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Kiddel Bay
Kiddel Bay
Looking for a real “Off the Beaten Track” beach and great snorkeling?
Frustrated when trying to find parking at a North Shore National Park beach?
Are the waves breaking on the north making for difficult swimming or snorkeling?
If you don’t mind sacrificing a sand beach for a cobblestone and coral rubble beach, an ideal alternative might be Kiddel Bay on the South Shore located just west of salt Pond Bay.
Snorkeling
If you snorkel out to on the western shore of Kiddel Bay, you will come to a reef, which extends out off the point. A series of rocks rises above the waterline. Below the surface you’ll find deep depressions, grooves, arches and tunnels full of colorful corals and sponges as well as a vast array of tropical reef fish and sea creatures. The arches and tunnels are about 10 – 15 feet deep and are usually full of small fish. It’s a great challenge for free divers ,who can swim through one or a series of tunnels depending on their skill. For less skilled snorkelers the rock lined coasts on both sides of the bay still offer plenty to see and to enjoy.
St. John Music Schedule Sunday 11/18
Aqua Bistro
Lauren Jones
3:30 – 6:30
776-5336
Concordia
Bo
Sunday Brunch 10:00 am
Cruz Bay Prime
Mark Wallace
7:00 – 10:00
693 -8000
High Tide
Live Music
3:00 – 6:00
714-6169
Miss Lucy’s
Samba Combo
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
693-5254
Ocean Grill
David Laab
6:30 – 9:00
693-3304
Rhumblines
T-Bird
7:00 – 10:00
Shipwreck Landing
Hot Club
7:00 – 10:00
Sun Dog Cafe
David Laab
11:00 am- 2:00 pm
244-9713
Although most snorkelers head immediately out to the reef, there’s really a lot of cool stuff to be seen right off the beach in a sand and seagrass environment.
Conch
Sea Cucumber
Southern Sting Ray
Trunkfish
Starfish
Green Turtle
St. John News
St. John’s own, Mimi Roller, finished in second place at the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association’s Singlehanded National Championship Regatta in Long Beach, Calif.
ST. THOMAS – Mimi Roller’s busy schedule is paying off.
The St. John native and 2012 Virgin Islands Olympian has been sailing in regattas every weekend this year and the routine has led to yet another major accomplishment for the college senior. Read more from the Virgin Islands Daily News
Photos by Ed Gibney
Ed Gibney’s Islands and Cays Photos are always a treat. They certainly are unique as I don’t know anyone else who has landed on these islands, explored and photographed them. See Ed’s Awesome Photos
Yesterday, we snorkeled at Tektite. We came by boat, but it is also possible to get there by land.
Although the coral reefs around St. John and in the Caribbean in general have suffered considerably in modern times, there’s still a lot of beauty to be enjoyed and the Tektite snorkel is a case in point.
For example, the coral encrustations on the rock walls still have brightly colored orange cup corals, sponges and other invertebrates.
We also saw lots of fish and cool creatures like this nurse shark and the little camera shy lobster that stayed hiding in it’s little hole in the reef.
We found two caves; one as shown in the above photo and another one further east. It was a really beautiful day, clear blue skies with passing rain squall adding a dramatic effect.
Seems to be the season for these creatures as I saw a quite a few on yesterday’s snorkels at Blue Cobblestone Beach and Yazwi Point.
Some Moon Jelly Facts:
They consist almost entirely of water and unlike most animals, they have no bones, no brain and no heart.
Their sting is generally harmless to human beings, however some sensitive individuals may feel a mild irritation.
They are eaten by sea turtles, especially the Leatherback and for this reason it is dangerous to put plastic bags in the sea as they may be mistaken for jellyfish and eaten by the turtles, which could choke them.
The trunkfish is also known locally as boxfish, shellfish and cowfish. They have a hard outer shell formed by thick scales fused together. Their hard shell and the fact that their skin secretes a poison makes them unappetizing to most predators. Trunkfish forage the sandy periphery of reefs and find foot by shooting a jet of water from their mouths to expose small mollusks, and other invertebrates in the sand.
St. John Live Music Schedule Tuesday May 15
Castaways – Karaoke Night – 9:00 – 777-3316 Driftwood Dave’s – Michael Beason – 8:00 – 777-4015 High Tide – Erin Hart – 6:00 – 9:00 – 714-6169 Island Blues – Karaoke & Open Mic – 8:00 – 11:00 – 776-6800 Morgan’s Mango – Greg Kinslow – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-8141 Ocean Grill – Rascio on Steel Pan – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-3304 Shipwreck Landing – Chris Carsel – 6:30 – 9:30 Spyglass – T-Bird – 5:00 – 8:00 – 776-1100
Giant Anemone, Reef Urchins Sponges and Corals hide out in Red Mangrove roots
Green Feather Algae
Yellowline Arrow Crab
Squirrelfish
Marine Life a Mangrove Fringe Forest Environment more photos
Mitt Romney wins the Virgin Islands Republican Caucus
ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) — The Republican Party chairman in the U.S. Virgin Islands says Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney has won the territory’s GOP caucus….read more
St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Monday, March 12
Concordia – Groove Thang – 6:30 High Tide – Mikey P – 8:00 – 11:00 – 714-6169 La Tapa – Samba Combo – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141 Ocean Grill – Chris Carsel – 6:30 – 9:00 – 693-3304
Mangrove Snorkel at Hurricane Hole, St. John, Virgin Islands (USVI)
Water Creek, Hurricane Hole
It’s been sometime since I’ve snorkeled the mangroves at Hurricane Hole and I was pleasantly surprised at how little has changed since my last visit. The coral was still healthy, the sponges colorful, the fish plentiful. The above video and still photos were taken at the little indented bay within a bay at Water Creek at Hurricane Hole.
Mangroves Fringe Forest
The three bays within St. John’s Hurricane Hole, Water Creek, Otter Creek and Princess Bay all offer excellent opportunities to snorkel along a mangrove fringe forest in very comfortable conditions.
Mangrove Snorkel Water Creek, St. John
Brain Coral
Conch
Fireworm
Fish
Pink Sponge
Red Sponge
Sea Cucumber
Fireworm
Fireworm
“Effect on Divers: When disturbed display bristles, which can easily penetrate and break off in skin, causing a painful burning sensation and irritating wound.” Reef Creature Identification, by Paul Human
The Spotted Eagle Ray’s diet consists mainly of mollusks like conch and clams, which it can crush shell and all with its powerful jaws. It gets them by scooping its mouth through the sand.
This photo was taken on the reef between Salomon and Honeymoon Bays. There’s a lot of cool invertebrates shown in this one image. Check it out: Christmas Tree Worms on tunnicates, Red Sponges. Fire Coral and a purple Sea Fan.
Snorkeling
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