A major goal of our trips to the Caribbean is trying to squeeze in as much snorkeling time as possible. Our recent cruise included a stop in beautiful Barbados, so we were very excited to check out some of their shipwreck sites and swim with their famous sea turtles.
I found the brilliantly bright turquoise waters of Barbados to be really unique. The beaches feature super soft white sand and there are numerous snorkeling sites, many of which are not far from shore. We were part of a boat tour, but I think on a return visit to Barbados, I would just venture out from the beach so I don’t have to rely on someone else’s schedule. There is just so much to see in a relatively small area.
This was our first experience snorkeling around shipwrecks, but it won’t be our last. We checked out a few different sites and it was really interesting to hear the history of the ships and see the various stages of coral growth depending on the age of the sunken vessel.
There was lots of sea life to see around the hull of the ships. And if you were able to dive down to take a peek inside the galley of the ship, you were treated to a spectacular array of various shapes and colours of coral and crustaceans.
However, just like having the opportunity to interact with Stingrays in Antigua was a highlight on our trip – swimming with sea turtles in Barbados was an absolutely magical experience.
The first time one of the sea turtles comes gliding into view, you immediately take notice of how smooth, quick and graceful these turtles move in comparison to their land-bound counterparts. Its like watching an underwater ballet.
And although I have caught a glimpse of sea turtles while snorkeling on other islands, it was awesome to be able to get up close and personal with these gentle sea creatures. Like the Stingrays of Antigua, these sea turtles have become pretty comfortable with human interaction. They are free to come and go as they please, but they show up fairly quickly when offered a tasty treat of fish, shrimp or squid.
One day in Barbados was definitely not enough for us. The island was very beautiful, the people were friendly and the beaches and snorkeling were fantastic. I look forward to a week long visit in the future. Highly recommended. For now, back to the cage.
