A Day at Brewers Bay (Tips for Snorkeling, Freediving, and Paddling!)

Brewers Bay is one of the most popular beach spots on Saint Thomas, USVI. Follow along our day and learn the best activities to do at the Virgin Island hotspot.

As we learn to live on this rock known as Saint Thomas, we try to spice up our weekends with some ocean exploration. If we didn’t, I’m afraid we’d both get some serious cases of island fever (it’s a real thing).

So that’s why every Sunday we set out on some sort of outdoor activity. Whether that be hiking up a mountain like the trail at Magen’s Bay, snorkeling with sea turtles, taking the ferry to Saint John, or setting sail on a catamaran – if it’s the weekend, you can bet your butt we’re enjoying the water in some capacity.

This weekend, our adventure of choice was three-fold: freediving, paddleboarding, and snorkeling – all of which were achieved in Brewers Bay on Saint Thomas.

Check out the video to see for yourself:

The rest of this article details the events within our video above. We provide information for you to replicate a similar day, or at the very least, enjoy one of the outdoor activities we highlighted.

You’ll find this article useful if you’re seeking information on:

• having a beach day at Brewers Bay Beach
• how and where to snorkel in Brewer’s Bay
• a good spot to swim with sea turtles in Saint Thomas
• locating a scenic freediving spot with mid-range depth off the beach in Saint Thomas
• a calm bay to enjoy a Virgin Island paddling adventure

Where is Brewer’s Bay on Saint Thomas?

“By the airport” is the usual answer given when asked this question. And it makes sense – when your plane was landing in Saint Thomas, you likely had a front-row view of Brewers Bay.

Remember? It was that super beautiful one with crystal blue water, fine white sand, and almost no people on it. You know the one with the green mountainside casting a shadow over a few lowly sailboats floating in its waters.

Yea. That one.

Map It! On Google Maps.

Enjoying the Beach at Brewers Bay

The beach is quiet compared to other beaches on Saint Thomas with large stretches of sand often unoccupied by beachgoers. More space. Fewer people. Seems like a win-win to me.

And you’d be surprised, the airport emits very little noise compared to what you would think. If anything, it provides a little something more to look at while you’re enjoying the Caribbean sunshine.

Additionally, the beach is popular with the locals with many old-timers resting under the shade of palm trees, families enjoying the sandy shores, and others getting a bite to eat from one of the surrounding food trucks.

Beach Day at Brewers Bay FAQ

Paddleboarding in Brewer’s Bay

No special insight here. Just pristine waters and a scenic view.

We blew up our paddleboard and launched along the beach before cutting directly through the middle of the bay. In the middle, it gets a little windy if you were to come back the same way. So when we hopped off our paddleboard we ran the risk of it blowing away.

Just keep your paddleboard attached to you, and if you don’t want to fight any breeze, hug along the northern shore as the mountains typically shield easterly winds.

Where to go Freediving in Brewers Bay

Initially, I was wary of how far I would have to paddle to find a decent depth to freedive. I was shooting for the 50+ feet range but with the shallow fields of seagrass on the floor of the bay, it seemed out of the question.

So we set our sights on Black Point, the rockface jetting into the water on the northwest corner of the bay. When you leave the beach, you can’t miss it. It’s the big-looking rock thing on your right.

As we paddled, we consistently kept peeking into the water to see what was below us. In the center of the bay, nothing but seagrass. But as we approached Black Point, we noticed a change of color in the water on the surface (usually an indication of structural change on the bottom, i.e. coral reef).

And we were right. What we discovered was a wall of coral reef following the contour of Black Point. How deep did the wall go? We weren’t sure. But we were going to find out.

READ MORE: What to Expect in an FII Level 1 Freediving Class

Freediving Around Black Point in Saint Thomas

If you look at the map above, the purple section denotes the area we were freediving. Look at the color of the water: that’s the reef. And as you go further away from the shore, the water gets progressively deeper – falling off as much as 55+ feet (maybe more on the west side).

The area was great to get some freediving in. We were able to get deep enough to challenge ourselves, yet have something pleasant to look at with the wall of the reef.

Next time we go, we intend to bring some spearguns and lobster gear as we saw sizeable catches. As far as we know, the area is not in a marine protected area so the fish we’re hunting should be legal (obviously, we’re going to double-check before go. Or if you have any information, please let us know in a comment below).

Snorkeling in Brewers Bay

After a few freediving sessions, we decided to head back east towards the beach. We weren’t sure what to expect: whether or not we’d find more coral reefs, deep freediving spots, or seagrass beds.

We were amazed at what we saw.

After floating over a small sand channel from Black Point Reef, we stumbled upon striations of beautiful coral reefs extending north and south. The geological structure was fascinating and appears as a build-up from centuries of wind, wave, or current action.

The reef was a mere 15 feet deep – excellent for snorkeling. It’s a far swim away from the beach, but if you’re up for the challenge it’s a phenomenal spot and one of the best reefs I’ve found off the beach in Saint Thomas.

You can see the reef highlighted in orange on the map above. Other spots of interest while snorkeling in Brewers Bay are the designated yellow and green sections – where coral heads, small patch reefs, and seagrass meet serving as resting sites for green sea turtles.

RELATED READING: Swimming With Sea Turtles in Magen’s Bay

Best Snorkeling for Sea Turtles in Saint Thomas

With my experiences in Brewers Bay, it’s tough to argue that the bay isn’t the best snorkeling site to see Sea Turtles in Saint Thomas. They’re everywhere.

It’s a true testament to how important healthy habitat is. Green Sea Turtles love seagrass – it’s part of the reason why they’re called GREEN Sea Turtles! And as the seagrass beds thrive, so does the Green Sea Turtle population. Crazy how nature works, right?

SNORKELING CAMERA TIPS: 4 Best GoPro Mounts for Snorkeling

Frequently Asked Questions: Our Gear

We often get asked what gear we like to use on all these adventures. Here’s a quick link guide below showcasing what we like to use:

• Camera: GoPro Hero 9
• GoPro Mount: Floaty Handle
• Paddleboard: Serene Life Inflatable

Andrew’s Gear:

• Fins: Cressi Gara Modular Impulse
• Mask: Cressi Nano HD
• Snorkel: ScubaPro Apnea

Laura’s Gear:

• Fins: ScubaPro Go Travel (excellent for snorkeling, not so much freediving)
• Mask: Project Hiu Mask for Shark Conservation
• Snorkel: ScubaPro Apnea