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Okay, I've moved from lurking to actually asking questions. Hopefully they're not all stupid. It seems like a lot of the beaches where I'm going to want to snorkel have rentals, but I wonder if it's just easier to rent equipment at Secret Harbour where we'll be staying and keep it all week. Do these places only rent by the day, or can I grab it all there and keep it in the trunk of the rental car all week? Opinions?
Rent for the week - the dive operation at Secret Harbor is excellent and will give you quality equipment that fits and works.
Red Hook Dive Center also rents by the day or week. Have fun!
The dive shop at Secret Harbour has adequate snorkel gear. I have rented the equipment there by the week. The beach there is wonderful and the snorkeling is some of the best on the island. While you are staying there, enjoy the Blue Moon resturant. Have eaten there several times and always had a wonderful evenng dinner. Try and have a day trip to St. John where the snorkeling is even better. Make this trip early in your vacation and you might fine that you will want to go back again. Have fun!
We brought our own gear with us the first year we traveled to St Thomas as it did not dawn upon us that there would be rental shops (we're rubes). I have had the opportunity to observe how some of the rental places treat their gear and I wouldn't rent from them. That being said I have watched the place at Secret Harbor and they clean and disinfect all of their gear EVERY TIME it is returned by the customers. Now I'm not saying they are the only place that does that but it is the only place I have personally seen take the time to make sure their equipment is clean. I would second the comments about snorkeling in Secret Harbor and eating at Blue Moon. Perhaps you will get hooked like my wife and I did years ago and return to the islands every chance you get. Many of the dive shops have a Discover SCUBA class which you might also find interesting and fun.
Thank you all for your responses. Good endorsements about the Secret Harbour dive shop, so that puts me at ease. Jimbob, we already plan on hopping over to St. John, and like you say it will probably be more than once during the week.
I've read a lot of positive things about Blue Moon, so that sounds like a must. We're foodies who love trying a lot of different things, especially "local" flavors, so I'm looking forward to that.
I always rented gear....I quickly discovered that not all rental places are created equal. Several weeks ago while on St Croix the "lets go snorkeling bug" bit me again. This time I purchased gear from an outfit named Sweet Bottom Dive at Carambola. All really nice stuff.....total price was $145 (American). When on St Croix try eating the shrimp pistolette at Angry Nates on the boardwalk in C'Std. It's great!!
For 50 bucks you can go to your local scuba store and get your own snorkel & mask and have it forever vs a week.... that is what me and my husband did. I know where my mouthpiece has been.
