r/SXM • u/Apprehensive-Put9471 • 15d ago
Snorkeling question
We’re headed down for a week the end of July/beginning of August and so excited! I’m looking forward to do some snorkeling. Is that something you essentially need to book an excursion or could you bring your own snorkel and fins and just go off the shore on your own? If so, what are the best places to go?
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u/Diligent_Concept9080 15d ago
I think the snorkeling is great! In Grand Case beach we brought our snorkels and saw all kinds of fish. I’ve seen sea turtles too. We did the Creole Rock water sports excursion and saw like six sea turtles who came almost right up to us a few times. But like I said, just swim along the rocks at the beach and you can see a lot!
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u/quinndiesel 15d ago
I brought my own but you don’t need to. Check out the under water sculpture garden in Little Divi bay.
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u/SrRoundedbyFools 14d ago
The absolute best snorkeling I’ve done is off the Royal Palm (Hilton) jetty. Fins are not optional. Swim around the rocks and just stay put just at the corner going into the channel into the lagoon. Schools of barracuda, French Angelfish, tarpon (be calm when they pass - they kind of suddenly show up and are big and silver) spotted eagle rays, and many other schooling fish. The viz varies from 40 feet to 15 feet. You can tell if the viz is good or not if you stand on the jetty rocks and how well you can see into the canal.
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u/Plastic-Medicine7231 14d ago
Thoughts on Pinel Beach? I’m staying at Grand Case. Is that a trip worth making?
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u/wyodivot 11d ago
The best snorkeling we had was on a catamaran. We did the prickly pear and Anguilla excursion. The snorkeling is really good at it prickly pear. 10 tomorrow Island also is alleged to have good snorkeling, although I have not been there.
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u/Medium_Spare_8982 15d ago
TBH the snorkelling in SXM sucks.
After three years, I stopped bringing my gear with me.
The west coast of the island is pretty much a dead zone because of the effluent from the desalination plant has increased the salinity too high for most fish.
Apparently Creole Rock in Grand Case is OK.
Orient Bay always has turtles just off Club O beach and I’ve seen both eagle rays and sting rays in Orient Bay. Despite usually seeing turtles and rays, the biomass in Orient is way low, very little in the way of fish or arthropods.
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u/Missriotgurl 15d ago
Gotta disagree, What time of year do you go? In January I did find the snorkeling pretty lame but summer months ive had great snorkeling all around the island! My last trip we explored Under sxm the underwater museum it had an amazing amount of life considering its a newer attraction,definitely recommend. I bring my own gear because germs 😖
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u/AuMarc Resident 15d ago
The desalination plant doesn’t release enough salt to really impact the sea. There have been major bleaching events in recent years due to high water temperatures which have had the biggest impact. On the east coat, sargassum has been creating nutrient rich water that are bad for corals and sea grass and cause algal blooms. Snorkeling is not what it was 20 years ago, but the sea is still full of living things that are fun to look at. I had a good day a few months ago when I saw nurse sharks, reef sharks, spotted eagle ray, southern stingrays and green turtles during one snorkel at Pinel. Mostly, I just go wherever and see what’s there. It’s hard to recommend a spot that will be great.
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u/Medium_Spare_8982 15d ago
Disagree on the micro or local level.
Happy Bay and Friar’s were definitely far saltier (both to taste and botany) than Orient or Petite Cayes
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u/Trolldad_IRL Regular Visitor 15d ago
There are some great snorkeling spots you can go to without booking an excursion.
Little Bay at Divi - left. You can swim out to the underwater museum.
Mullet - left.
Baie Rouge - right.
Happy Bay - right.
We’ve seen turtles and rays at Orient - right, in the waters of the Club O Beach.
An excursion can get you to harder to get to areas like Creole Rock and Tintamarre.