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Advanced Snorkeling From Cinnamon Bay
(Excerpted From St. John Off The Beaten Track)

Intermediate and advanced snorkelers can take advantage of the kayaks available for rental at the Cinnamon Bay Watersports concession in order to access some of the best snorkeling around St. John. The watersports concession is located on the beach at the Cinnamon Bay Campground. Ask for Rich Metcalf.

Intermediate level snorkelers can paddle out to either Whistling Cay or Mary Point.

Whistling Cay
At Whistling Cay the kayaks can be put ashore on the pebble beach in the vicinity of the partially restored stone customs house. There are also other small cobblestone beaches on the west side of the island near the mooring buoys. Once your kayak is securely up on dry land, you can enter the water to enjoy the excellent snorkeling all around Whistling Cay, the best of which is in the vicinity of the big rocks off the northwestern point.

Mary Point
At Mary Point there is also a small beach where the kayaks can easily be hauled out of the water. There is beautiful snorkeling all along the shoreline of the small passage, called Fungi Passage, between Whistling Cay and St John.

Be careful not to go too far offshore, as there is the ever-present danger of boat traffic in the passage.

Johnson's Reef
For advanced snorkelers only there is the opportunity to investigate Johnson's Reef, a truly magnificent snorkeling location. Approaching the reef by kayak and snorkeling holding on to the kayak's bowline is the only viable way to snorkel the area without the necessity of setting a potentially environmentally damaging anchor in this sensitive area. Snorkeling here can only be done on days when there is no ground sea (breaking surf).

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