Learning how to Snorkel

[premiumrican]

I have been to a number of caribbean islands both on cruise and on land based vacations. I never snorkeled in my life and would like to learn how. Seems I am missing alot by not being able to do it.

 

I always wanted to do some of those excursions that have snorkeling as part of the tour but I always avoid them due to my inability. My question is does one have to be a strong swimmer inorder to attempt snorkeling? I am not very good in deep water. Will those "safety vest" help?

 

Are there any classes one can take to learn how to snorkel? Would like to learn before my next cruise on the Navigator 10/8/2005

[brucejr]

you don't really have to be a good swimmer to snorkel, you have to be a good floater however. A snorkel vest will help quite a bit in this department. I suggest that you try it in a swimming pool first if at all possible. On our last Princess cruise, I saw that they offered snorkeling lessons in one of the pools on the ship early on in the cruise.

 

<font color="FF6600">

if there's a way to construe my post as non-argumentative, please do so.</font>

Cruise photos on my Home page <font color="990066">

Spring Break was on the Grand Princess </font>21, March 2004

So when is the next cruise?

[Orcrone]

I agree with brucejr. Just wanted to add that even if you're not a strong swimmer the fins make it real easy to move along. In fact, when snorkeling you really don't need to use your arms to propel yourself at all.

 

1/1990 - RCCL Song of America

4/13/2003 - Carnival Inspiration

10/30/2004 - Maasdam

 

Till sailing on the Maasdam

[checkard]

You don't have to be a strong swimmer but you must be comfortable in deep water. Someone who panics when they can't touch the bottom is not going to enjoy snorkeling even with a snorkel vest holding them up. Like a previous poster said, I would try it in a swimming pool before I went on the cruise. It is an amazing experience and we do it on every cruise.

[dmdiver]

snorkeling is fun & easy. check to see if your ship offers a class on snorkeling. if not, you can learn before you leave so that you will have a greater level of comfort in the ocean.

 

you need a mask that fits your face well. my kids have bought $5 mask/snorkels at walmart that have worked just fine. hubby & i have dive masks - look basically the same, but designed to withstand higher water pressure and designed to fit larger/smaller faces.

 

when you try on your mask, don't put the strap on your head. hold the mask on your face and inhale through your nose. if the mask is sealing properly, it will adhere to your face. if not, you know it is not the right size for your face. at walmart, it may be more difficult to find different sizes. if you have access to a dive shop, they will have a large variety and will be able to help fit you. you will pay more at a shop, but we've had all our equipment since 1993, so they are worth the money.

 

some snorkels have valves to help keep water out, others do not. hubby & i have the more expensive valve snorkels, kids do not.

 

if you get some water in your snorkel tube, simply do a ptooey! thing and shoot the water out the top. water in your mask, blow out through your nose. it is not unusual to have a tiny bit of water in your nose piece, just don't want enough to go up your nose! in diving class, we were required to clear both snorkel and mask.

 

so, if you can practice in a pool or i guess even your bathtub, you will likely feel much more comfortable in open water.

 

by all means, snorkel with a vest and don't forget the sunscreen. it's pretty painful to have your entire backside sunburned.

[vermonter16]

Hello out there, I just learned to snorkel on my last cruise in February... The first time out I panicked too much and could not breathe properly...this also had to do with the water being deep and not too calm. I have a fear of deep water :) probably because I have never really learned to swim too well.

 

The next day out I sat on the beach with my head in the water and my snorkel mask and breathing tube on to practice...maybe I looked like an idiot, I don't know but after about 30 minutes or so I got the breathing down and was much more comfortable. I waded out in the water and kept going a bit deeper each time. My husband helped me of course but after awhile I didn't want to get out....I was just floating around.

 

I do get panicky...but after I mastered the breathing and the floating I was ok. The next time I am going to get one of those vests so I can feel more comfortable and do the deeper water.

 

I have had a fear of water my whole life (and still do) but you can overcome it if even for a little while with a little practice.

 

vermonter16

Carnival Miracle 10/24

[raytownlady]

I'm taking classes at the YMCA to learn to snorkle and become more comfortable in the deep water. so far so good.;)

[Cruzntime]

There are many good tips above so take your time and adjust acclimate yourself slowly.

One thing to consider if you are going to book a snorkeling excursion while on a cruise is to find a more private and well established company to provide this excursion. Most snorkel excursion with the cruise ship has lots of people on the boat so I would think personal attention is not likely. Plus, often excursions not affiliated with the ship are cheaper. On a recent excursion I booked with a company in the Grand Cayman called Captain Marvin's and there were probably less than twenty onboard. One woman in particular was uneasy about swimming in the ocean and freaked out a little once she got in the water. It was somewhat amazing though how the crew worked with her and by the end of the excursion this lady was having a blast. It was neat to see that she went from being very scared to commenting how much fun she was having.

[mattR]

Will be my first time in Dec. Do ship excersions include float vests usually? Do you need to worry about the ocean tides carrying you away:( What do you do with your towel and stuff when your in the water?

[Got2Cruise]

Matt, where are you planning to snorkel? I think that if you have never snorkeled, maybe it would be better to try snorkeling directly from the beach to get used to the breathing, than to jump off the side of a boat into 12 feet water. The hardest part about snorkeling is learning not to panic if salt water gets up your nose or you swallow some. The excursions all make you wear the inflatable vests, and they do have people who go in the water with you, and keep an eye on you.

[mattR]

Ports will be HMC, St Thomas, Tortola, and Naussa. Are you able to force yourself under with the vests on? Would like to be able to dive down and look around for a few seconds (as long as my lungs let me). maybe a fluter board would be a better option for this?

[Got2Cruise]

Matt, the water is very clear. If you stay on top, as most people do, and just keep your face in the water, you will see many things. The vests just help you float, but you could deflate the vest if you wanted to. Definitely check out to see if your ship has a dive and snorkel program. If you feel confident in your swimming skills you will do fine.

[LINANRIC]

What do you do to keep the fog from going inside your mask while you have it on your face? Just trying to teach myself how to breathe while snorkeling. Cousin and I are going on a Cruise in 3 weeks, and want to make sure that we know how to handle the snorkeling.

 

I tried anti fog, and it is still fogging up. If anyone out there can HELP please do, Thanks

[Hilary]

First thing you need to do is make sure your mask has been cleaned well. When it comes from the factory it has a film inside that you have to clean out. Take some paste toothpaste (not gel) and rub it on the inside of your mask for a few minutes. Rinse well and repeat one more time.

 

The best anti-fog out there (and the one I see most commonly used on dive boats) is a little baby shampoo and water in a spraybottle. Go out and buy yourself a trial sized bottle of baby shampoo and right before you snorkel, put a very tiny dot in the mask. Add a little bit of water and swirl around. Then rinse your mask and you'll be good to go.

 

The shampoo makes the surface area of the glass very slick so the water vapor (fog) won't stick to it. And it won't hurt your eyes because it's baby shampoo!

[LINANRIC]

Thanks so much.

 

Going to try it today............

[simonv]

Make sure no hair get caught in the mask. Even one strand of hair will break the seal and you get water in your mask. If you have short hair, wetting the hair around your face before you put your mask is a good idea. Man with mustache or long sideburns often have problems. Men - make sure you shave before.

If you get water in your mask, press the top of the mask(glass part) with your thumb, and gently breath out through the nose. You hear bubbles coming out of the mask. You get a lot of sun on your back while snorkeling. I wear a thin wetsuit, but as it's your first time, you wouldn't want to spend money on that. Wear an old T-shirt and tights or something for the back of your legs. Water's cool, so you don't feel the sunburn till later.

Please please do not step on coral. It kills them. You'll see top of coral in most popular snorkeling spots are dead. It's because snorkelers have stepped on them. Thirty years ago before snorkeling got popular, one could see a hundred times more fish and healthy coral all over. So please be careful. Your fin will give you extra power so you'll be fine.

[BobbieSu]

I will never forget one time we went snorkeling in Hawaii. I put sunblock on the first time I went out, but forgot the second time. As I was coming in I didn't realize how little water I was in and brushed the top of the coral, big gouge down my thigh. The next day we flew home and I was in agony. Bright red sunburn on the back of both legs, cut on the front. I had a hard time sitting... :o

[joramrose]

I snorkeled a lot when I was younger, mostly in the beautiful Bahamian waters, but then came a long spell of not beiong near the sea (or at least near clear waters.)

 

Then last year, at the age of 78, I went to Australia and onto the Great barrier Reef. The tourguide assured me he would be with me during the snorkel tour. Bear in mind that I had had recent surgery to free a frozen shoulder and a total knee replacement.

 

And guess what. I did fine! I can no longer swim more than a few strokes (no strength) but I did not need to. The experience was fabulous!

 

The fins and the mask kept me afloat.

 

Take heed of all the advice offered above. Do practice in a swimming pool or even a bathtub before you go -- get over any panicky feelings.

 

And tell us how you loved it.

 

I am going snorkeling again in November, in St. Thomas and maybe elsewhere. I am really looking forward to it.

 

love

joan

[sunshinegal]

joramrose-----------Good for you!! Way to go!!! When in Nov are you sailing and with who?? We are going in Nov on the Serenade OTS on the 6. Stop by our thread if you are going at the same time. "Serenade of the Sea Nov 6." Would love to talk to you.:)

[simonv]

Actually snorkeling from beach is harder, because you have to get past the waves breaking on you. Till you get to the reef, all you see is sand and it's boring. If you know how to swim, from boat is the easiest. No breakers to deal with, and as soon as you get in, you see fish. Unless you are known to the operator as to your ability AND you are in a very very small group, no boat will take you to where there's current. They will tell you where to stay in, and crew will be patroling to give you hand and to keep eye on you. Cruise snorkel tours are perfectly safe. They make sure you won't drawn, even if you wanted to. So enjoy.

The best snorkeling experience I had was drift snorkel in Indonesia. You just drop into the current and drift with it. It's like riding a train, brilliant colors of corals and fish shooting by. It was great! The best snorkeling experience of my life! But a dive master and a support dingy was with us all the way, so that we could get out if the current became more than we could handle. That was fun! Something to look forward to when you have enough experience snorkeling.

[Got2Cruise]

Simon, don't know where you snorkel, but in the Caribbean I haven't seen any waves. Ok, it might not be spectacular, but there is usually plenty to see, especially for a novice, who hasn't seen anything. :-)

[simonv]

I'm talking about little breakers before you get out to where there's no wave. I mainly snorkel in Hawaii and in Pacific. We have more colorful fish than Carribean or at least used to. Butterfly and angel fish got less in Hawaii, but still more than in Carribean though. Too many snorkelers and too much feeding.

[CynBen]

The best snorkeling in the Caribbean is at Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary off south of Ramrod and Little Torch Key in the lower Florida Keys. The reef is seven miles out in the ocean and you see millions of colorful fish. I have great pictures of queen angelfish, reef sharks, eagle rays, turtles, even eels. It is not a spot that cruise ships stop at, though. The coral is still beautiful for the most part, but there are some dead spots from boats running aground before it was designated a sancturary.

 

Also, good tips for avoiding sunburn. I am very fair and always wear a Tshirt and tights because I forget I am in the sun. One other place that burns is my head so I wear a bandana to keep the top of my head and the part in my hair protected. You also my feel like wear socks or booties if your fins rub and cause blisters. I look ridiculous, not at all like the people snorkeling on the cruise adverts, but I am protected and can simply enjoy!

 

Cynthia

 

December 22, 2004 Rotterdam Holiday and Panama Canal

[akia29]

What do you do to keep the fog from going inside your mask while you have it on your face? Just trying to teach myself how to breathe while snorkeling. Cousin and I are going on a Cruise in 3 weeks, and want to make sure that we know how to handle the snorkeling.

 

I tried anti fog, and it is still fogging up. If anyone out there can HELP please do, Thanks

OK, There are several good tricks already listed, but one that many scuba divers use - is simple spit- sounds gross, nothing works like it. But toothpaste, and anti foggers both work well too.

Are you wetting the mask before putting the de-fogger in?

Make sure that it is wet, rinsed and clean.

Good luck!

[ColoradoLad]

I love when evry six months or so when we cruise to look over the messages.

 

Well; I have a post on "Snorkeling vest" that basically states

select a good brand and always a CO2 air inflatable one, you can also inflate via mouth tube for getting it just right. The CO2 is for emergencies.

 

I recommend that you call the nearest dive shop and practice before you go.

 

At the leas\st when onboard ask the cruise director as to who is PADI certified or just look for a lady or guy with divers t shirts or trunks.

 

I use "Stormy Seas: brand vests.

I was also in a profession that I learned about diving and the disabled.

Now older that be me.

 

ColoradoLad

 

PS

 

Great info folks in all the messages!

 

always wear a Tshirt as posted

the vest acts as a t shirt

wear bright colors!

 

Have fun

 

and take a "space blanket" those foil things

in a 3x4 inch case for the boat trip out!