The Tobago CaysEnjoy and ProtectThe Tobago Cays are at once the loveliest and the most fragile of all the places you will visit. The whole area is a national park and recently officials have started visiting frequently. So popular are the Cays that a daily usage fee has been imposed to help defray the cost of protecting the area. The causes for concern are two. First, the Tobago Cays offer some of the finest and most popular snorkeling in the Caribbean. For that reason, the fragile coral reefs are particular vulnerable to careless people who have been known to stand and walk on the coral. Second, with the number of visitors, nothing would be left to see if everyone picked up a souvenir. Therefore, it is against the law to remove anything from water or beaches. The Cays are a snorkeler's dream come true. Shallow depths and crystal water make it possible for even the novice snorkeler to enjoy the underwater splendor on the inside of the reef. On the outside, it is important to be a strong swimmer and to be comfortable in the water. The outside wall of the reef drops off quite sharply, revealing larger coral formations and larger fish; however, it is very important to check the current and start exploring up-current so that you don't have to fight your way back to your dinghy. There is a cut in the reef that is marked by buoys and most people go out the cut by dinghy and tie up to one of the balls marking the outside entrance. The Cays are uninhabited, but boat boys are always in the area since Union island is only ten minutes away by motorboat. Our experience tells us that courtesy yields big dividends everywhere in the Grenadines, but particularly when dealing with the boatboys. They will offer bread, jewelry, t-shirts, fresh fish, lobster in season, and other things. If you have time, it is nice to take a few minutes to look at jewelry or t-shirts, but if you choose not look at anything, and just say "No thank you, not today," you will not be harassed. Anchoring in the Tobago Cays is so easy, with clear water, sandy bottom, and shallow depth, that you need not accept any offers of assistance with anchoring. There a number of small islands with pretty beaches, and they are fun to explore. Off one of the islands, a turtle pen has been established. Be very careful if you take a dinghy inside the pen to get to the beach. Use snorkel and fins to visit the turtles. One final note of interest is that beyond the dinghy cut, but still inside the reef, there has been a single white bottle to which you can tie a dinghy. The reason for doing so is that the snorkeling is wonderful, the water a little deeper, and the creatures somewhat larger. We almost always see at least one nurse shark when we are exploring.
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