Beach at CTI

We will be going to CTI next January. I have looked at pictures of the beach and I know that it is small compared to the beaches in Negril, but is the water really shallow like the water in negril? In the pictures, it has a little bit of water that looks like a clear blue and then itt turns dark blue like it is deep. I loved how you could walk out sooo far into the ocean in Negril! Also is the water pretty rough at CTI? I think I just got spoiled by the Negril beaches and I just don't want to be disappointed in the beaches in Ocho Rios :(

The water gets deep at CTI much faster then at CSA or CN a nd it is a little rougher as well. You won't be
disappointed. It is a private beach

Well, it seemed to us that the water does get deep fairly quickly at CTI. We only went in the ocean once (dang the Isle!) and it did seem to get deep fairly quick.

As for rough, when we were there it was fairly smooth, just enough wave action to relax us on the floaties. But, we're from Michigan, and our idea of "calm" water is the sort of choppy waves the Lakes get, not big rollers like the ocean. The Isle seems to do a decent job of keeping the really big waves away from the beach, too.

Jason

I can only speak for how it was two Septembers ago at CTI - given the tidal nature of sand and surf, it might have changed. That being said, it was a pretty steep drop-off from the shore, and the "usable" area (the part roped off in buoys) were pretty limited compared to CSA. If you want to go far out away from the shore and still touch bottom, CSA is definitely the better of the two.

As far as rough, the waters were rough that week, but they were also rough at CSA that week (serious hurricane activity in the Carib that week), so I can't say that what I saw was a fair assessment.

The beach/sand/water in Ochi is almost complete opposite from Negril in our opinion.
We felt the water was more rough at CTI, and the water near shore seemed to have quite a bit of "vegetation" and there used to be a huge "hidden" slab of concrete or rock that the scuba folks always tripped on.
I do not remember it being shallow very far out, it drops off pretty quick.

last time we were there was 2010.

The beach is not like Negril. I think what you are seeing in the pictures is where it's not clear, there is coral or other sea stuff growing. The water is like a "normal" beach, as you walk out the water continues to get deeper.

I can't speak for the negril beaches (though I will be able to in August!!), but the water gets deep quickly, and there are a lot of coral pieces just inside the water, so feet be warned. The beach is private, which is a plus. Check out the island!

We spent every day in the Ocean at CTI last August. I am 5'4" and could walk out to the ropes most days with no problem. The water was pretty smooth most of the time.

The beach is very nice and completely private which I loved. There is only one man on a paddle board that comes around every day trying to sell shells. He does not bother you and usually does not talk to you unless you initiate a conversation.

The beach is nothing like the beaches of CN or CSA but it is perfect for CTI.

My wife and I personally like the beach at CTI because of the rolling waves in. You can even do some body surfing!! Bobbing in the water is what I like about the beach. You can still lay on the floaties but I would recommend water shoes though. You can hit some rocks out in the ocean and there is no problem with water shoes.
I hear the sand in Negril is sugary white where CTI is a sandy color sand but it is very nice and PRIVA TE.

We haven't been there when its rough. I guess its all relative though. Being on the East Coast US, beaches tend to have waves you can surf and body surf. I've never seen, except during a storm, those types of waves at CTI. The bay is fronted by the island and the reef, so waves don't get very big.

The water does drop off fairly quick, but I don't think it gets much more than 10 feet until you're past the island. There is all types of coral, sponge, urchins between the ropes and island.

The man on the paddle board is pretty cool..."Shellmon" I believe, is what the CTI regulars call him, at least that's what we call him! In all of our visits to CTI, we have only been in the ocean a few times... darn island!??!

Is there a lot of sea grass at CTI like CSS?

Sea grass comes and goes. Just depends.

Compared to the Negril beaches, the one at CTI is small. However we think of that as an advantage. You see at CTI there are no other resorts on either side which means a completely private beach. We have only been to Negril once but what I remember is that there really is no definition of where one resorts beach ends and the other begins. I also seem to remember that the locals were there and trying to sell their wares. This does not happen at CTI. The only people on their beach are guests and staff members. As far as the water it can be a little rougher than Negril but I do not think I have seen a day when no one went out because of waves. And we go in June every year which is the beginning of hurricane season and this year will be our 13th trip to CTI. However if you must have a beach where you can walk 30 of 40 yards off-shore and still be able to touch bottom then stick with Negril. At CTI you will be in 6-8 feet of water at about 20 yards. From there it really never gets much over 20 feet deep for a good 100 yards. However at the 20-30 yard mark the bottom changes from sand to green grassy-moss. This is probably the dark image you see on your photo. This also offers you the option of snorkeling right off of the beach and actually getting to see something besides sand. So really it depends on what you are looking for.

I've seen Red Flag days mentioned. Are you allowed to swim in the water on a Red Flag day or are you stuck on the beach? Does it happen much in September?