Snuba

[LukeyC]

Has anyone here ever done the Snuba excursion?  If so, where was it? Did you feel secure like the air hose wouldn't get pinched closed?  Did you feel as though you saw better/more things than if you had snorkeled?  Also--did you have to use a scuba regulator in your mouth and could you bring your own? (I have TMJ and would need a special regulator)

How long was the excursion and how long did you get to be underwater at each reef?

Thanks for the info!

[pacruise804]

I did it once in Nassau and wasn't impressed.  I did feel secure in breathing, but they didn't put much weight on the belt (and I'm extra buoyant) so I didn't go very deep.  Plus there were 4 of us to one raft: my husband was fine but the other wife was very nervous and the other husband didn't pay attention to the instructions and kept tangling in my line.  I was so busy watching out for them that I couldn't focus as much as I'd like on the sea life).  I saw better on regular snorkeling trips, but suspect actual SCUBA would be better.

 

We did use a regulator, I don't know if you could bring your own but can't see why not.  I don't remember how long the excursion was but I'm pretty sure we only had one stop.  Maybe 3 hours total?

 

I don't regret trying it, and suspect it would have been better with different participants. It isn't something I'm in a rush to try again though. 

[eileeshb]

I tried it in St Thomas on an NCL excursion run through Coral World. 
I’d second the comment about the weightbelt being too light. I had serious trouble getting to any depth, the instructor wound up having to drag me down. 
the other problem I had was with the fins I was given, the heel strap kept getting knocked off my heel by the air tube. But I regularly have an issue with sports footwear being loose on my heels.  I’m not sure if I’d try it again, but if I do I’m definitely bringing my own fins. 

[jbrinkm]

My family hated it. It just felt like "too much" - too much buoyancy, too much getting tangled, too much not being able to see, etc. It was just one hassle after another and felt like a waste of money as opposed to just snorkeling. What I learned snorkeling in Belize is that you can dive down a bit with your snorkeling equipment - just don't breathe underwater! We "dived" down to touch the nurse sharks and jack fish or to peer into a small hole, etc. and could stay down for as long as we could hold our breath and then popped back up to breathe & float, then back down again.