By Greg
Is the Caribbean bleached out? Today I am trying to plan a 2024 Caribbean snorkeling trip. The bleaching reports, however, seem to report massive and catastrophic coral bleaching events across much of the Caribbean (see this article as an example).
My question: can anyone report favorable snorkeling conditions from the very recent past, to help plan a trip for 2024 to a Caribbean destination?
Thanks in advance for any information you can offer.
P.S. Thank you, snorkeling family, for your eyes, ears, and ideas all these years; your suggestions and comments in planning snorkel trip destinations are valued! Thanks to Nicole and Galen, too, for this space to communicate.
Greg, I’m hopeful in spots. When I asked in a Curacao forum, they said, “no,” but I don’t know how educated the repliers were. Still, Bonaire was reporting Stony Coral disease and had a couple areas closed off for a bit. I’m headed to Curacao in Jan. 2024 so I can report then.
Hi, Klein Curacao does not seem to have much corals left, I snorkeled there yesterday (Oct 19, 2023). Someone who snorkeled there two years ago, and was part of my tour group, was quite shocked, and confirmed my observation. The fish are still there, many small young ones, but not sure for how long?
Coral bleaching does not equal coral death. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not good. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Coral, when stressed, expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae and go into “hunker down and survive” mode.
Witness the huge swings in healthy coral coverage on the Great Barrier Reef. This year has been particularly warm, and NASA says there could be two more years like this, primarily as a result of the Tongan eruption. It was a huge underwater eruption that put massive amounts of water vapor (a greenhouse gas) into the upper atmosphere.
As for “where to go”? In the last few months we’ve been in Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Mexico, Grand Cayman, and Bocas del Toro, Panama. We spend half the year in Panama on our boat, and snorkel once or twice a week. It’s remarkably good here. But we are headed back to French Polynesia for the month of August. Nothing in the Caribbean could ever get remotely close to even the crappiest snorkeling in FP. The Pacific is insane.
We bought Galen and Nicole’s snorkeling ebooks for Maui and the Big Island Hawaii. We think Hawaii is still way better than the Caribbean. And their guides are quite possibly the best money we’ve ever spent.
Bill, may I ask, where in Mexico did you find the best snorkeling? We frequent Cozumel and enjoy the north shore along the rock wall. Lots of coral and smaller fish, but have noticed fewer fish over the years (maybe due to lots of lionfish!) Thanks.
We’ve only done Isla Mujeres, and it’s not great. Frankly, we’ve found some weird but good places here in Bocas del Toro, Panama. We are headed back to French Polynesia for the month of August (our 3rd time) and realistically, it ruined the Caribbean for us.
We’d also like to do one of the Indonesia trips on this site. But figuring out which one…
French Polynesia (Moorea) is spectacular, but the out islands of the Bahamas were (at least a decade ago) by far the most amazing I’ve seen when the elkhorn and staghorn (Acropora) corals were doing well. Not sure if we will ever get back to that level of coral health. The problem is that ocean temperatures and carbon dioxide levels (increasing acidity) continue to increase, so this inhibits recovery. Perhaps it’s time to start building artificial reefs in cooler waters.
Greg, the condition that is holding me back in the Caribbean is the sargassum seaweed that is choking the beaches in many parts of the area (and the US as well.) The bleaching just might be the last straw. I know that Belize has a sargassum problem, even has a webcam for it. Belize is the country we are most interested in since there is a non-stop flight from LAX-BZE on our airline of choice — Alaska. However, the sargassum is putting us off and now with your bleaching information, gosh, it’s hard to think of spending so much money for a disappointing experience.
I am planning a week long snorkeling trip to Bonaire in late March 2024. I hear that had been some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. I am anxious to find out. I have snorkeled Hawaii for many years as my son was stationed in the Air Force there for three years on two off and three on. I snorkeled on Oahu, Maui, and The Big Island. I revisited there on my way to Guam in 2019 and again this past August. The corals have really bleached over the years. So disappointing.
Deb, we were in Bonaire last April 2023, although there was word of stony coral disease we just avoided the few sites that were cautioned. We had such a great experience that we are going again at the end of March 24, there are so many snorkel sites to experience. The white sand on the bottom makes the coral colors pop. Youtubers can keep you informed of the current conditions and what to definitely see and what to skip. I hope you have a blast.
Although you can snorkel from shore I recommend the Sea Cow Tour group. A two stop drift snorkel. They don’t mix cruise and island people on the tours.
We had a great trip to the Gardens of the Queen in Cuba this year. The area is pristine with healthy corals, loads of fish and no litter. It was the closest we have ever seen to Raja Ampat and easy to get to via Miami. Belize outer islands last year were also in good shape but Cuba was spectacular!
Buen Viaje.
I was in the Gardens of the Queen in June 2022. I haven’t been in the east or south Pacific, but the Gardens was the absolute best snorkeling I have seen since being in the Red Sea in the early 1970s. Unfortunately it was heartbreak to see the Red Sea a few years ago. If you get a chance to snorkel in the Gardens of the Queen, don’t pass it up!!!
Penny, when was your trip to Gardens of the Queen in Cuba? I am interested to know how it may have been affected by the high ocean temperatures this summer.
We are planning a trip to Bonire next March, 2024. We have been many times before and always enjoyed the many sites around the island. Will report back on the coral bleaching situation upon our return.
Early November Bonaire reefs had some bleaching. Hopeful locals and a dive guide felt there would be reversal as early as January… We were there for two weeks and experienced the water cooling and temps moderating by rain showers and clouds. Summer and early fall months were extremely hot and sunny… if the cooling continues all should return to health… this time!
Thank you all for your useful comments! I look forward to reading all your reports or comments, hopefully positive!