Snorkelling Adventures in Tobago

Around Tobago’s coast, riches abound. Dr Anjani Ganase encourages you to swim beyond the beaches to explore a world of corals and fish as rich as the rainforest.

 

Many people think that the only coral reef in Tobago is Buccoo Reef, but coral reefs line the rocky edges of most swimming bays around Tobago. All you need to explore the marine life is a mask, snorkel and a pair of fins. Wherever you head out to snorkel, make sure you look for submerged rocky areas that are found along the headlands of each bay; marine life tends to congregate and grow in these areas. Take a peek at the sand every so often to spot cryptic sand dwellers such as rays, flounders and even crustaceans that hide out in the sand. Here are some of my favourite snorkel sites for Tobago.

Whirly Elkhorn Corals of Castara Bay. Photo by Jonathan Gomez

 

CASTARA REEF

The best access to this reef is from Heavenly bay on the eastern side of Castara bay. This little bay is often visited by stingrays and reef fish. Snorkel out to the rocks to the right-hand side of the bay and follow the rocks that carry you out of Heavenly bay. Close to the base of the rocks you may find several clusters of the rare Elkhorn coral that look like branching corals growing in a spiraling fashion. Continue to explore among the bottom edge of the rocks, you may find schools of squid and reef fish foraging. If you snorkel over deeper areas, you may observe more soft corals swaying in the waves, which make it look like an underwater forest.

Coral reef flat of Angel Reef. Photo by Anjani Ganase

 

ANGEL REEF

Angel reef is located on the western side of Goat island in Speyside. To get to Angel reef, you will need to take a boat from the mainland. This is also a popular site for scuba divers: clear visibility makes it possible to view the steeply sloping reef drop to considerable depth. The reef flat areas are dominated with sea fans that all line up to sway with the waves.  Among these fans, large brain corals and massive corals can be found. Angel reef is rich with fish life, including large schools of grunts that hang out over star coral mounds. You may also find unusual fish including the trumpet fish, porcupine fish and even a moray eel.

Lesser Electric Ray found in the sand of Englishman’s Bay. Photo by Anjani Ganase

 

ENGLISHMAN’S BAY

Snorkeling at Englishman’s Bay is full of surprises. Enter the water at the far end of the bay and snorkel along the rocks on the western side of the bay. Here you may find schools of blue tangs in the shallow ledge of the rocks.  Swim to shore, but before you get of the water, take a look at the fish that hide under the rock ledge close to the water’s edge. This rock ledge runs almost the full length of the beach.  Schools of fish, including grunts and goat fish, hide out from the breaking waves under this ledge. You may even find a lesser electric ray dozing in the sand.

Juvenile Green Turtle found in Pirates Bay. Photo by Anjani Ganase

 

 

PIRATES BAY

Access Pirates bay via a flight of a hundred steps that descend from Charlotteville.  Explore the right-hand side of the beach around the partially submerged rocks. Pirates reef is home to juvenile green turtles and blue tangs that graze the algae that grows along these rocks. Different from other sites is the presence of numerous long-spined sea urchins who also graze the algae on the rocks. Have a look out for the Christmas tree worms that grow in the coral skeleton. Be careful not to get too close or the worms will retreat.

 

MAN O’ WAR BAY

Head to the western edge of the bay and enter the water along the edge of the rocky cliff. As you swim out, you’ll encounter a shallow cove that may be full of juvenile fish. Witness pelicans diving nearby and gulping a mouthful of fish as they enter the water. Below, watch for jacks and even stone fish that ambush other fish. See eels and lobsters move in and out of the reefs for foraging. If it is calm enough you can follow the rocks underwater to reach Booby Island but be mindful of boat traffic and the distance back to shore. Booby Island is home to soft coral with lots of marine life.

 

CORAL GARDENS

This tiny patch reef is found in the sheltered lagoon of the Buccoo Reef Marine Park. To access the patch reef, you might take a glass-bottom boat tour. The site is dominated by star corals that form an expansive structure for reef fish to hide out in these very shallow and clear waters. You simply drift over the coral and see the marine life that hide out in between the coral mounds. Be on the lookout to spot the brightly coloured tube sponges that grow among the corals. This is a popular spot so be on the lookout for glass bottom boats and make sure you always snorkel with highly visible surface marker.

 

ARNOS VALE

Arnos Vale is one of the most popular snorkeling sites on the island. This is a small bay and the coral reef runs along the entire cross section of the bay. You can find lots of marine critters such as lobsters, spanish slipper lobsters and eels moving about. Snorkel along the right-hand side of the bay and if it is calm enough you may be able to make it just outside the bay, and swim over a series of submerged channels where pelagic fish like to hang out.

Mt Irvine Reef. Photo courtesy the Maritime Ocean Collection

 

MT IRVINE BAY

Snorkel this bay on a calm day. This reef is a popular snorkel and dive site. Swim out to the reef edges in front of the restaurant and then head right and follow along the reef edge. You will come across a series of the endangered elkhorn corals and as you move along the reef life becomes richer in diversity. Another hidden treasure lies in the rocky area between Mt Irvine Bay and Grange Bay. Below the surface of the water is home to a series of giant brain corals with lots of fish that like to hang out around them.

 

Tobago offers a whole enchanting world underwater. With your mask, snorkel and fins, your exploration begins, and will never end. Snorkel with a buddy and be safe.