the coupon page you will see a lot of other things to do and save money doing them: Blackbeards, Atlantis, Scooter Rental, and many more.

Newbie Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 2

1. Breakfast at Calico Jacks.

2. Drive to Rum Point for snorkeling and beach fun.

3. Stingray Brewery.

4. Lunch at Grand Old House.

5. Cathy Church Gallery.

6. Pure Art Gallery.

7. Snorkel at Cemetary Reef.

8. Shopping downtown with however much time is left.

Newbie Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 12 Location: Tampa, FL

thanks for the info I will continue to keep reading posts. I think we would def like to do some snorkeling. it seems like we can see some great things from shore. What are your suggestions as far as excellent snorkeling reef/wrecks. I guess from reading one of the other threads Rum Point is NOT good snorkeling. Thanks Smile

Newbie Joined: 19 Feb 2005 Posts: 3

The museum is right down town. Atlantis is there too, and if you book a sub ride direct like they say you save money. You should go to the coupon page for cruise ship people. Have fun. Smile

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 4:36 pm Post subject:

There is no reef really, at Rum Point.

Check out the Cali, right next to Rackams Pub, about a 5 minute walk with the ocean on your left.

There is a decent reef in front of the Wharf Restaurant and that is one of the best places you could go for lunch.

Comfort Suites has a little bit of reef in front of it.

Smith Cover, near Cathy Church Gallery is a good place to snorkel.

Eden Rock is very good and they have lockers and showers.

Newbie Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 12 Location: Tampa, FL

Thanks for all the great info... I have a few more questions Smile

What about Cemetery Beach & reff - what can you tell me about the snorkeling there. I also read there was good snorkeling near the Turtle Farm - not sure how far apart these 2 places are. Is it pretty each to flag down a cab or bus to get you from place to place.

Also - one more question - Eden Rock - how far off shore is the reef - Last time I was in GC I snorkeled there close to shore but the water was so stirred up form all the pople the only thing you could really see there was the few big tarpon that were hanging around and some small fish.

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 4:49 pm Post subject:

What about Cemetery Beach & reff - what can you tell me about the snorkeling there.

What is reff? Cemetary is one of the best snorkel spots along Seven Mile Beach. I would give it about a 5 on a scale from 1-10.

I also read there was good snorkeling near the Turtle Farm - not sure how far apart these 2 places are.

As a rule, the farther you go towards the Turtle Farm, the better the snorkeling gets. It's about 10 miles from the dock to the turtle farm; Seven miles to Cemetary Reef.

Is it pretty each to flag down a cab or bus to get you from place to place.

There are usually plenty of taxis near the cruise dock. You should not have a problem. Be sure to tell them a time to return to pick you up so you have a ride back.

Also - one more question - Eden Rock - how far off shore is the reef - Last time I was in GC I snorkeled there close to shore but the water was so stirred up form all the pople the only thing you could really see there was the few big tarpon that were hanging around and some small fish.

If there were that many people in the water that they stirred up an entire dive site, I would go elsewhere to snorkel. As a rule, that whole area around Eden Rock is excellent and not too far from shore. You should be able to kick out to the reef in about 5-10 minutes. If they were that close to shore, they were probably beginners. The better reefs are out about 50 yards and you will see it clearly marked with red buoys.

Newbie Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 2

It's a pretty good swim out to the reef at Eden Rock. Devil's Grotto is in the same area too. If you saw people kicking things up near shore they were not really at the right place. You have to go out a lot farther than that.

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 6:32 pm Post subject: wreck

Don't remember the name of it, but we snorkeled a wreck somewhere near the Wharf restaurant. Had a devil of a time finding a place to park to get to it. We saw a lot of squid there and a lot of smaller fishes. Nothing spectacular.

Is that the Cali?

If I were going to try to get in some nice beach time and snorkeling on a short day, I'd either do Smith's Cove or Cemetery Reef. Seems Smith Cove may be better if you want to do Cathy Church, and/or Pure Art.

I love the Pure Art store.

Joe, way off topic here...is that little Tourist Trap thing on the side of the road in Bodden Town gone? I loved stopping there and talking to the folks who ran that each year when we were down. I hope they fared well.

They sold arts and crafts, odds and ends. I got a lovely hand woven basket there.

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:22 pm Post subject:

smithereens- The Cali is next to Rackams. There was a little scrap of rusted ship near the Wharf Restaurant but I have not seen it there lately. I think it may have washed out with the storm.

Sorry, no clue about which store that is in Bodden Town, but if it was on the ocean side chances are it is still being repaired. Pirates Caves is open now, and they completely rebuilt their gift shop. That's almost across the street from The Edge restaurant which had just been remodeled and was then completely destroyed in the storm.

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 5:10 am Post subject: Wreck near the Wharf

From the post-Ivan photos I've seen that wreck near the Wharf is still there. It just gets smaller every year. As far as I know, it's name is the Gamma. (My Dad did convince a woman from a cruise ship that it was the Andrea Doria....) The guys I dove with from Bob Soto's Reef Divers ( Crying or Very sad

) used to call it the SS Tetanus. Not a bad place to snorkel if the water is calm. Cool stuff inside and fish hang out by the prop at the stern. It's so firmly wedged into what's left of the reef there I don't think it will EVER go away.

Newbie Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 12 Location: Tampa, FL

Great thaks again for your great information - When you said Cemetery Reef (sorry not reff) is about a 5 on a scale of 1-10 and it gets better as you get near the turtle farm - Are there any places from shore to snorkel that are a 10? Also, I had asked about getting a cab there - but what about getting back - is it fairly easy to track one down? Would we be better off renting a car or a scooter? Thanks again for all the great info!

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 9:18 am Post subject:

Hi jessie073 -

On a scale of 1-10 I would rate:

1 - 2 The shallow [near shore] areas along Eden Rock/Devil's Grotto, Rum Point, lagoons, etc.

3 - 4 Almost anywhere along Seven Mile Beach, in front of any hotel/resort, Public Beach, etc.

5 - 6 Cemetary Reef, Smith Cove, Cali Shipwreck

7 Deeper areas of Eden Rock/Devil's Grotto. Turtle Farm area reefs

8 - 10 Boat accesible sites such as Stingray City, Coral Gardens, etc.

There are many other places, everyone please feel free to add and rate your favorite snorkel sites. I will split it off into its own topic if it becomes popular.

* * *

You can get a cab easily at the cruise ship dock where you land. When they drop you off where you decide to go, tell them a time to come back and pick you up. Get their phone number in case you change your plans. Almost all taxi drivers carry cell phones.

* * *

You can get a scooter from Scooters and Wheels right near the dock. Check the coupon page in the cruise ship activity section for a discount.

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