Snorkeling Comparison

Hi folks,
We are considering a bareboat catamaran charter out of SXM (first time to this area), and one of our favorite boating pasttimes is snorkelling. For those of you that have done a lot of snorkeling in other parts of the world, could you please tell me how some of these areas compare to SXM, and its nearby islands?

Sea Aquarium, Compass Cay, Thunderball - Exumas
Indians, Dogs, Manchioneel, Caves - BVI's
La Perouse Bay (dolphins), Po'olenalena turtles, Ulua (listening to the whales) - Maui

Any comments comparing the above spots to SXM, Anguilla, Gustavia etc would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Mark

The 1st place I snorkeled was Watermelon Cay St John USV. Not even Creole Rock between St Martin & Anguilla compares. I've been told since Dawn Beach was destroyed by the building of the Westin Hotel there isn't any good snorkeling on SXM.

Compared to any of those places, you will be disappointed with the snorkeling in SXM.

Even Tintamare? On Celine?

Tintamarre has some of the best snorkeling around SXM, particularly for turtles, it doesn't matter which boat. But compared to many other places in the Caribbean, SXM has just had too many hurricanes, and the snorkeling is not as good as other places.

The Virgins have much better diving and snorkeling. The bay in St.John is Waterlemon and the snorkeling is great. We dove Creole Rock and it was OK, lots bleached coral.

Carol is 100% correct!!

I haven't been to any of the places you listed, so I can't compare but we had a really good time snorkeling at Pinel last year. Saw a couple of turtles, an eagle ray and lots of colorful fish. Read someplace else that they have gone up on price at the snorkeling hut ON Pinel but maybe if you can find an excursion that takes you near there or Tintamarre, you might see the best that SXM has to offer??

By the way, I had to google what bareboat charter meant - I thought it meant something else

I have been to all the mentioned locations. The snorkeling on SXM is not in the same league but there are places that are acceptable for snorkeling. Shoal Bay on Auguilla is much better. I placed on youtube a few clips (video and pictures taken by me) showing snorkeling near Green Kay off Orient Beach and a youtube showing various beaches on SXM at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty0EPfWeZRE&sns=em

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi_dgvO0tec&sns=em

You will see on the second clips still pictures of marine life taken by me just off shore Orient Beach. Every day, I would see something different.

Thanks for the comments everyone, and Paul for the videos, much appreciated! Not sure what we're going to do yet, usually I book about 2 weeks ahead of departure so it's getting close to decision time!
Fair winds,
Mark