Swim with Turtles, Snorkel a Shipwreck and More!
Always on the lookout for fun and active “things to do” while on our Caribbean vacations, one constant theme kept popping up throughout my research on Barbados – swimming with turtles and snorkeling over shipwrecks. With all those white sand beaches and close-to-shore reefs along the south-west and west coast, I was really looking forward to getting into the water and exploring the marine seascapes! So, here’s what we did…
Carlisle Bay – Swim with Turtles and Snorkel a Shipwreck
Carlisle Bay is about a mile (2km) south of Bridgetown, and about 4 miles (7km) north of where we were staying. We donned our bathing suits and reef-friendly sunscreen, grabbed our snorkel masks and hopped on a local bus for the 15-minute ride. Carlisle Bay has some of the most famous beaches in the Caribbean, and I must say, it is a beautiful sight. Like all beaches in Barbados, Brownes Beach, Pebbles Beach and Bayshore Beach are “public” beaches. This means that anyone can just lay down a towel and stake a claim to a piece of sand, regardless of the hotel or bar/restaurant you happen to be in front of (or is it behind?). Anyways, the gorgeous white sand beaches of Carlisle Bay stretch for about a mile (2km) along the shimmering blue sea that beckoned us in for a swim and snorkel. The beaches are just about perfect – with no stones or pebbles and there’s no sea-weed in the water. The only potential downside is that it was fairly busy by Caribbean island standards. But… understandable considering what the area offers.
Beach chair and umbrella rentals are available all along the beach. There’s even a couple of facilities that feature a bar, restaurant and bathrooms – Harbour Lights and the Boatyard Club also conveniently turn into nightclubs for continuing the party when the sun goes down. We ended up near Bayshore Beach which has public washrooms (Lockers are available – just bring your own lock). Vendors in the parking lot offer everything from water to large home-cooked meals. Later in the day, I had what I think was the largest, tastiest meat patty I’ve ever had, outside of Jamaica.
Enough of the logistics – It’s time we got in the water!
We started at an area that at first seemed devoid of life. No coral, just a sand bottom 15-20 feet below… then, I saw something moving down there… There were several stingrays cruising along the seafloor. Apparently, these creatures are fairly new to this spot, although it’s easy to understand why they’re here. Like other marine animals in the area, they’re here for the food. Local boat/tour operators drop fish scraps into the water to attract turtles – The Crowd Favourite. There were several boatloads of people occupying the same space, so when a turtle was spotted, everyone converged on the area. Even with several legs thrashing around, we managed to see a couple of the fascinating reptiles. It was really fun to watch a turtle, enveloped in a swarm of “entourage” fish, swim up for an easy meal. After surfacing for some air, it gracefully descended, mysteriously disappearing into the depths.
Next stop – The shipwreck. Strong swimmers can access this spot right from the beach. Fortunately, there were fewer people here and were more spread out. Snorkeling over the shipwreck was incredible – It absolutely blew me away as I’ve never seen so many fish congregating in one area like that. The top of the ship is less than 15 feet (4.5m) from the surface, so clearly visible by snorkelers. The top and sides of the wreck were covered in corals, sponges and sea fans, however I was really fascinated by the large variety of tropical fish. I viewed the ship from stern to bow and back again – I just couldn’t get enough. Along with schools of sergeant-majors, the trumpetfish, blue-tang and angelfish really stood out to me. I watched as a snorkeler dived down to the surface of the ship and even into one of the openings – Hhmnn… I’ll need to try that next time! This may be as close to a scuba diving experience as I’ll ever get.
Now that I know where the hotspots are, the next time I’m in Barbados I’ll try to get to Carlisle Bay before 9am, rent a kayak and check out these locations before the crowds arrive.
Want to see more? Check out our Barbados Snorkeling with Turtles and Rays, and Barbados Snorkeling over Shipwrecks videos on YouTube!
Folkstone & Holetown – Rock Pile Reefs
A couple of days later we got on another bus and ventured further up the west coast to check out Folkstone Marine Park. Snorkelers can explore a large area of shallow sea here, protected by buoys and rope fence. From the beach, we could see several scattered rows of reefs close to shore – So exciting! Unfortunately, the water was rough that day, with waves breaking right over the reefs, so the beach was closed to snorkelers. We were there on a Sunday, so the Information Centre / Museum (lockers available) was also closed. Disappointed but not defeated, we wandered south along the beach looking for somewhere else to get into the water…
Just north of Holetown, I could see a dark shape in the water really close to shore, so I assumed it was a reef and a potential place to snorkel. The warm salty water was easy to float in, even with the small waves that day. Here’s where things got a little interesting… As I neared the “reef”, I was surprised to see that it was actually a meticulously stacked/assembled rock-pile. It was as if a Giant played a game of Granite Tetris undersea… I assume that all the reefs along Barbados’ west coast are like this. Unlike most of its neighbouring islands, Barbados is a coral island, so I was expecting lots of natural coral at the bottom of the sea – Well, this was a learning experience.
Regardless of their composition, these rock barriers provide a sanctuary for sea-life. This little reef had several different fish swimming around it, so I was motivated to check-out the larger reef at the north end of Holetown – Wow, I’m sure glad I did! Just a few feet from shore I disturbed a flounder and then I found the rock-pile area full of life. I saw a variety of fish species on the east side of the reef so I rounded the south end to see what was on the other side. Well, I was in for a treat – I almost immediately encountered a large school of Blue Chromis (I think). So cool!
I was told that further offshore from Holetown beach there’s a sunken barge resting in 20 feet (6m) of water that is home to plenty of colourful fish and other marine life including turtles. Locals offered boat rides to get to the spot.
Based on my experience with the beach at Holetown, I suspect that snorkeling up at Folkestone would be outstanding. I imagine that I could have spent hours just floating around examining the reefs and their marine life in their entirety. Unfinished business – Well, now I have an excuse for coming back to Barbados 😊
Want to see more? Check out our Barbados Snorkeling – From Holetown video on YouTube!
Other Barbados West Coast / South-West Coast Beaches
There are more than a dozen beaches along the west coast of the island and several of them are good for a little snorkeling… I understand that the beaches at Alleynes Bay, Paynes Bay and Batts Rock are good spots.
On our last day in Barbados, we went for a walk along the Richard Haynes Boardwalk and came across a couple of spots that looked like they might be good for snorkeling. This half-mile (1km) long wooden walkway straddles the beachfront between Hasting’s Coconut Court Beach Hotel and Rockley Beach. Even if there’s no snorkeling, you can always relax in the tidal pools that are created on calm sea days!
ACT Staff
For more information on snorkeling in Barbados, including a list of tour operators who will get you to the hot spots, check out our Barbados Snorkeling page
If you’re looking for other ‘active’ things to do while vacationing on the island, click on our Barbados Adventures blog for some great ideas!
For an overview of beautiful Barbados, take a look at our Barbados Vacations page
For an overview of great Tourist Attractions on the island, including tour operators who will take good care of you, check out our Things to Do in Barbados page
