Great Lameshur Bay Beach

Great Lameshur Bay Beach is a long crescent of stones and pebbles on the north shore of Great Lameshur Bay. It is the first beach on the rough road from Coral Bay; sandy Little Lameshur comes farther along. Come for a rocky shore and snorkeling, not for an easy sweep of soft sand.

The two bays are about five miles from Coral Bay. Four-wheel drive is recommended for the rocky access road, and many rental agreements prohibit driving it, so check yours before setting out. Parking is roadside at several points. Bring lunch and water from Coral Bay; don't plan on buying supplies at the beach.

The rocky coral shoreline holds fish and other marine life, and coral starts close to shore. A small pocket cove lies about 300 to 400 yards along the eastern shoreline and is a useful place to look for an entry. Waves build toward Yawzi Point, so the conditions can change along the bay. Don't snorkel alone.

Great Lameshur Bay was the site of the Tektite undersea habitat program in 1969 and 1970. General Electric, NASA, the U.S. Navy, and the Department of the Interior were among the partners. It became the first nationally sponsored "scientists-in-the-sea" program.

From the beach, let the pebble crescent fill the foreground with the bay and its green hills behind it. The shore is reached right from the access road, so you don't need a long walk to get that view.