Beginner swimmer & snorkelling

Safety First - I would never suggest that two beginner swimmers
venture out snorkelling on your own. Add to that a 6 year old who can
only swim 10 feet or so. I would suggest this: Take some swim lessons.
Contact a local health club (with indoor pool) or even a local dive shop
and ask if anyone is available for some private lessons.

While the waters around St. Thomas are calm the opposite can be said
about St. Maarten. The waves are harsh and the currents can be very
strong. Trunk Bay on St. Johns (1 of the Top 10 Beaches in the World)
is one of the easiest to walk in and snorkel from. But you need to take
a snorkel lesson or your going to drink some saltwater.

For your needs I would suggest you stick with a ships tour. It not what
your looking for (as you will be taken by boat to snorkel sites) but I
think it would best fit your needs. There will be experienced divers
and strong swimmers to help you in and out of the water. They will also
give you some snorkel lessons before you reach your first snorkel site
as well as supply you with mask, fins, snorkel and safety vest. If you
inform them that you are not experienced swimmers they will stick by you
and assist you if you need it while in the water. While swimming is
not really needed in snorkelling its not a bad idea to have the basic
strokes down and just a knowledge of how to tread water. I have taken
many boat trips (snorkelling) with folks who have never done it before
in their life and they had a blast. I've even been snorkelling with one
guy who only had 1 arm. Trust your boat crew....they are there to help
you and assist you. Then in the future when you have a better knowledge
of swimming and snorkelling then venture out on your own. But for
now...for the safety of everyone stick with a ships tour and a crew to
assist.

In article <1161178291.334933.134190@m73g2000cwd. .com>,
<bagarowm> wrote:

> Any advice would be appreciated.

I suggest since you are beginner swimmers and snorkelers that you sign
up for a ships excursion to start with. They are always some that are
good for beginners. Ask at the shore excursion desk and they will
advise you which snorkeling excursions are good for beginners.

--
Charles

In article <39ldj2d1vsc0n09gku49pk78oljo0e07b9@>, Scribner
<walter3cam> wrote:

> BTW, I almost died in Tahiti because
> I wasn't wearing a snorkeling vest. Now I always do.

What happened? I hardly ever wear my vest but I probably should. The
only problems I have had is that I tend to swim out too far because
that is where the best stuff is and when I swim back it is against the
current and starts to get a little tiring. That is probably why I
should wear the vest.

--
Charles

"Charles" <fort@his.com.remove.invalid> wrote in message
news:181020062139060572%fort@his.com.remove.invali d...
> In article <39ldj2d1vsc0n09gku49pk78oljo0e07b9@>, Scribner
> <walter3cam> wrote:
>
>> BTW, I almost died in Tahiti because
>> I wasn't wearing a snorkeling vest. Now I always do.
>
> What happened? I hardly ever wear my vest but I probably should. The
> only problems I have had is that I tend to swim out too far because
> that is where the best stuff is and when I swim back it is against the
> current and starts to get a little tiring. That is probably why I
> should wear the vest.
>
> --
> Charles

Yes, and once you went too far out all by yourself, too! ;-)

--Jean

Charles wrote:
> In article <1161178291.334933.134190@m73g2000cwd. .com>,
> <bagarowm> wrote:
>
> > Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> I suggest since you are beginner swimmers and snorkelers that you sign
> up for a ships excursion to start with. They are always some that are
> good for beginners. Ask at the shore excursion desk and they will
> advise you which snorkeling excursions are good for beginners.

There are pros and cons to snorkeling excursions arranged by the ship
(or even independent tours). My first issue with snorkeling tours is
that the quality of the gear, at least in my experience, has been
inferior. Fins are the least of the worries. Masks are all about fit.
If you go on a tour and can't get a mask that gives you a good seal,
then you're going to be struggling with water in your mask all day,
which is frustrating and can be very unnerving for a beginner
swimmer/snorkeler. The snorkels that are usually used on tours are of
the most basic style - just a tube. No purge valve, no "splash-proof"
design on top - just a tube. That first surprise gulp/inhalation of
water that comes in from the top of your snorkel. A decent set of
snorkeling stuff isn't too expensive - I'd advise bringing your own,
even on organized tours.

The other thing that I find a little "stressful" about snorkel tours is
that there tends to be a lot of "traffic" while floating over the
reefs. When you dump 20 or 30 people into a smalish area, there is
congestion. It gets annoying, after a while, being kicked in the head
by others on the tour who aren't aware of who or what's around them.
But, the tour guides like to keep everyone close, so that they can
better supervise what's going on. I try to either get out in front, or
lag in the back of the parade, to avoid the crowds, but sometimes,
being bumped is unavoidable. A new swimmer/snorkeler might feel more
comfortable not having to worry about others around them, and just
concentrating on their own swimming/floating.

But, I'd really be very careful to get a good description of the
snorkeling that will be done on any given tour. I'd consider the
snorkeling tours I've taken as "advanced" snorkeling, while the
snorkeling I've done on my own, off the beach, has been very, very
tame.

The pros of going with a tour is that you're turned onto new (to you)
and exciting snorkeling spots. Off shore reefs are only accessible by
boat, so I guess you'd have to take a tour to reach them (or rent your
own boat?). And, I guess, on a tour, there is someone there to make
sure you get out of the water. All the tours I've been on have required
that you check in when you return to the boat - they have a list of
tourists on a clipboard. So, that safety aspect is nice.

Lee


>
> --
> Charles

Dillon Pyron wrote:

> The problem with shallow water snorkeling is that you won't see much
> in the way of fish and very little coral. And the water may be too
> turbid, due to the proximity of the bottom to the waves.

I disagree. I've seen spectacular coral and an amazing variety of very
colorful fish very close to shore. Take Coki Beach for instance. The
water is so gentle there that very little is being churned up from the
bottom, to get in the way of seeing what's to be seen. The coral is
gorgeous, the fish are plentiful and beautiful...all just a short ways
from the beach. It's a very friendly, accessible place for a first
snorkeling trip. Trunk Bay, on St. John, would be a great spot, as
well...though a little harder to get to.

Lee

Hi Lee, I agree with your advice except for one thing. This entire
family are not very good swimmers....all beginners. If they were expert
or even good swimmers I would not advise them to take a ships tour. It
only because of their lack of knowledge that I suggest they take a ships
tour and have the help of the crew near by if needed. Safety first. It
is very very easy to start beach snorkelling and very soon find yourself
along way from shore and in deeper water then you think. This could
cause an beginner swimmer to panic.

I also agree with you 100% that the equipment used by these tour groups
is the very basic. I have and use my own equipment and always have.
While a good mask is the most important part of snorkelling to buy one
will cost on average $125 each (good quality). Some can be found for
around $85 but I wouldn't waste my money on anything less. But the
ships tour will give them the idea and experience if they so choose to
buy their own equipment in the future.

I have been a long time publisher of NOT taking any ships tours. You
can almost always do the same exact thing yourself for pennies on the
dollar for what the ship charges. But this is one case where I think a
ships tour is highly recommended. Just my opinion.

RICK DAVIS wrote:
> Hi Lee, I agree with your advice except for one thing. This entire
> family are not very good swimmers....all beginners. If they were expert
> or even good swimmers I would not advise them to take a ships tour. It
> only because of their lack of knowledge that I suggest they take a ships
> tour and have the help of the crew near by if needed. Safety first. It
> is very very easy to start beach snorkelling and very soon find yourself
> along way from shore and in deeper water then you think. This could
> cause an beginner swimmer to panic.

I totally understand what you're saying. I'm only speaking from my own
experience. The snorkeling tours I've booked, either through the
cruiseline, or independently, have been "advanced" in my opinion.
Jumping into deep water from the boat, swimming through and over
elaborate coral formations, rough water at times (swells easily dumping
water down snorkel tubes), etc. I know that I would have been very
uncomfortable in these conditions as a beginner, even with the
supervision of the guides. The easiest, gentlest snorkeling I've done
has been from the beach.

> I also agree with you 100% that the equipment used by these tour groups
> is the very basic. I have and use my own equipment and always have.
> While a good mask is the most important part of snorkelling to buy one
> will cost on average $125 each (good quality). Some can be found for
> around $85 but I wouldn't waste my money on anything less. But the
> ships tour will give them the idea and experience if they so choose to
> buy their own equipment in the future.

There's a lot of quality snorkeling equipment to buy, that falls in
between what they supply you with on tours, and the prices you've
quoted. You can pick up a very nice U.S. Divers set for around $55 -
mask, fins, snorkel and mesh bag. My mask fits me great - I doubt I'd
be able to discern much difference between mine, which probably cost me
in the range of $25, with one that costs $85 or more. For the few times
I get to snorkel each year, my U.S. Divers non-professional grade stuff
works great and is a zillion times better than what they give you on
tours.

> I have been a long time publisher of NOT taking any ships tours. You
> can almost always do the same exact thing yourself for pennies on the
> dollar for what the ship charges. But this is one case where I think a
> ships tour is highly recommended. Just my opinion.

Agreed...as long as the specific tour is suited to the ability level of
the participants...it's not a given that a ship's snorkeling tour will
be a good fit for the snorkeler. You want that first experience to be a
positive one...not a discouraging or scary one. I'm thinking of three
tours that I've taken (one through the ship, two booked independently)
- they all would have been absolute disasters for beginner swimmers and
first time snorkelers...

Lee

Tom K wrote:
> "LeeNY" <leeschw@campmor.com> wrote in message
> news:1161276936.754072.213170@i3g2000cwc. ...
> > >
> > There's a lot of quality snorkeling equipment to buy, that falls in
> > between what they supply you with on tours, and the prices you've
> > quoted. You can pick up a very nice U.S. Divers set for around $55 -
> > mask, fins, snorkel and mesh bag. My mask fits me great - I doubt I'd
> > be able to discern much difference between mine, which probably cost me
> > in the range of $25, with one that costs $85 or more.
>
> None of us is going to like this answer <VBG> but the major difference
> between a cheaper mask and a more expensive mask is that the more expensive
> masks are made of silicone rubber, which is softer.

Silicone skirted masks are more expensive than PVC, but you still don't
have to spend $85.00. I could offer a link to more reasonably priced
snorkel gear, but then I'd be accused of promoting my employer. So,
I'll just offer a hint to look at my email address.

Lee

In article <1161260508.137894.64870@k70g2000cwa.. com>,
LeeNY <leeschw@campmor.com> wrote:

> There are pros and cons to snorkeling excursions arranged by the ship
> (or even independent tours). My first issue with snorkeling tours is
> that the quality of the gear, at least in my experience, has been
> inferior. Fins are the least of the worries. Masks are all about fit.
> If you go on a tour and can't get a mask that gives you a good seal,

There are tours that have instructions for beginners. They show how to
put on the mask etc. Since the other person seems concerned that they
are beginners it seems that getting their feet wet the first time with
other people instead of on their own might be a good idea. As far as
the gear they can use what is provided or their own. If you go on a
tour you can still use your own gear instead of the tour operators if
you so desire.

--
Charles