Breeze

Took the boat out this weekend and anchored up over at Pickens. Picked up some snorkeling gear before we went and spent the day snorkeling off the beach. First time trying it and we had a blast. Granted not alot to see, but was cool watching the fish swim around us. Also saw a bunch of hermit crabs, both really tiny ones in tiny shells and some rather large ones. Surprised me how many hermit crabs are out there. Where are some good places to snorkel with easy access? I know about the place at chicken bone, and read that there is a place 450 feet off the beach at Pensacola Beach East down past portifino. Not sure I want to swim 450 feet off the beach though. Any cool places closer in to shore that we can check out?

Also, on a side note, against the advice of people on here before we purchased our stuff at Wally world. Figured we would go cheap first to see if it was something we enjoyed. My mask worked great but the wife could not get hers to seal. She even tried mine but it would not seal properly either. Where can I get a mask that will fit her properly? I assume we need to go to an actual dive type shop to have one fitted properly for her..

Incidently, it is the first time I have ever pulled my boat up to a beach and anchored without actually stepping foot on the beach. Spent the entire 3 or 4 hours in the water snorkeling other then a quick lunch break on the boat....

__________________
"America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the Mall.
If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them!"Call

southern yakker

I'd look at MBT dive shop. Not sure if they are exoenise or not though.

Breeze

Are they the ones on Barrancass? If so they are fairly close to the house. Have to go check them out one day.

__________________
"America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the Mall.
If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them!"Call

BrakeTurnAccelerate

Find a clean-water seagrass bed, and snorkel that. I think you'll be surprised with the amount of life in them. Seahorses, Pipefish, Starfish, etc...

southern yakker

Yep that's the one. Everyone I've talked to has said that's the best dive shop around. I think there is another one off of navy, in a little strip mall near KFC. They might of closes since I haven't been down that way in a while.

Deadreckoning

Don't forget your dive flag. FWC has been known to cruise between McRae and sand island and ticket ppl snorkeling that don't have the flag displayed.
The Mass can be good snorkeling during clean water and its not too far out.

Salt4Lifer

Were you on the Gulf side or Sound side?

The man-made reefs that you talk about start closer in shore. I yaked above them this last winter and took some video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyUdJkaIqjg

SHunter

I used to sell scuba equipment and I found that because women's faces are narrower they are harder to fit a mask properly. Best option is to take her to a dive shop and let her try several styles. If it still leaks, either return for another or put some vaseline around the rim. There may be something on the market better than this now days but I have used that before. Any place that you see sea grasses you can find something interesting to look at. Just be careful not to anchor in them. I enjoy the grasses in Port St Joe this time of year for scallops. Fun family adventure if you have time to go over there.

aroundthehorn

Beat me to it. Be careful and not just because you can get a ticket.

Like southernyakker said, I would try MBT or another dive shop.

cuzmondo

There is also a nice little snorkeling reef at Navarre in the inter coastal just a bit east of Juana's Pagoda. It's accessible from the big State Park Parking lot by the pavilion. Hands down the best snorkeling near hear is St. Andrews state park in Panama City. If you really get into it, it's worth the drive one day. Haven't been in a couple years and it's probably crowded as heck on weekends, but the Destin Jetties are pretty good too. Used to be nearly as good as St. Andrews but the sand has filled in the pass quite a bit and it didn't hold the number and types of fish it used to.