Coki Beach

Ship’s Excursion out of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI

Ship: Norwegian Dawn (NCL)

Sailing Date: December 19^th, 2004

Date of Snorkel: December 22^th, 2004

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

Our arrival at St. Thomas on this voyage was delayed by rough Atlantic seas (40 to 50 feet at times) during our first day out of New York (the price one might have to pay for selecting a winter time voyage from a northern port). The fast speed of the ship made up for some of our lost time, but we did not arrive in St. Thomas until 1pm (scheduled arrival time was 11 am), and we did not get over to the beach until about 3 pm.  Still, having heard so much about the glories of Coki Beach from many other snorkelers, it was fun for us to be here for the first time. We were not disappointed at all!

The ride from Charlotte Amalie to Coki Beach takes one over the mountains to the other side of the island—a pretty ride with some lovely views down to Charlotte Amalie and the harbor.  The Beach itself is next door to the Coral World underwater park, so there are substantial facilities for bar service, gift shops, food, etc… The beach itself is well maintained and there is ample shade near the bushes and trees.

Snorkeling here was fantastic despite somewhat poor visibility created by other swimmers and snorkelers who had been here from much earlier in the day than us.  The variety and quantity of marine life were both excellent.  The fish are also provisioned by the Park and many other visitors to the site, so they are not timid about being approached for photographs and are large in size, making for some terrific shots. Parrot fish of all types and varieties are particularly common along with Damselfish and other species.   One word of caution: we noticed a relatively strong current at the site (perhaps due to the time of day or perhaps the time of year) that would be a serious challenge for children and inexperienced swimmers. This current was particularly strong near the rocks on the far side of the beach adjacent to the Coral World tower.

Highly recommended!

Snorkeling Grade: A