Coki
Beach
UPDATE 2007
Ship’s Excursion out of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI
Ship: Norwegian Spirit (NCL)
Sailing Date: July 7th, 2007
Date of Snorkel: July 12th, 2007
Equipment Availability: we have our own which we take with us, but snorkeling equipment for this excursion can be borrowed from the cruise ship locker. All equipment appeared to be clean and well maintained.
Water Access: Beach
Unlike our previous visit to Coki Beach where we were there in the late afternoon, the Spirit’s early arrival time gave us the opportunity for a wonderful morning swim this time out. The beach area was very crowded with cruise ship passengers (4 large vessels in port on this date), but we were able to enjoy our swim without interference from other snorkelers and without any visibility problems despite the large number of other swimmers.
The large beach front at Coki has now changed somewhat. You have to pay for a beach lounge chair ($5—but well worth the investment to have a dry place to leave your “stuff”), and a much large “shopping area” consisting primarily of little souvenir kiosks and shacks that now adorn virtually the entire length of the area which used to be occupied by trees. Drinks are no longer available from local servers walking along the beach soliciting your business—you have to go into the kiosk and shack area to find one of any number of little bars. All are cash only, and most are very busy—be prepared to wait a while for service.
The snorkeling was superb. We followed our original route, entering the water near the rocks adjacent to the beach entrance walkway (our snorkeling bag is much to heavy to drag through the sand for very far along the beach itself), and then swimming around them to the far side, where one gets a view to the Coral World Underwater Park viewing building. At this hour of the day, there was no current to cope with. The snorkeling here was superb with shallow water and excellent visibility. We saw all manner of Damselfish, Tang, Doctorfish, a good variety of Parrot fish (including any number of super sized Stoplight Parrots), a number of Trumpet Fish including one elderly male who seemed to love having his picture taken, shifting slightly for a better view of him every few seconds and a few bonus animals this year—Smooth Trunk Fish, Night Sergeants and a small school of immature Squid that swam circles around us as we pivoted to get good photographs! Good fun!
Snorkeling Grade: A+
