Smuggler's Cove

Figuring that after six months here, it was time to try a beach other than Brewer's Bay, HB and I borrowed a 4-wheel drive vehicle, and headed out to Smuggler's Cove on Friday. Smuggler's has a wide, fairly deep beach and very shallow water extending several yards from shore. Combined with the protection offered by the natural cove and reef, Smuggler's is a great beach for sunning and snorkeling. Sea turtles are often seen in the waters here.

Its location at the end of a long stretch of dirt road, impassable in a regular car, combined with what we had read online had led us to believe that it would be a quiet, nearly-empty beach, similar to Brewer's. Our understanding was that there were no facilities or restaurants, just an old honor bar that someone occasionally stocked, and that had been used as a filming location once or twice.


As a result, we were rather surprised to find a beach busy with tourists -- okay, so it doesn't look that busy in the picture, but compared to the five people we saw at Brewer's later that day -- and vendors selling to the tourists. There were a few tables set up with beads and dresses for sale, and someone else was barbecuing chicken legs and selling them to the beachgoers.

Ultimately, the presence of so many other people discouraged HB and I from setting up and testing the waters, so I can't report on the quality of the swimming or snorkeling available. Instead, we high-tailed it for Brewer's, with a promise to each other to return to Smuggler's once tourist season quiets down a bit.