We’re still searching for some interesting coral, but in the meantime we are super happy to find turtles are everywhere.
We visited one popular tourist beach that we had constantly heard had a snorkeling path. It was actually kind of sad to swim across the barren landscape reading signs like this seemingly dropped randomly out of a boat.
That’s not to say there is no coral or fish, there just isn’t a lot.
We continued along the north coast of St. John to Francis Bay, probably our fifth different spot in the space of just 3 miles. It also proved to be our favorite so far. Of course the first thing we liked about it was that nobody else seemed to want to be there. The second thing we liked were the huge number of turtles swimming around us.
Turtles pick up a lot of hitchhikers. The big remora would stay on his back, but just as the turtle was going to surface he would flip around to his belly, then slide around again as they went back down.
Leftover pasta shells were a hit.
13 Comments on “Turtles”
There used to be tons of healthy coral there 15 years ago. Tourism destroyed it all. I used to snorkle a lot in a trio of rocks called “The Indians.” Look it up! Also, why is the landscape so brown and dead looking? Seems like it used to be lush and now its dry.
I think the hurricanes are more the cause of the destroyed coral. And also the landscape at this time. Some great articles here about it: https://www.nps.gov/viis/learn/viis-hurricane-recovery.htm
Wow! That’s my reaction to your photos today. Every post has beautiful pictures, but these are over the top. The kids are growing and gorgeous!
Thanks, Mcgker. And you aren’t kidding – Ouest is killing us right now as she has outgrown all the clothes we restocked in December when family visited.
Waterlemon Cay! Nuff said!
Hi Fran! Yes, we visited a few more posts up. Beautiful Bay to spend some time in.
I remember being disappointed with the snorkeling trail at St. John’s back in 1980 – nothing special to see even then. A fun snorkeling place is Monkey Point over on Guana Island. It is a private island though and has a wonderful beach that doesn’t welcome folks not staying there. Anchoring off the point used to be a must stop every visit. I haven’t been back in 20 years though so it could be very different.
Hi Abigail, I wonder if tour companies can really still be charging people to bring them to Trunk Bay for that snorkeling trail? It would seem they would only get negative reviews with how bad the coral is. Neat about Monkey Point!
To Commentor about the Indians… That’s in the BVI, not in St. John which is US and it (Indians)is still absolutely gorgeous.
Also to the same guy talking about how Unlush the surroundings are and why they are so brown, have you ever heard about something called hurricane Maria? Get your shit straight before you come in on stuff you don’t know nothing about
Dude, take a deep breath. And then about ten more after that. Who gets that worked up over someone commenting on how dry some scenery looks?
Hey Commentor!
It was all great until your rudeness stopped by! Please!
Haulover north has amazing coral and tons of interesting snorkeling. I almost always see nurse and reef sharks.