Snorkelling is an easily accessible way to explore the fabulous marine life to be seen around the island of St Martin’s. You can see a huge variety when snorkelling, even in the shallows just metres from the shore.
There are many fantastic snorkelling sites on St Martin’s. The crystal-clear waters support fish, crabs, prawns, starfish, and anemones and many more species. Too many to mention! The advantage of being on a small island is that there will always be a sheltered beach to snorkel from whatever the wind direction.
In this blog, we share with you our top five snorkelling sites around the island. Sharing our local knowledge of the best sites depending on wind direction, tidal state and distance from our base on Par Beach. We’ve started hiring snorkelling sets as we want visitors to experience how special Scilly is under the sea and above the water. The snorkel sets comprise a mask, snorkel and pair of fins.
Par Beach – our favourite site for snorkelling
Par was recently voted the best beach in Britain by the Telegraph. As well as being very picturesque, it is an amazing location for snorkelling. We’ve seen flat fish, anemones, crabs, sea hares, squid and even a bowhead whale off this beach. The bowhead whale was a once in a lifetime encounter though!
Amongst the moorings and at the east end of the beach (close to English Island) there are beds of seagrass. The seagrass beds look like underwater meadows and act as a nursery for many marine species. Seagrass is a carbon sink and can store up to twice as much carbon per unit area as a tropical rainforest. There are stalk jellies that grow on the seagrass, a rare species that are well worth looking out for.
Tidal state
All tides, low water good for seeing seagrass beds
Wind direction
Avoid this beach in south-easterly or southerly winds
Safety
Avoid the Quay at all times and remember there can also be boat traffic around the moorings. On a flooding tide there will be a tidal current tide running at the very east end of the beach.
Perpitch
Perpitch lies on the east side of St Martin’s and is yet another beautiful beach to snorkel from. Sheltered from all but easterly wind directions, it has so much to offer. The seaweed growing off the rocky outcrops, either side of the beach, provides habitat for many species
Swim out from the beach and you’ll encounter large beds of bootlace weed and even patches of seagrass. Large wrasse shelter among the seaweed along with shoals of juvenile fish. You can often see some of the Atlantic grey seals that make their home on the uninhabited Eastern Isles bottling off this beach. Bottling is when seals sleep and bob in the water with their snouts in the air.
Tidal state
Any state of tide, low water is good for viewing seagrass
Wind direction
Avoid in north-easterly, easterly and south-easterly winds
Safety
A safe sheltered beach
Walking time from Par
20 minutes
Old Quay - the best high water snorkelling site
Old Quay, as its name suggests, was the original quay on St Martin’s. This is a fabulous site to snorkel around high water. Especially on a sunny day as the sea is warmed by the sand as the tide floods. Avoid this site at low water as the quay dries out.
There’s plenty to see amongst the stonework of the quay itself. Beyond the quay are wide patches of white sand scattered with large boulders. At the base of these boulders spot prawns and find beadlet anemones in the crevices of the rock.
Tidal state
Best around high water
Wind direction
Good for south easterly and easterly winds, avoid in fresh southerly or south-westerly winds
Safety
Be aware of boat traffic particularly at high water
Walking time from Par
10 minutes
Campsite Beach
If you walk down the main path onto campsite beach, the best place to snorkel is amongst the rocks and seaweed off to your left. This area is known locally as the Neck of the Pool. At high water, it’s like snorkelling over a forest peering down into the water to see the life hidden amongst the seaweed.
You’ll see crabs, shoals of juvenile fish and large ballan wrasse. We’ve even seen a conger eel swimming here. These are normally only seen, hiding in rocky crevices, by scuba divers. As with Old Quay, on a sunny day as the tide comes in over the warm sand, the water here can be several degrees warmer than normal.
Tidal state
Mid to high water
Wind direction
Good for north-westerly, northerly, north-easterly winds
Safety
A safe sheltered beach
Walking time from Par
20 minutes
Little Bay
Another stunningly beautiful beach which is as interesting under the water as it is breathtaking above.
Off the sandy beach is where you’ll see sand gobies, dragonets and even bobtail squid – with these, you’ll often see the puff of ink before you spot the creature itself. The rocky outcrops either side of the bay is where you’ll see the most marine life.
In amongst the rocks there is pink encrusting algae, anemones and the occasional spiny spider crab. The purple spiny starfish and the brightly coloured seven-armed starfish are common sights. The seaweed provides shelter for shoals of juvenile fish and you may also see large ballan wrasse darting for cover as you snorkel past.
Tidal state
All tides
Wind direction
Avoid this beach in south-easterly, northerly and north-easterly winds
Safety
A very safe sheltered beach
Walking time from Par
30 minutes
Great Bay is also a fabulous beach to snorkel from and supports similar marine life as Little bay.
Snorkelling is a great way to experience the fabulous marine life that exists just metres from the shoreline. Marvel over the meadows of seagrass, see crabs, fish, anemones and starfish. St Martin’s is ideal for snorkelling as there will always be a sheltered beach whatever the wind direction.
Remember to consider the state of the tide and the wind direction when choosing which of the many fabulous beaches on St Martin’s you’d like to snorkel from. We are always happy to share our local knowledge and advise you where to head for your snorkelling adventure. We want to ensure you have the best snorkelling experience.
St Martin’s Watersports also hires paddleboards and kayaks from Par Beach on St Martin’s.
You can book all your hires here.
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