Monkey Point or Dogs for Snorkeling

Great board for information!

If you had to choose snorkeling Monkey Point or the Dogs due to time constraints, which is better. We have gobs of kids with us (8-14), so we don't want anything too technical until they get their sea legs.

Thanks in advance

Dogs are better and IME the conditions are far more consistent. Visibility at Monkey Point is hit or miss.

I've experienced a strong outgoing current at Monkey Point in the past and we've been snorkeling The Dogs ever since. Planning to bring tanks this trip so we're been more excited by The Dogs!

We have never stopped at the Dogs and are thinking of doing that on the way up to Leverick -- where is the best place to stop??

There are Parks Service balls at Great Dog, that's been our only stop there so far...

The Dogs make an excellent stop en route to Leverick. The conditions at George Dog are generally Ok but there is often too much of a swell at Great Dog. Couple of daytime bouys at each spot. Snorkelling is good at both. On the one occasion we did manage to stop at Great Dog I felt that I was inside my own screen saver. It was just fabulous against the wall.

We've always been down late May/ early June and had very good conditions, with the exception of some small jellyfish. With the scuba gear this time I'm excited about diving the Chimneys.

The airplane fuselage on the South side of Great Dog is pretty cool to see.

I'd almost forgotten about that.... Thanks! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Thanks all -- really looking forward to stopping on this trip!!

Great George, find the chimneys, really cool.

Thanks Evan - where are they?

Matt, need a little help here. Check some of the dive website, they have dive site locations.

The chimney is a dive site. Even non divers should pick up the dive guide frank sells. It highlights good snorkel sites too. Chimney is on the west side of great dog. 5-6 mooring balls there. Lots to see!

Well I haven't been to the Dogs but I've never seen more tarpon up close than at Monkey Point. It was our favorite snorkel stop and we'll definitely return in May.

I like both!

Monkey point is hit or miss. The Dogs are almost always excellent - at least at the Chimney. Never had a bad dive/snorkel there.

Thanks Matt! We're actually planning to hit both on this trip!

That's always the best bet - hit em both. If Monkey point is on a miss day, you can simply move on.

3 friends of ours were on that plane when it went into the water off the end of the Beef Island runway. A few years later, after they had qualiied for SCUBA, 2 of those folks dove on the site where the plane is now and have pictures of themselves seated in the seats they were assigned for the original flight from EIS to SJU.

Just so you know, no one was injured in the original accident. Essentially, the plane never really " took off" , they gained a couple feet of air but splashed immediately.

( There is a good reason for baggage weight limitations, and don't get too torqued if your stuff gets delayed).

Breeze

Now THAT is a cool story!

I like Great Dog best... we usually stop there several times each trip. There can be some surge.

The sunken airplane is cool, but too deep for snorkeling.

Wow!! Was anyone else injured?
It must have been pretty hairy crash landing at at least 100 mph.

We like both too.

No one was injured, thats about the extent of it. Plane landing gear clipped the end-of-runway barrier and then the water, there was no violent crash , just a water glide. IIRC, the water depth when the pax were evacuated was about 15', so certainly not very far off shore. I think I was told it was about a 200 yard swim.

I don't rememer the name of the air company, but it was not a US airline. -- believe it was April of 1988 when it happened. Interesting that there never was an FAA report or finding.

Breeze

From Wikipedia: Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport

"On 6 May 1993, a Short 330 turboprop operated by Atlantic Air BVI overran the runway and landed in the sea after aborting on takeoff. It was a passenger flight, and all passengers and crew survived. The airframe was damaged beyond economic repair, and was sunk as a scuba diving site off Great Dog Island"

Go for the DOGS...

Agree with the dogs, spent a couple of days there exploring all over. Shallow reefs for snorkelers and great spots for SCUBA.

More variety than Monkey Point and less crowded.

We will hit it a couple of times in June.