The most beautiful patch of water

[jeanathon]

Pretty basic and why? I have seen pictures of Greek waters, but I am not sure I believe the water can be that color.
In the bahamas the water looks beautiful, but is there a reason that it is less than ideal?
Sound off!

[Orion Jim]

Define “most beautiful”. Colorful, turbulent, placid…beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[wholybee]

The most beautiful "water" I have seen was Cocos Keeling. I imagine it is similar to Coral Atolls in the South Pacific where I've not been. You sail (carefully) into the pool in the center of the coral reef. The water is dead calm, and as blue and clear as a swimming pool. Looking off your boat there is no concept of depth. 5 feet looks the same as 30 feet. I have been other places where the water was clear enough you can see your anchor at 50 feet deep, but never anywhere the water was the same color (or lack of color?) as a swimming pool.

But mostly the bottom was just white sand, and not terribly interesting. Good for viewing plentiful sharks and colorful fish. And there was one spot, called "the rip" where you jump in the ocean on the outside of the atoll, and a very strong current pulls you through a gap and over a nice healthy reef. That was great snorkeling.

Also beautiful but a totally different scenario, during a night of heavy rain sailing mid ocean, there was a bioluminescence display like no other. Huge "explosions" of light, 30-50 feet in diameter, all over the ocean. Because of the conditions it was a miserable night on watch, but it was beautiful.

[Don C L]

I really haven't been to too many places but on a delivery, when entering the Strait of Malacca there was a tiny little island, just north of Weh Island, Pulau Rondo I think, we passed and it had the most mesmerizing, iridescent turquoise/teal in the waves that were breaking on its beach, I have never forgotten it. Many years ago.

[wholybee]

Here is a not great picture from cocos keeling.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I really haven't been to too many places but on a delivery, when entering the Strait of Malacca there was a tiny little island, just north of Weh Island, Pulau Rondo I think, we passed and it had the most mesmerizing, iridescent turquoise/teal in the waves that were breaking on its beach, I have never forgotten it. Many years ago.

The Bay of Islands in NZ has turquoise water. Another beautiful spot.

[Simi 60]

Just finished 32 days here
Went in for reprov
Back out here again now.

Lady Musgrave Island.
Not a bad spot but been to better.

[KeithB]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Just finished 32 days here
Went in for reprov
Back out here again now.

Lady Musgrave Island.
Not a bad spot but been to better.

32 days in the lagoon at Lady Musgrave?
You must have a very large holding tank!

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by KeithB

32 days in the lagoon at Lady Musgrave?
You must have a very large holding tank!

About 400 litres
But saniloo treatment plants would technically allow us to discharge, not that we would.

[HankOnthewater]

Cocos Island / Indian ocean

The island Wholybee mentioned, the 'rip' in the background.
That was 6 years ago..... crystal waters, good memories

[Jamme]

Maddalena archipelago (Sardinia, Italy) during off-peak months. A combination of Caribbean, Greece, Croatia etc. — all in one place.

[boatman61]

Menorca..

[MicHughV]

Greece has amazing water clarity, but for my money, the Exuma's in the B'mas has the best water clarity and turquoise color.

[Hasbeen]

There is nothing quite like an atoll a hundred miles or more from anywhere for clarity of water. However I have anchored in dozens of Great Barrier Reef reefs where you could check your anchor 80 ft down. In many you could watch the large Turrum swim up & take your bate, a 2 kilo sweet lip head & backbone in a single gulp.

[rbrazil]

The most beautiful patch of water is the forty-three feet of water under Tally Ho’s keel while under sail. Just stunning!