Bermuda Snorkel Park Beach is in Dockyard, within walking distance of the cruise ship docks making it very popular and busy with cruise ship passengers. Outside the man-made rock wall that extends from the left side of the beach there is some live reef and fish to see, but the visibility is frequently poor. Even so, our Snorkel Park review is positive.
Note: This page is a sample from our popular Bermuda Snorkeling Guide eBook available here.
Snorkel Park claims that their beach has crystal clear water, but this was not our experience. The huge cruise ships that dock nearby churn up a lot of sediment with their propellers, lowering visibility and affecting sea life in the area.
Bermuda Snorkel Park is a privately owned business that charges an entrance fee. The sandy beach is small and often packed with people. The bar, restaurant, and piped in music help to create a party feel. Full facilities are available and they rent water-sports equipment and offer tours. There is a separate shallow baby beach area too.
If the winds and waves are high from the north or west, you want to skip this spot.
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Water Entrance
The entry into the water at Bermuda Snorkel Park is sandy and easily done in bare feet. But walk with care because sometimes you can’t see the bottom when it is cloudy from lots of people. Once you are in water deep enough to float, you can put on your fins.
Where to Snorkel at Bermuda Snorkel Park
The best snorkeling is accessed by swimming to the left and out the break in the rock wall projecting from the left side of the main beach. There are some shallow patch reefs, in 2-8 feet of water, that have a good amount of soft corals, fire corals, and a moderate amount of fish. These patch reefs cover the area outside the entire length of the wall and a decent distance offshore.
Because it is shallow you can see the reef and fish pretty well even though the visibility is low. But you will also see the sediment settled on the corals, showing the potential for low reef health in the future. We also noticed lots of broken and damaged corals, likely from people, so take care not to touch anything, especially with your fins.
To the right of the rock wall looking from Bermuda Snorkel Park beach, there is a shallow mostly sandy area. The sea life is sparse here, but you can see some fish and a few anemones in the rocks. Swim back through this inside area after checking out the reef if you want.
Depending on the wind and wave directions you may encounter more waves as you get farther away from shore. And while you are in the water watch for jet-skis, kayaks, pedal boats, and stand-up paddle boards.
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What We Saw at Bermuda Snorkel Park
The Corky Sea Fingers are huge and shelter oodles of little Fourspot Butterflyfish. The Fire Corals are huge too. This along with the other fish and creatures we saw allow us to give Snorkel Park a generally positive review. But the reef is heavily silted up and there is lots of algae growing on it.
Fish:
- Angelfish: Blue, Townsend
- Butterflyfish, Foureye – many
- Damselfish: Dusky, Sergeant Major, Threespot
- Goatfish, Spotted
- Grunt: Bluestriped, French
- Hamlet, Barred
- Jack, Bar
- Parrotfish: Queen, Rainbow – large school, Redband, Redtail, Stoplight, Yellowtail
- Porgy: Bermuda Bream, Pinfish
- Silversides
- Snapper, Gray
- Squirrelfish
- Surgeonfish: Doctorfish, Ocean
- Tang, Blue
- Wrasse: Clown, Slippery Dick
Coral:
- Blue Crust
- Brain: Grooved, Symmetrical
- Corky Sea Finger
- Fire, Branching
- Mustard Hill
- Sea Fan: Common, Venus
- Sea Rod: Bent, Black, Porous
- Star: Blushing, Greater, Lesser
- Starlet, Lesser
- Yellow Pencil
Other Creatures:
- Anemone: Corkscrew, Giant
- Oyster, Atlantic Wing – many
- Sea Cucumber: Furry, Three Rowed
- Sponges: Yellow Tube and many others
- Zoanthid, White Encrusting
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Driving Directions to Bermuda Snorkel Park
This beach is in Royal Naval Dockyard on the tip of the west end, on Ireland Island North. At the end of the road in Dockyard the road becomes one-way and loops around the point. On the left, just before the road turns right, is the tunnel through the fort wall that takes you to Snorkel Park Beach. There is scooter parking and a water fountain at the entrance.
Facilities
Bermuda Snorkel Park Beach has full facilities including restrooms, showers, restaurant, bar, and a volleyball court. They also rent snorkel gear, beach chairs, umbrellas, kayaks, pedal boats, and stand-up paddle boards. Guided snuba and jet-ski tours are available too.