Hello everyone !!
Does anyone know what the snorkelling's like off the beach?
The beaches we've been to before have been quite rocky and we wondered if there was much in the way of fish and other stuff down there.
Had hold of a massive octopus 2 year's ago but it got away !
(Don't they alway's)
Very hard to keep hold of the old octopi !! :lol:
Hello Barry
The northern (nudist) end of the beach isn't very good for snorkelling as when we tried it a couple of years ago we found the sea bed to be fairly feature-less with not much to see in the way of marine life.
Don't know about other parts of the beach, though.
Steve & Val
Hi Barry,
when we go to the beach we always lie close to the jetty.
The snorkelling around the jetty is great, this is the only place where you will find rocks & plenty of fish. We usually go all the way round the end of the jetty, not a great distance & there are always hundreds of fish, though not a wide variety.
We have also in the past hired a pedallo boat & gone snorkelling in deeper water but didn't really spot much.
If you're planning any days out, we've found the best places for seeing fish are Paleokastritsa or Kalami.
Hope this helps,
Carol2
Cheer's ,Steve , Val and Carol !
I'll see if I can catch some squid for you !!! :lol:
Have a listen to this !!http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=54503707
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=54503707
That's right ! It's ME ME ME !!!
The best place we found for snorkelling and diveing was Porto Totomoni beach, walk up to Afionas then down the goat path, a long trek but well worth it, or why not go by boat. Viv
In really looking forward to snorkelling this year and I have a pupil too (my fiance :lol:).
I remember the snorkelling being good around the jetty, but thanks for that tip Viv, will look forward to going there :) 8)
Can't wait !!
Does anybody know other good places for snokelling on the rest of Corfu?
It's pretty good at Kassiopi on the pebbly beach near the castle.
We love snorkelling in Kalami & also in Paleokastritsa, both of these beachs have rocky areas at either end of the beach where all the fish seem to gather, would recommend either for a lovely day trip & fish spotting,
Carol
we found one of the bays at Paleokastritsa beach were my parents stopped one year but not the big one its not far just a 5 min walk from the bigger beach but we didn't get to stop long both times the first time i stood on an ircine and had to get to the doctors to have 5spines taken out then the second time the weather wasn't to good as storms started nd the wind was blowing every1 away but if you can hire a car for a day give it a try try some lovely fish. luv little miss
OUCH ! Sorry to hear that. :(
thanks i never new i could get some much pain in my foot but every1made me feel better by cheering me up luv little miss
As a keen diver in the UK I always pack my snorkelling gear, I go in the water most days. One days whilst playing around on the beach I had this urge to snorkel to gravia island across from arillea beach. I thought to myself that I would be there and back before Julie would miss me as she wa sun bathing nearby. I can say with conviction that the depth of ther water remained shallow enough to dive to the bottom throughout my trip. My estimated time was slipping away but I pressed on, determined to make it to the island. one and a half hours later I arived at the island but could not get out of the water as it is covered with sharp spikey outcrops. Determined to survey the island, I swam on, around the back and ended up between two parts seperated by a narrow causway. I could not find a place to rest, so started my swim back to the beach, realising the time, I swam as fast as my fins would carry me hopefully before Julie got worried. The beach seamed to be moving away as fast as I could swim back, This must have been the tide on the turn. I eventually returned to the beach to find Julie on the brink of going for help. She was really worried and not too happy. Not my best idea, I can safely say, so be careful when out away from the beach. As for fish, I saw more life next to the peer, than anywhere else and I spent 5 whole weeks in the water at some part of the day. I did venture out to Nissaki beach, just to the right of the Hotel where the water seems even clearer than Arillas. I saw squid and lots of fish. There is also a dive club which operates from this beach, run by a guy called Costas. Happy snorkelling, Gary
Hi Barry & everyone
Did quite a lot of snorkelling first two weeks of June 2007 while in Arillas staying at the Horizon.
I found that the northern end of the beach near the headland with the little church and villa on top was best. Its best to walk to the far end of the (nude) beach, and then flipper out. The first 100 yards are rocky but very few fish. After that there's plenty of growth on the rocks and plenty of fish of all sorts. The biggest I saw were only about 8 inches long, but there were lots of varieties. There were shoals of small silver and blue fish, buff/gold fish, and some of the copper/green ones that look like those little bronze statues you get in gift shops.
I like best the ones which look a bit like swallows, dark brown with swallow tails.
I wanted to swim right round the headland to see St. Stephanos, but gave up after several hundred yards, because on rounding each little headland I found another one a hundred yards on.
Good luck with your snorkelling, but beware of getting too much sun on your back especially if not wearing trunks/swimsuit!
Pat
The snorkelling isn't spectacular around Arillas but well worth a look.
There are lots of fish to see, urchins etc.
Of all the islands I've been to Corfu seem to have less going on in the sealife department. I don't know if I just haven't found the right spot, or don't go out deep enough.
I always wear a headscarf when I go out snorkelling - I've got sun stroke too many times lol.
If anyone knows of any good snorkelling spots on Corfu please post them :D
My daughter always used to get the backs of her legs and back burnt when she snorkelled!
If anyone wants to try snorkelling you can now book a session through San Stefano Travel. According to the web-site the organisers take you by boat to the twin bays of Porto Timoni (on the headland south or Arillas) so that area must be quite good.
A good friend of mine, George, who used to live in Agios Georgios was a keen snorkeller until a couple of years ago. He liked the far side of Kravia Island which has deep water, and also the headland just mentioned. Going further away (by boat) he said there were good spots at the sides of Agios Georgios bay and towards Paleokastritsa.
He and his wife have a nice gift shop (Sophias) in Agios Stefanos (next to Thomas Bay Hotel) now. George is a great guy and if he is not busy in the shop it is worth popping in to ask him about anywhere nearer.
Dennis
Thank you Dennis. Many of our guests ask about the best places for snorkelling, a subject I don't know much about, but now I can pass this on your excellent information.
Eileen.x
Hi to all I will be in Ag Gorge north at the end of May and hope to go snorkelling them
derek
Derek
You may find the water hasn't warmed up in May but maybe you are used to that.
You can hire a boat from the SunFun Club (http://www.agiosgeorgios.co.uk/sunfunclub.htm (http://www.agiosgeorgios.co.uk/sunfunclub.htm)) which is in front of the Alkyon Beach Hotel.
My friend George from Agios Georgios used to snorkel and spear fish regularly for many years and says a good handy place for easy access is at the left side of Agios Georgios beach in front of the Akrogiali fish restaurant.
Then there are the cliffs around the Afionas headland to your right, including the twin bays of Porto Timoni.
For slightly longer trips he favoured the deep water on the far side of Kravia Island and some places away to the left of the bay (from Agios Georgios beach) along the base of the cliffs just before Paleokastritsa.
have a good time
Dennis
Not being a serious snorkeller I would never attempt swimming all the way to Gravia island but, from an amatuers point of view the best snorkelling I found was at Paleokastritsa. You dont have to go out far at all and I saw hundreds of small fish and some up to something lke 12 to 15 inches. The smaller swordfish type seem to like the left hand side of the beach underneath the tied up boats whilst the bigger ones I saw were over to the right near the rocks and cliffs.
JoihnJ
Best snorkelling I've found is at Kassiopi.
At the beach with the big white pebbles ,turn right and follow the rocky outcrop's all the way back to the harbour.
Last year me and my mate got in and were that absorbed with fish watching we didn't realize how far we'd swam.
When we looked up we were almost in the harbour.
Was harder swimming back though as the tide was against us.
when snorkeling near rocks best wera a pair of them swimming shoes you dont want to stand on an urchin i know theres lots around Kassiopi they were even out of the sea on the harbour rocks last year i took this pic at Roda
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w1/TNEW349484/Seaurchin.jpg)
No we don't want to be standing on that "OUCH"
riggers......
I've trodden on one before....agony.....
Tide shoved me onto one of those.
Got me right in the middle of my beer belly !
Everyone thought it was a tatoo of a firework !
LMAO barry somefirework bet it made the sparks fly lol
Tony
Aaah the peril's of snorkelling !
A few year's ago I was having a "snork" off the beach in Turkey while Susan relaxed getting her tan.
So I'm in about 4 feet of water marvelling at the fishies and the bottom was all white small pebbles.
Next thing I see's a big shark shaped shadow on the bottom about 20 feet away.
"Eeek", I thought as it rapidly came toward's me.
It was almost on me and I raised my head so my mask was half in,half out of the water.
In the split second I looked up....BANG !
The pointy end of a windsurfer got me smack dab in the middle of my mask,smashed it in half and gave me a lovely gash right on the bridge of my nose. (Can I hear laughing?)
So I swallowed about 2 gallon of seawater and managed to get my feet on the bottom.
Anyway on the windsurfer was a German kid about 15 year's old and I think he was more upset than me. He was apologising in German and I'm coughing and spluttering trying to calm HIM down !
So I stagger's back up the beach with my mask in pieces with a trail of blood running down my nose with the odd Brit sunbather asking "Are you alright mate?"
I think this should be in the "Frank Spencer" thread !
Get's back to Susan who is laid out on her lilo with her sunglasses on and eye's closed.
"Did you have a nice swim then?" she say's,not opening her eye's.
"Do I look like I've had a nice swim!? "(Expletives deleted) I groan.
After I tell her the story she say's "It could only happen to you ".
I think she's right.
Quote from: iluvsangeorge on April 09, 2008, 12:31:23 PM
Derek
You may find the water hasn't warmed up in May but maybe you are used to that.
You can hire a boat from the SunFun Club (http://www.agiosgeorgios.co.uk/sunfunclub.htm (http://www.agiosgeorgios.co.uk/sunfunclub.htm)) which is in front of the Alkyon Beach Hotel.
My friend George from Agios Georgios used to snorkel and spear fish regularly for many years and says a good handy place for easy access is at the left side of Agios Georgios beach in front of the Akrogiali fish restaurant.
Then there are the cliffs around the Afionas headland to your right, including the twin bays of Porto Timoni.
For slightly longer trips he favoured the deep water on the far side of Kravia Island and some places away to the left of the bay (from Agios Georgios beach) along the base of the cliffs just before Paleokastritsa.
have a good time
Dennis
Thanks Dennis yes I come to think of it the water was a bit cold May 2006 but this year both my wife and I have get wet suits, so if any one see's two beached whales on the beach that will be us
Derek
I think a problem with snorkelling is that you loose all sense of where you are because its so easy to get engrossed in watching the fish.
I swam into some coral in Tobago, whilst snorkelling, cut my knee and then stupidly put my hand on to the coral and cut my hand as well. When you see your blood in the sea water because you are still looking under water it is a bit of a shock.
Like you Barry, I had to walk back up the beach to where Helen was sunbathing, with blood coming out of my knee and my hand, mask still in place on my face and all I got when she saw me was " trust you, its always you who does stupid things". Not one ounce of sympathy :-(. I would have at least expected an " Oh dear, what have you done, that looks nasty".
A lady next to us was a nurse and she advised me to get it cleaned up with antiseptic cream immediately because she said coral can cause infection.
So there I was, on a lovely tropical beach, with my hand and knee bandaged up for the next three days.
Oh dear Barry/Terry
I would have been full of sympathy for you both and then i would have passed out!!
Shuey
I'm not laughing. Honestly :)