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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: plholsten]
#1401
09/01/2002 05:17 PM
09/01/2002 05:17 PM
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 219 Louisville, KY
BJG
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 219
Louisville, KY
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Pat,<br><br>We just returned (as you already know) from a 10 day charter with TWY. We spent 3 days on St. John which had, at least to us, the best snorkel spots. They were: Waterlemon Cay, Cinnamon Cay, Henley Cay (one of the Durloe Cays), and Trunk Bay.<br><br>In the BVI we found a very good assortment of fish at Cistern Rock, the Caves, and Monkey Point. At the Baths there were more snorkelers than fish. Someone forgot to tell the fish to show up !!!<br><br>BJG
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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: plholsten]
#1404
09/01/2002 09:48 PM
09/01/2002 09:48 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,884 St. Thomas, USVI
Nutmeg
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,884
St. Thomas, USVI
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Snorkeling 3-4 times a day, huh? How are those gills coming along? I, too enjoy snorkeling...USVI: Leinster Bay (all over- different environments), Lameshur and night snorkeling the night after the full moon at Secret Harbour. BVI: Sandy Spit, Monkey Point and White Bay, Peter Island (swam with an Eagle Ray for a long time...) Do you scuba? Tunnels and Arches at Thatch and Carvel Rock USVI . Watson Rock and Alice's Wonderland Ginger I BVI. That's my list today, could change tomorrow!
[color:"red"]NUTMEG[/color] Today is the tomorrow you talked about yesterday.
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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: plholsten]
#1406
09/02/2002 08:03 AM
09/02/2002 08:03 AM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Pat, how was the experience clearing in and out of BVI and USVI customs. Any problems or recommendations to make it go smoother?
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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: plholsten]
#1407
09/02/2002 10:06 AM
09/02/2002 10:06 AM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,026 Augusta, Georgia
BillH
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,026
Augusta, Georgia
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I picked up a great little book about 6 years ago. The Guide to Diving and Snorkeling in the British Virgin Islands.. by Jeff Williams. It's published by DIVEntures Publishing, PO Box 115, Hopkinton, MA 01748. There's no isbn #.<br>My favorite in there is Bronco Billy at the northwest tip of George Dog. Most of it is about 30' with a small area of 45' and makes for good snorkeling and a wonderful dive site for great visibility and light.We also liked Diamond Reef just off Great Camanoe, especially more up toward the Scrub Is. cut away from the service dock on Camanoe.
Bill Hartzman 706-495-1435 Email]billhartzman@gmail.com[/Email]
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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: Nutmeg]
#1409
09/02/2002 12:10 PM
09/02/2002 12:10 PM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 649 South Florida
Roguewarrior2
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 649
South Florida
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I agree with Nutmeg's assesment of the diving and snorkeling sites in the US and British Virgin Islands. The Tunnels and Arches of Thatch Cay is probably one of the best dive sites anywhere . Here is an excerpt from a recent Skin Diver magazine article listing Chris Sawyers favorite 5 dive sites:<br><blockquote><hr>If Chris had to stack one USVI site up against any others in the world, it would be the Arches and Tunnels at Thatch. This is a great one for divers who like to explore unusual places. The twists and turns will test your sense of direction and the underwater scenery is superb. The site begins in a narrow canyon, squeezes past a giant boulder, dips and climbs through a small gap formed by another boulder, then enters a long swim-through that angles to the left and exits on the other side of the point. A school of Copper Sweepers nervously patrols the inside of the cavern, parting like smoke around the divers. Tarpon and Silversides are also thick on this dive, particularly in the summer. Swimming around the point brings you to a second canyon, this time ending in a closed cavern coated with sponges and soft corals. Not far from the cavern is another narrow swim-through, leading back to the first canyon. Depths along the way are from 30 to 45 feet, allowing for plenty of bottom time.<br><hr></blockquote><br><br>About 20 years ago I operated a dive boat out of Pineapple Beach Hotel (now the Renassance Hotel). The Tunnels and Arches were a favorite site as was Caraval Rock. Only problem with the Tunnels and Arches was that you could not dive it if there was any swell at all because of the surge through the tunnels. You could experiance what it would be like getting flushed down the toilet it there was any surge at all. <br><br>DIVING GUIDE to the VIRGIN ISLANDS by GLANVILLE/JENIK probably published more than 20 years ago includes 44 maps for various dive sites in the US & British Virgin Islands. I have found the maps to be fairly accurate for sketches and would recommend it to anybody that will be doing any diving on their own in the Virgin Islands.<br><br>Gary Kilbride
Gary Kilbride
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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: plholsten]
#1410
09/02/2002 12:26 PM
09/02/2002 12:26 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 229 CO mountains, AZ desert
BVICaptn
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 229
CO mountains, AZ desert
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I didn't see anyone list The Indians as a great dive/snorkel site. While it may be crowded at times, I've always found plenty of fish and the coral is beautiful. Don't miss this one.
Capt'n Bob CO/AZ
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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: plholsten]
#1412
09/02/2002 03:28 PM
09/02/2002 03:28 PM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,026 Augusta, Georgia
BillH
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,026
Augusta, Georgia
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Pat,<br>Diamond Reef is just off the beach of Camanoe right at Marina Cay. If you were moored at the balls furthest from Marina Cay, you could swim over there but there's always that danger of boat traffic coming through the cut heading south. Since Camanoe is private, there's always that chance<br>that someone will deter you from beaching your dinghy there but we've never had a problem if we stayed well away from the service dock there and beached it a bit more north of there.
Bill Hartzman 706-495-1435 Email]billhartzman@gmail.com[/Email]
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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: plholsten]
#1413
09/02/2002 03:43 PM
09/02/2002 03:43 PM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Smuggler's cove on West end Tortola. Quiet, private, turtles, and usual colorful reef fish. Sandy Cay - snorkel around this small island and you will see a large variety of specimens due to changes in dept of water, particulary on the deep east end. Most rays we ever saw was Deadman's Bay on Peter Island. We anchored out and swam in. Saw tiger sharks and black tip sharks in Anegada at Pomato Point, fortunately small ones about 3-4 feet long. Turtles in Savannah Bay and Mountain Trunk Bay, both on Virgin Gorda. Extensive variety of sea ceatures on reef north of Prickly Pear, I believe it's called Eustatia Reef.
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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: Roguewarrior2]
#1414
09/02/2002 04:28 PM
09/02/2002 04:28 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,884 St. Thomas, USVI
Nutmeg
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,884
St. Thomas, USVI
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Gee, thanks Gary! I put Thatch and Carvel on my list because they were the two recent places I have dived (what the heck IS the past tense of dive??? ) Not only do you need to do them mainly in the summer, you have to watch the tide changes, too. It was so quiet at the Tunnels that you could just sit and observe- usually you have to kick like heck to prevent crashing into the side...well at least I do... I love the bluebell tunicates there...reminds me of spring time in the hill country!<br><br>I have not seen a guide by Glanville and Jenik, but will be looking for it tomorrow, thanks!<br><br>And, Secret Harbour is on the east end of St Thomas- there is a phenomenon after the full moon (esp in the summer) that has to do with sand worms spawning that is incredible- thousands of glow worms all around!!
[color:"red"]NUTMEG[/color] Today is the tomorrow you talked about yesterday.
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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: WHH]
#1417
09/03/2002 05:14 AM
09/03/2002 05:14 AM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 649 South Florida
Roguewarrior2
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 649
South Florida
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Will,<br><br>It is Thatch Cay north of Coki Pt. on St. Thomas. The Tunnels and Arches are off the NW tip of Thatch Cay.<br><br>Lots of same name islands and cays throughout the Caribbean: there are Buck Islands near Tortola, St. Thomas and St. Croix. Saba Rock in North Sound Virgin Gorda, Saba Island near St. Thomas and the big Saba in the Netherlands Antillies.<br><br><br>Gary Kilbride
Gary Kilbride
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Re: Best Snorkeling Sites Poll
[Re: plholsten]
#1418
09/05/2002 09:33 PM
09/05/2002 09:33 PM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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i have to agree with waterlemon cay off of st. john. teeming with fish over there! we spent 18 days on st john and never got bored with the snorkeling.
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