Snorkeling Sebastian Inlet

I was surprised to discover what a popular snorkeling spot Sebastian Inlet is. It's not unusual to see at least a dozen snorkelers in the water even on a hot summer weekday, when fewer people are visiting the park. There must be plenty of snorkelers here on weekends. There seems to be 3 main snorkeling strategies at the Inlet:

Snorkel near or in the shallow water lagoon - The water is clear and very shallow in the lagoon. This is the place for beginners or the timid.
Snorkel in the Inlet - The current is strong in the inlet, so the strategy is to climb over the rocks on an incoming tide and let the current propel you along the rocks and under the bridge. This is very popular, but probably not good for beginners.
Snorkel Monster Hole - This is a hole that goes from 20 to 30 feet deep and is located 30 to 40 yards off the end of the jetty. This is for experienced snorkelers. It is also a major surf spot when the surf gets really big.

I wasn't able to get in the water on my first trip, but I did get some photos of the snorkelers, who ranged from teenagers to the middle-aged. All the snorkelers I saw brought their own masks, snorkels, and swim fins. I didn't see any snorkeling equipment rentals at the snack bar, but I wasn't really looking for them.

If you come to snorkel here I'd recommend picking calm, sunny weather. Bring a dive flag like the one you see pictured above (red with white stripe), and bring a buddy to snorkel with you. The guy in the photo above was by himself, but he was clearly a very experienced diver and was familiar with the location. And, there were plenty of people and other snorkelers in the area.