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Best handig te weten waar je lekker kan snorkelen.
Wil je het alleen voor een paar uurtjes doen dan is Mount Irvine Bay een van de betere plekken. Voor serieuze snoker trips heb je hieronder meer info.
Snorkeling Tobago
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 admin @ 11:48 am
Calm waters most of the time, lots of reef life and no great white sharks. Tobago is paradise oui!â€Â
Snorkeling in Tobago
The Guyana current sweeps past Tobago on it’s way up from the Equatorial regions.
The water is warm, rich in nutrient, and the flow is not too strong in inshore areas the majority of the year. Marine life abounds.
The Eastern side of Tobago
As the body of water reaches the island it is split into two streams. A segment is diverted into the Galleons Passage and continues northward untroubled into the Caribbean Sea.
The other larger part of the flow goes north also, on the Atlantic side of Tobago into the eye of the Northeast Tradewinds.
This makes a rough and troubled surface, not suitable for the average snorkeler.
The Western side
The Caribbean side is protected from the winds and the current sweeps past at a lethargic average speed of two knots maximum in the inshore areas.
From the south end of Tobago, and continuing to points north, the opportunities for good snorkeling is tremendous.
A visitor to the island can begin his forays at the Store Bay area. The cliffs at the edge of the hotel grounds may seem intimidating at first, but a few minutes observation shows clear water, and no currents which could threaten a swimmer with fins. The rocks at the base of those cliffs feature chub, parrotfish and many of those colorful small marine species such as hamlets and juvenile angelfish.
Swimming across Storebay, right along to the Swallows one discovers an entire coral reef running along the edge of the land approximately one hundred feet from the beach.
A relatively fit person may snorkel right along here to Pigeon Point, or spend many days exploring the seabed. Lobsters are numerous, as well as grouper, small snapper and grunt.
The shy squirrelfish is seen along the deeper fringes of the reef. The traffic is fairly busy here, with small boats traversing and one’s visibility should be a primary concern.
A survival tip Snorkeling in pairs with a bright red buoy is not a bad idea. This is the finishing leg of an annual powerboat race from Trinidad during the month of August, and at other times scads of boaters zip around blithely, so consider this a word to the wise.
If you’re like some folks who just need the detailed gen on the conditions for getting the best out of limited snorkeling time, read on…
Buccoo Reef.
The Buccoo Reef is under stress from active development inland and tourism activity on the reef itself. It is still very beautiful however, and must be not be missed during your visit to Tobago.
At Pigeon Point, the Buccoo Reef beckons the enthusiast to view its delights. The Reef itself is the third largest coral concentration in the western hemisphere, third in size after the reefs of the Bahamas and the barrier reef at Belize.
This area is zoned as a marine park, and all forms of fishing or collecting is prohibited. The best place for the snorkeler is at the Coral Gardens, a three acre patch of lush, assorted reef growth and marine life half a mile from the beach.
Tip for snorkeling Buccoo It is extremely shallow going to get to the Coral Garden, the bottom consisting of crushed coral and swept rock. The ubiquitous sea urchin is prevalent, and the unwary swimmer might want to be careful where he or she places a body part.
The fringe of the barrier reef is tricky to negotiate and should not be considered without having an attendant vessel with a driver in attendance.
When the tide rushes in or out, the current flow is considerable. Complications such as cramp or other minor physical trauma can create a major accident.
More good snorkeling Further north along the Caribbean coast, the next best snorkeling is at Mount Irvine Bay.
Instant access to the reef is just off the beach.
Snorkel along the shallow water for three hundred yard. The amount of fish life in this area is simply amazing. There are sea fans and live coral growths, albeit on a small scale, but certainly worth an hour or two of exploration.
The northern end of Mount Irvine Bay is very good for the advanced snorkeler. The swells wash over and around Rockly Point, creating a washing machine effect. The water teems with plankton and minute marine life. I’ve seen a fair amount of squid there. Disregard the translucent jellyfish. The toxin level in those are neligible.
The results of such an abundance of fish food result in a permanent colony of barracuda and tarpon. Several pelagics swoop in to feed on the ever present shoal of herring and anchovies feeding on the largesse.
It’s a common for snorkelers to see dorado, amberjack, and rainbow runner cavorting in close here, with kingfish and swarms of small bonito raising quite a ruckus off that Point.
The terrain at the Rockly Point site is best described as a series of underwater canyons. Sea fans, gorgonians, and sea cucumbers are present in fair quantity.
This is definitely one of the best sites on this side of the island and well worth exploring over a half day.
More exploration The next place which embraces a snorkeler in it charms is Arnos Vale. Access is possible through the Hotel’s gate, and may require a bit of diplomacy when speaking to the security person there. Asking politely may not hurt.
Clambering over the rocks along the adjacent fence to get to the bay is also an option, but it is easier to just buy a drink at the hotel’s facilities.
The Arnos Vale Bay is ten feet deep inside to thirty feet deep at the outside. It is about two hundred yards across and it is surrounded by steep cliffs. At times of the year the rock faces are battered by swells coming across the Caribbean from the Northeast.
The large submerged rocks, quite visible underwater, and called ‘sunks’ locally, harbor sea fans, elkhorn, fire coral, star coral, multi-colored sponges and lots of fish life. Barracuda are always lurking in the background at Arnos Vale, but are to be considered just intimidatory. There are no records of anyone ever being attacked by these splendid creatures.
The parrot fish here are large, and as are the green moray eels. Again, they are no bother to those who do not bother them. There are many brown pelicans in this area, attracted by the abundance of fish.
The snorkeling is also good along the coast on both sides of this bay. However there are no beaches, and access to shore is across slippery, sharp rock faces.
Good rules of thumb for snorkeling at Arnos Vale is as follows. Put the mask on your head, put the fins on, and walk backward into the water. Spin around when waist deep and swim powerfully away in full snorkeling mode.
Do not touch any coral here, it damages them, and it may damage you. To repeat, the buddy system is always a good idea.
Culloden Reef further up the coast is much the same, with the dubious relief of not being as rocky underwater, but not having quite as prolific a fish count for the snorkeler. For the scuba diver it harbors a great dive.
Castara Bay, roughly at the midpoint of the island on this coast, has a good snorkeling site to the right as one enters the bay from the land. Walk along the beach for three hundred yards, until it is not possible to go further on the sand. Enter the water, and begin the pleasant task of sightseeing. Again, the marine life is the same as you have seen earlier.
Castara Bay is a great stopover, as the village has a good local restaurant just on the water. They serve hot local dishes, usually fish or chicken as the main course. It will be spicy, so be warned.
Additoinally, the effects of a heavy lunch, and the odd cold beer are extremely soporific. It is not recommended to eat a heavy meal and go swimming soon after.
Have a rest on the warm sand for about an hour, then continue the snorkeling tour.
Englishman’s Bay is another popular spot for the avid snorkeler. This is a scenic area, fringed with coconut trees and clusters of bamboo thickets. The incoming ocean swells can surge up onto the fairly broad beach and care should be exercised if one notices a lot of white water activity.
Many snorkelers lose their equipment along these shores because of the benign nature of the sea. The only drawback to exploration along this north shore of Tobago is lack of good road accessibility.
A certain amount of risk is involved when one has to leave possessions unattended on the beach while off on marine safari, so be practicval about what you take along on the day.
Charlotteville is a quaint rural district which is relatively unspoiled. There are a few yachts in Pirate’s Bay at any given time, and they usaully have lots of keen snorkelers aboard. A brief word to any one of these seafarers elicits a wealth of useful knowledge about the best places and sights in the area.
The scenery is quite panoramic in this area, and it is almost an overload to the senses. Take it in slowly, and make arrangements for a return trip. No one can explore the Charlotteville area in one holiday.
On the Atlantic coast, there are only a few areas to be considered for a few hours snorkeling activity.
Anse Bateau, or Batteaux Bay, is one such place.
It’s where the Bluewaters Inn is located. The currents here can be quite strong just a few hundred feet from the shore, and advice should be sought about the area from knowledgeable locals.
The other, which is off Bacolet Bay, three quarters of a mile from Scarborough, looks foreboding, but it is quite good snorkeling.
There is a fair chance of finding artifacts such as bayonets and old cannon shot in Bacolet Bay. The rocks are algae covered, with no coral growth in evidence. The fish life here is limited to the stray grouper, schools of sergeant majors and wandering grunts.
Having come out from the rigorous snorkeling activity spent exploring Tobago’s shores a person might well consider starting over again at the beginning. I have been exploring these coasts for twenty five years, and still keep finding cause for pleasant surprise.
