Just got back from Antigua and stayed at Sandals. Had a wonderful trip and hate to be back home! Food and service at the resort was great. Not much of anything to see right off the beach as far as snorkeling but the color of the water is beautiful and nice for swimming. Resort has free snorkel and SCUBA (if you are certified) trips everyday. Snorkel boat goes about a mile off shore out to a reef.
Took an Eco Tour with Adventure Antigua and we really enjoyed it. Snorkeled at 3 different locations on the island. The condition of the reefs are not great. They have really taken a hit and are pretty dead as far as coral goes. However , we did see new growth from Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata branching out and encrusting over dead coral in different areas. Lots of sea fans, sponges, porites, brain corals, etc. We were hoping for more but still had a great time.
Plenty of fish and Atlantic blue tangs were in full effect. Not many of my fish pics came out too well; they move too fast. I was limited to a point and shoot Olympus that is waterproof. I had a tiny 1.5inch (yellow) Blue Tang cupped in my hands that I wish I got a pic of. I only got freaked out one time when I came across a large group of good size squid. I was back pedalling pretty quickly as all their eyes were staring at me!
Here are a few of the pics that came out OK.
Sandal's Resort beach
Hell's gate
"Reef Ball" project on private island. Done more so to limit beach errosion.
There was a field of these green zoas on the tops of rocks in the shallows 1-3' (Bird Island).
Took an Eco Tour with Adventure Antigua and we really enjoyed it. Snorkeled at 3 different locations on the island. The condition of the reefs are not great. They have really taken a hit and are pretty dead as far as coral goes. However , we did see new growth from Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata branching out and encrusting over dead coral in different areas. Lots of sea fans, sponges, porites, brain corals, etc. We were hoping for more but still had a great time.
Plenty of fish and Atlantic blue tangs were in full effect. Not many of my fish pics came out too well; they move too fast. I was limited to a point and shoot Olympus that is waterproof. I had a tiny 1.5inch (yellow) Blue Tang cupped in my hands that I wish I got a pic of. I only got freaked out one time when I came across a large group of good size squid. I was back pedalling pretty quickly as all their eyes were staring at me!
Here are a few of the pics that came out OK.
Sandal's Resort beach
Hell's gate
"Reef Ball" project on private island. Done more so to limit beach errosion.
There was a field of these green zoas on the tops of rocks in the shallows 1-3' (Bird Island).
