Usually we are in Virgin Gorda in Nov – Dec, but this year we went to St Barths and Anguilla instead (not quite St Maarten, but same vacinity). These islands are not known as great snorkeling islands, but we beg to differ! The volume of fish was not as great as around the Virgin Islands, but the variety was every bit as great. In our 12 days of snorkeling, we photographed and identified 181 different sea life forms with 61% fish, 15% coral, 14% coral & sponges the rest other stuff. Among the best were five octopus, (including the most beautiful octopus I have ever seen), a nurse shark and three different moray eels (green, spotted and goldentail). The trip report, photographs and videos is at
http://bit.ly/2hGXIa9

I am late to respond but I just saw your report. We had a wonderful trip,to Anguilla in 2011 and contemplated St. Bart's for feb 2016 (returned to VG instead).

I look forward to reading it in its entirety over coffee tomorrow morning.