caribbean snorkeling
In the British Virgin Islands, year round the water is at a temperature of close
to 80 degrees, reaching to 85 degrees in the summer. Snorkeling is excellent to
superb. Our snorkel sites vary from sheltered coral reefs to offshore rocks and
walls. You can also snorkel inside grottoes, caves and see old shipwrecks. The
wreck of the Rhone shallow end sits in 20 feet of water. Visiblity is mostly good
to excellent. Promenade carries many fish and shell identification books to so
you can look up the multitudes of fish you see. Promenade has many snorkeling
sites that are unique to us.
bvi snorkeling charter
Promenade
carries a full compliment of snorkeling gear on board, including about 40 sets
of masks, fins, and snorkels, snorkeling vests and noodles for those who are more
comfortable with some flotation. We have a large deck box just up the easy water
entry aft deck where you can easily store your gear. With 2 dive instructors on
board, there is always someone around to give you a quick lesson or accompany
you as you like.
caves, norman island
One of our most popular snorkeling spots. The fish have been hand fed for so long,
they do everything besides jump on the back deck! The caves or, Treasue Point,
is supposedly what Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island is based on and there
have been legends and treasure hunters looking for the chests of gold that are
supposedly buried all over Norman Island for many years. There is a series of
4 caves here, with fantastic snorkeling. A couple of the caves you can stand up
in and the furthest one back goes about 40 feet. Story has it that in 1907 a local
family, the Creque family, found a treasure chest back on a ledge with $200,000.
(in those days dollars) treasure in it. They used part of that treasure to buy
the island from the government and it stayed in the family until about 2 years
ago, when it was sold for 17 million dollars.
the indians
So
named because someone thought that the group of rocks looked like an Indian headdress
from far away! No Indians, but some of the best coral and fishlife we have in
the BVI. Suitable for divers and snorkelers, the rocks rise about 50 feet above
the water, and are about 60 feet down at the sea bed. These can be easily circumnavigated
and there is a particularily good bowl in the middle which is just like an aquarium.
This is always a favorite with guests.
other favorite spots
If
we drew up a map of all the snorkeling spots it would cover the entire BVI! Cistern
Point on Cooper Island is also spectacular. There are a couple spots you can go,
where not only the snorkeling is wonderful, but the fishermen clean their conch
shells so you can find yourselve a nice conch shell as well. Among these are Beef
Island Bluff and the Sphinx at Salt Island. Guests often ask why there are mountains
of cleaned conch shells. This is because when they are harvested, if the fishermen
clean out the shell and throw it back in the conch field, the conch will leave.
So, they collect the conch and take them to many spots around the island where
they can sit in their boat, clean them, and throw them into a conch graveyard.
One of the most notable conch mountains is out at Anegada.
Promenade is the cover story in the August BVI Yacht Guide!! Pretty impressive! 
