Here’s a great list of the ten best places to snorkel from Coastal Living, starting with Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island in the Bahamas (see the picture, above). All of these would quality as cruising destinations in their own right; on the other hand, you may just want to spend a few extra days at one of them if you’re cruising in the area. They all look too good to miss.
Dean’s Blue Hole, for example, was created when the ceiling of an ancient cave system collapsed into the ocean. Here you can swim from the beach and watch the sand drop from five feet to more than 600 feet in a matter of seconds. Keep an eye out for jacks, tarpon, turtles and dolphin.
At the Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize, just 20 minutes by boat from Ambergris Cay, you can see dozens of nurse sharks, jacks and stingrays swimming with you over turtle grass and reefs. Here’s where you’ll find substantial wild fish – usually only seen by scuba divers – in just six to ten feet of water. And keep an eye out for spotted eagle rays; they’re worth the trip by themselves.
If you want to stay closer to home, you can swim with the manatees in the springs and protected estuary of the Crystal River on Florida’s Gulf Coast north of Tampa. The idea is to swim slowly and stay calm; a manatee could join you for the next 15 minutes or so. These gentle creatures can be very sociable; prepare yourself for a whiskery face nuzzle. Read more:
