If it's been raining, STAY OUT OF THE WATER.
Run-off pollution in that location so go to a pool.

To answer your question, the beach at PP is very small and there's not much to see snorkeling but within a 5 minute drive you have Sapphire and Coki which are both excellent snorkeling beaches.

Scooby:

Take it from someone who has been at Point Pleasant for over 9 years.......

Both Point Pleasant & Sugar Bay Resort have state-of-the-art waste facilities and pollution run-off during rain storms does not happen. Occasionally, when we have heavy rains, some of the nearby soil from the closed resort, next door, makes the water cloudy.

As for snorkeling, while not the best place on St. Thomas, the area in front of Point Pleasant has lots of fish, some coral & sea fans, turtles (lots of turtles), star fish, etc. If you're a good swimmer there is also a sunken airplane and a boat to explore.

Point Pleasant's Sugar Beach is probably one of the most romantic beaches on the island. It's very small (about 100 feet across), has only 5 lounge chairs and is surrounded by large boulders....a nice secluded beach. Actually, one of my favorites. I love swimming there.

F.I.

You cannot drive to the beach at PP so you have to walk up and down the hill, make that steep hill. Carrying a snorkel and fins is not a big deal, but when you start adding in towels, rash guards, boots, etc it could be a pain. I think you be better off and find it easier to drive to one of the nearby beaches. It is better snorkeling too.

If you park in the lower parking lot there is "no hill" to walk up & down on.

There is, however, a long trail (concrete) and a set of stairs (8 steps) to get to the beach. If it weren't for this it wouldn't be a "secluded beach".

F.I.

Sorry Future Islander, water pollution in our bays and beaches occurs during every heavy rain shower/storm in our islands as soil and sediment wastes, toxins from poisons used to spray plants
for pests, oil from roads, septic systems run-off, etc. all rush downhill into our waters unless very dry and rainwater is quickly absorbed back into the soil. Why do you think our corals and reef systems are n such bad shape?

It is not healthy to swim off of any beaches until the water gets circulated back out by tides and currents. Water Bay adjacent to PP beach is terrible as even their entire parking lot floods big time and must run off into the bay as I am sure water does on PP property. There are many great pools to enjoy all the while and you don't have to worry (as much) as swimming in bacteria filled waters after the downpours.

The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) contracts with a licensed water testing lab to test the waters around the islands monthly in accordance with federal EPA laws and do so additionally after particularly heavy rains. The results are posted on their website and, if the testing indicates pollution above the accepted levels, the media prints a list of those beaches and advises bathers to temporarily avoid them.

Once the rainfall has passed over in a day or two the lab re-tests and issues updated advisories or (usually) the "all clear".

There is no real "danger" or "bacteria-filled water" after simple normal rainfall and I can recall only a very few times over three decades and after torrential rainfall/hurricane conditions that beaches have actually been closed because of high levels of pollution.

Alana:

So what you're telling us is "don't swim in the ocean anywhere after it rains? Pretty discouraging.....

Also, Point Pleasant's parking areas are NOT adjacent to any beach....and don't flood and run into Water Bay. Our erosion control systems and landscaping is designed to absorb large qualities of rain water. That's why the Point Pleasant Resort is always green. Further development of our erosion control system will be done during the summer of 2014.

In the past 9 years I've only seen Water Bay turn slightly brown twice and that was a result of the soil sediment erosion from the Old (Vacant) Renaissance Resort. When the Margaritaville Resort opens up at the end of 2014 they will have designed a run-off pond to capture the sediment problem.

Oh. and the water is tested by the V.I. Government regularly and reports are published.

F.I.

Yes, DPNR puts out those reports and they warn people not to swim in certain Bays and Beaches due to high coliform bacteria counts they find when they test the waters after heavy rains. Swim at your own risk or stay out until the bays/beaches have flushed itself out.

Here's a letter to editoryou may find interesting:
http://virginislandsdailynews.com/op-ed/water-bay-flooding-and-bacteria-creates-potential-for-peril-to-humans-and-dolphins-1.1589552

Chris's letter to the editor was in response to the planned "dolphinarium" at Coral Bay and his excellent summation of the drainage problems in the area of the old Renaissance property was related to that and wasn't "new news" to anyone familiar with that area for many years.

As FI correctly pointed out the Wyndham Group, who now owns the property and is developing it, is well aware of the remaining problems (which are infinitely less than they were in the Renaissance days) and will be addressing it further in their renovation of the property.

The OP asked a simple question about snorkeling ops at PP ...

Hi all, Happy Holidays! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

Thanks for the responses.
I know PP beaches are small, but we will like that. I am not into big crowds. I don't mind walking steep hills either. But I will keep it in mind to maybe park the car in the lower lot. lol Great idea!

So where is the plane and boat located? And do you have to watch out for boat traffic in that area when snorkeling?

As long as we can see a few fish and things I will be happy. We will be going on a boat/snorkel ride also. So its just something to fill in some time during the day otherwise I guess.

Thanks Scooby

Scooby:

The location of the sunken plane (no wings) & boat is as follows:

From Point Pleasant Resort's Sugar Beach swim straight to the dock off of Coki Point. You'll pass over a light (shallow) spot in the water about 100-150 feet off of the dock. They're right about there.

The boat traffic is non-existent, except for Morningstar Charters (2 sailboats) and the Coconut (catamaran) from Sugar Bay. However, you should be a very good swimmer (or have a life vest), as it's a long swim to and from the area.

Last winter there were lobsters, starfish and many colored fish around the plane and the boat.

As for a great sailing adventure, try Morningstar Charters located at the Point Pleasant Resort. They're rated number one for St. Thomas on TripAdvisor.

F.I.

LOL,

Thanks Islander but I will pass on that one.
I am to old for a marathon swim.

Happy Holidays all,

Scooby:-)