USVI-On-Line

We finally booked 6 days in January and are very excited to go to St John for the first time.

My 75 year old mother will be coming with us and is dead set on snorkeing. She is one of those crazy athletic people even at this age and still runs 4 miles a day so I'm not worried about whether she is active or athletic enough to snorkel.

I'm worried about what will happen if she sees a shark or even a barracuda. She is absolutely terrified of sharks, but has decided that she wants to snorkel in the Caribbean before she dies.

She's been practicing snorkeling every day in the pool. (yes, with her fins and snorkel, and no I wish I was kidding.)

I realize that it's impossible to guarantee that there will be no sharks wherever we are snorkeling, but are there any good spots for novices where the chances are lower of seeing a shark?

Also, probably shallower waters are better.

I've researched a little and understand thaht Maho is good for novices.

I have no snorkeling advice but I hope you have a wonderful time!
I'm sure you will be changing your forum name when you return to something like stjohnanytimer!
Have fun!

First of all, wecome to the Forum. I think you will like it.

It sounds like if she does see a shark she will die while snorling in the Carib.


I think the general concensus will be Maho or Hawksnest for a novice. There will be those who suggest Trunk, but the crowds could be a problem for a first-timer.

You can assure her that the most common shark is a nurse shark and they are more like catfish than great whites. The barracudas she might see are also rather timid. I think there is less chance of seeing either at Maho and Hawksnest.

Let's hear from the real experts.

JIM

How cute is that

I would say Maho for sure - there sometimes is a nurse shark there, but way out at the tip and you have to then swim to the left and look for the rock where "she" (I always call her she ) might be - if you don't know where to look (and even if you do) "she" is easily missed if she is there asleep, also the water there is quite deep - by Maho standards anyway, so I doubt you would be snorkeling in that spot.

I love Maho - it is great snorkeling

Pia

ps: welcome to the forum

I really liked the snokeling at Cinnamon Bay Beach...and this location is super family friendly. There is a snack bar...showers...etc.

There is plain old "boring" snokeling off the beach and then it is really cool around Cinnamon Cay which is ~ 30 yards off the bech, in about 10-20 feet of water. Below is a picture of Cinnamon Bay Beach from Catharineberg (top of the ridge)...the "little island lookin' thing" right off the beach is Cinnamon Cay...

Sherb - that is a beautiful snorkeling spot! I will say, however, that Cinnamon Cay is the one place that I have ever seen a shark of any kind in all my trips to STJ...It was a Caribbean Reef Shark...We were on a little boat excursion and were supposed to make our way over to JVD...Unfortunately, the waters were too rough for our 22' center console, and el capitan decided it would be best to hit some of the better spots around STJ. So, he moored about 50-60 yards to the left of the Cay (looking at your pic), and we swam over...After the swim over from the boat (a leisurely 10 minute float), we got to the Cay and sure enough, this Reef Shark swims SLOOOOWLY right in front of us (all of the other fish were swimming quickly). We were a group of about 6...My wife was pregnant with the boy...We swam quickly back to the boat - which in hindsight was pretty silly I guess.

I would recommend Trunk; it might be crowded, but she may be more comfortable with people around - there are also lifeguards.

Another option would be a daysail with Captain Phil. He's great with inexperienced snorkelers. Check out his offerings and rates : http://www.waywardsailor.net/

Enjoy your first (of many) trip to St. John.

Hi, welcome to the forum,
I would also recommend Maho at first, she can see various fish on the edges and rays and turtles in the sea grass. If she is comfortable, you have to take her to Trunk Bay LATE in the day, 3:30 or later, maybe after a day at Maho, it usually has emptied by then and if you go after 4:00, sometimes there is no charge and the crowd is gone. I also like the reefs between Honeymoon Bay & Caneel Bay and Honeymoon & Salomon, you can access it through Caneel Bay. It's great to hear that your mom is so active, God bless her, have a Great Time

First I will tell you that Maho is our most favorite snorkel spot but secondly I will tell you it is where I have seen the biggest, thickest barracuda I have EVER seen. It saw me and swam off really fast as opposed to all other barracudas I encounter that seem to stalk me staring at me with that big eye. I never felt threatened by it though.

Also, like Pia stated, we always (without fail) see the nurse shark at the point. It's usually by the rock Pia mentioned but I have seen it close to the rocks on the point on the big Maho side and this past summer I saw it near a rock in big Maho about 3/4 of the way out. All it does is sit there "sleeping" under the rock. The only time I see it move is when the teenage boys want to go down and try and touch it. It swims off then comes back when they leave.

One of the women in our party saw it this past summer and swam away quickly because we neglected to tell her it was a nurse shark (thinking she figured it out) and that it wouldn't bother her. Once we explained that to her, she actually went back and checked it out.

Two summers ago we also had a huge permit fish following us around at Maho.

As for Cinnamon, that is the ONLY (and I hope to keep it that way) place I have ever seen something other than a nurse shark. I saw it on the right side of the cay if you are facing out from the beach. It freaked me out because it came back and checked me out after it had initially swam off.

One thing to be aware of is that there are alot of very large tarpon that can freak you out when you first see them till you realize they are not sharks. Saw three huge tarpon at Trunk one year. They always seem to be around the schools of little fish (forgot what they call them...but the ones that formed objects in Nemo).

I have seen sharks and barracudas at almost every beach now so I wouldn't know which one to recommend to you, but I can tell you that Maho is a beautiful and easy snorkel. If she gets scared, she can get back to shore with ease.

I am SO jealous! All these years I've been hoping to see a shark or at least a big barracuda.... I've even gone way out where the water gets so deep you can't see the bottom - nothin'. I guess my point is that 'they' could be anywhere, or nowhere. Just one bit of advice: You should remind Mom not to wear any jewelry or anythng flashy.

nothintolose wrote:First I will tell you that Maho is our most favorite snorkel spot but secondly I will tell you it is where I have seen the biggest, thickest barracuda I have EVER seen. It saw me and swam off really fast as opposed to all other barracudas I encounter that seem to stalk me staring at me with that big eye. I never felt threatened by it though.

LOL! I've met they call me Mr. Barracuda and he did stalk me and stare at me with that big eye!!! He was as big as my son who was 8 at the time. I thought he was going to eat me but I was so stunned, I could do nothing more than float there frozen and offering myself up for sacrifice. I think he has a name...Pia? Is it Charlie?

Thanks for all of your replies and yes we are so excited that we can finally go to St John! Maho Bay sounds like a good spot and Hawksnest as well.

Are there any beaches that are best to avoid because the water is very deep, the chance of sharks is greater than usual, or the current is too swift for a new snorkeler?

I've heard that many people have seen sharks at Waterlemon Bay and that the current is pretty swift, so that's probably out.

Can anyone rate the following beaches in terms of snorkeling for a novice?
Jumbie
Vie's
Trunk
Any of Caneel's Beaches
Salt Water Pond

Have a great time and yes you could see sharks anywhere unless you snorkel in the pool.
I have seen a nurse shark at Maho but they are harmless.