Sea turtles
Turtle & Shipwreck Snorkel
Speed boat cruise on Aunty Jas up the west coast to Payne’s Bay where we swim with the Green Sea Turtles. Then we return back down the west coast into Carlisle Bay Marine Park to snorkel with the fish over the shipwrecks dating back through WWI and WWII. This tour is suitable for all ages and lasts ~2.5 hours. Booking in advance is recommended and tours leave daily at 9:30 am and 2:00 pm.
Snorkeling with Turtles: Tips & Tidbits
Barbados is frequented by 4 species of endangered sea turtle: Greens, Hawksbill, Loggerheads and Leatherbacks.
Hawksbills chose Barbados over neighbouring Caribbean islands for nesting. They can be observed by beach users, divers and snorkelers as they come to the surface to breath then return to the reef for their preferred food the sea sponge.
Green turtles are foragers in Barbados and can be found around the island on reefs, sandy areas and near shipwrecks. These beautiful friendly turtles are the ones we swim with while snorkeling on the west coast. Loggerheads and Leatherbacks are seen infrequently on the north and east coasts of the island.
Green turtles are found worldwide growing to a length of four feet as adults and weighing as much as three hundred pounds. Young and adolescent Green turtles are omnivorous and will eat both fish and plant life. Adult Greens prefer a vegetarian diet primarily comprised of seagrass which is typically found shoreward of the reef system on sandy sea floors.
In Barbados our sea turtles are monitored by the Barbados Sea Turtle Projest (BSTP). Many of the turtles have been tagged to track the size of the turtle population, the length of their stay, the location of their nesting grounds and the timing of their return. For more information please join us for a tour, send us an email or check the BSTP website: www.barbadosseaturtles.org
The Barbados Blue turtle tips
• Respect their space do not chase, grab, harass or ride turtles
• Avoid wearing fins while snorkeling to protect their eyes because often the turtles will come up to you to say hello.
• Do not drive jet skis or speedboats above idle speed in snorkeling areas. Turtles come up to see the visitors in the boats and if the boat is not there to see them they can easily suffer propeller damage.
• Keep our beaches and waters clean. Turtles when juveniles are omnivorous (eat plants and critters) and will scavenge for things like jellyfish that look a lot like plastic garbage.
• Do not drive on the beach, disturb nesting females, dig up nests or over-light the beach. Turtles and hatchlings need natural beach conditions to start life properly.
Also see our Shipwreck Snorkel
Snorkel 5 shipwrecks dating back through WWI and WWII. Covered in reef life these wrecks are prime examples of reef diversity, and siting only a feet below the surface. This 1.5 hour tour departs daily at 2:00 pm from Barbados Blue and is suitable for all ages.
