Snorkeling Around the World

When I travel to a place known for its beaches and water sports I am always asked if I dive or snorkel.  I snorkel and have done so in some phenomenal spots around the world.  There are very differing opinions on the best place to snorkel.  I have been amazed at some places and disappointed in others. All are beautiful, but very unique.  One of the most beautiful I have snorkeled is Trunk Bay in St. John, USVI.  One can wade out for several yards before reaching the coral beds and finding fish, but the water is crystal clear and the beach is gorgeous!  One of the unique things about Trunk Bay is that there is a snorkel trail over 600 feet long, complete with fifteen underwater plaques describing the fish and coral that inhabit the bay. This trail guides snorkelers on their exploration.  The one drawback for the experienced swimmer and snorkeler is that everyone must wear a life vest that really inhibits the ability to dive under the water. 

Swimming with the stingrays in Grand Cayman was something we really loved. .  These incredible fish are very tame and nuzzle the swimmers seeking food.  Their skin is soft and they are gentle.  Stingray City, as it is known, is off the shore a little distance, but the water is only three feet deep and there are dozens of tame stingrays that inhabit the area.  In addition to the stingrays, there are many other fish and a coral reef in the area. 

Also in the Caribbean one can swim with the Barbados Turtles off the coast of that island.  Like the stingrays, they are gentle and used to human beings.  Their primary mission as they swim around is looking for food.  When one snorkels with the turtles, it is done without fins, as the fins can cause damage to the turtles.  Their shells are hard and leathery and we were warned not to try to touch their heads, tails or feet (flippers) as they are very soft and the turtles don’t like that. 

A trip to Australia is not complete without a visit to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef.  Having snorkeled in so many fabulous and beautiful places, I looked forward with anticipation to my opportunity at the Great Barrier Reef.  We boarded a boat and traveled about 45 minutes after leaving shore.  We arrived and “docked” at a floating pier, donned our snorkel gear and dove in.  I looked all around and didn’t see many different kinds of fish.  There were a few, but not that many.  I continued looking and found some bleached coral, but none of the beautiful and colorful fish or coral that the pictures portray.  To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.  I had been led to believe that this was the most amazing place in the world to snorkel and it wasn’t.  While others in the group oohed and aahed about what they were seeing, I kept my mouth shut and kept trying to find the beauty that was supposedly there.  I never did.  The Great Barrier Reef has been over snorkeled and too many divers, so it is an endangered area which may account for the lack of fish and the pale and ordinary looking coral.  Though disappointed, I was glad to have the opportunity and it allowed me to put my other snorkel adventures in perspective. 

From my experience, the very best snorkeling I’ve ever done was in Sharm el Sheik, located on the Red Sea.  Talk about beautiful!  Wow!  The water is so clear that one can see the fish from the pier before ever entering the water.  The many varieties of fish are tame and tease the snorkelers as they swim around darting between your legs and arms.  The varieties and colors of the fish and coral are magnificent!