The idea of night snorkeling may make some anxious, however, some of the ocean life you’ll get a chance to see makes it well worth overcoming the angst. Truthfully, it only adds to the excitement and thrill.
Why Snorkel at Night?
The main reason to go night snorkeling is because you’ll get a chance to see many things you won’t be able to see in the daytime. It truly is an exciting adventure. Many sea creatures are out in the evening that aren’t out in the daytime, like the amazingly rare and beautiful Mandarinfish.
Octopus and eels, shrimp and lobsters are all more active in the evening. While you might witness a Spotted Spiny Lobster in the daytime, you pretty much never see a Slipper Lobster, or Spanish Lobster, yet it’s possible to at night. Some shrimp’s eyes are very reflective, and it’s possible to witness a multitude of them staring at you from the rocks or reef.
Corals may be breathtaking at night. The majority of the time they’re closed up in the daytime, and hardly look like something alive. However, in the evening they may transform into living animals, and bloom out in gorgeous colors, feeding with their tiny tentacle bodies, such as the Orange Cup Coral. In the evening you also may witness corals spawning, with a cloud-like release of sperm and eggs.
When you’re out snorkeling around at night it’s easy to get focused on the tiny stuff directly in front of you. However, if you consistently pan a light around, peering out farther away and into deeper waters, you might see an Eagle Ray, or something else large, playing around the corners of the light. And do not forget to sweep the light across the sandy bottom, where you may see an octopus dancing around on the hunt. Also, they like to hide inside the ends of pipes, and additional natural holes.
Ocean Surfari offers several snorkeling packages. Get in touch with us today at (340) 202-0444.
