usvi-on-line
snorkeling maho & francis ?
snorkeling maho & francis ?
Never been to these beaches before can someone tell me were to head to for the best snorkeling.
cptn,
i'm into slow and easy, and these two are the best. at maho, we usually part midway so the bride has plenty of sun and i walk down and enter at far right. sandy beach and you just walk in. i've found best times are early afternoon so sun is shinning toward east and rocks and coral below surface. also better at high tides because you can get into some shallow places midway between beach and large rocks at corner with little maho.
you will find wonderful soft coral life attached to rocks within 10 feet from beach (all along right shore line) and as water gets deeper you will find more sea life. on many trips i have encountered schools of literally millions of feeder fish that surround you as you swim. usually a couple of large tarpons in area. beware that pelicans will dive bomb right next to you into fish schools and can scare you. I do a little free diving in the deeper water near the point and always seem to find a shy grouper or moray along the way.
at francis while best times and conditions are the same, i like to enter on the left side (sandy beach again) and start immediately around those rocks and then swim clockwise to little maho and back. i've tried the middle and right side of francis to no avail but read reports of folks who have encountered turtles (have seen at both m & f) and eagle rays.
having read so many posts and reports on this and other boards about "all the fish", i believe many are missing out on some of the best parts of the stj snorkeling, the color of the corals and "non-fish" life that make the coral scene truly alive.
enjoy
papabou
second post of message since 1st wound up as new post
i'm into slow and easy, and these two are the best. at maho, we usually part midway so the bride has plenty of sun and i walk down and enter at far right. sandy beach and you just walk in. i've found best times are early afternoon so sun is shinning toward east and rocks and coral below surface. also better at high tides because you can get into some shallow places midway between beach and large rocks at corner with little maho.
you will find wonderful soft coral life attached to rocks within 10 feet from beach (all along right shore line) and as water gets deeper you will find more sea life. on many trips i have encountered schools of literally millions of feeder fish that surround you as you swim. usually a couple of large tarpons in area. beware that pelicans will dive bomb right next to you into fish schools and can scare you. I do a little free diving in the deeper water near the point and always seem to find a shy grouper or moray along the way.
at francis while best times and conditions are the same, i like to enter on the left side (sandy beach again) and start immediately around those rocks and then swim clockwise to little maho and back. i've tried the middle and right side of francis to no avail but read reports of folks who have encountered turtles (have seen at both m & f) and eagle rays.
having read so many posts and reports on this and other boards about "all the fish", i believe many are missing out on some of the best parts of the stj snorkeling, the color of the corals and "non-fish" life that make the coral scene truly alive.
enjoy
papabou
second post of message since 1st wound up as new post