DW needs assistance....

We are going to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel in July and wish to do some snorkeling in Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

My wife is unable to hold her breath underwater, and also needs to physically hold her nose shut to keep water out. With the inability to do such right now, she cannot get a mask to fit (keep suction). Any suggestions as to how to teach her to be able to do such without holding her nose shut with her fingers? If she isn't able to do so, could she use a combination of nose clips/plugs and a mask?

I taught swimming for many years

IMO DW is VERY uncomfortable in the water and sometimes you can NOT overcome this

A nose plug under a mask to 'force her' under the water will NOT help.

Some might recommend a nose clip that fits under a mask (no strap .... they exist!) ..... but from what you say here I suspect this would be a move in the wrong direction.

Either find a GOOD swimming teacher ..... or accept you have different hobbies.

What I did to introduce wee little ones to going underwater - have your DW put JUST her face in the water while humming a tune. Water cannot go up her nose when air is coming out as she hums. See if you can improve her comfort this way.

Most masks cover the nose with soft silicon. If she needs to pinch her nose to be comfy, she can do this over the nose piece.

Go to a real dive shop to get her a properly fitted mask that doesn't leak. Test it in water there, not just by suction.

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teaching this to 'little ones' is a BUNCH easier than trying to retrain an adult . . .

and even when training kids I OFTEN had kids that were just "water adverse"

If she is not comfortable with her head under water .... even a $1000 mask WON'T HELP

A "nose holder" is afraid of the water .... a hard thing to overcome.

It's not that she is uncomfortable under water (She says she doesn't anyhow and would like to be able to easily do so.), she loves to swim and she says she isn't able to close off her nasal passage by engaging her soft palate. If she isn't able to do this, then she won't be able to keep a seal on a mask because suction won't be able to occur.

I am a nose holder and absolutely adore being in the water but really hate water in my nose from my mask. I find I can easily hold my nose through the silicone nose piece. However, I solved the problem by buying a mask for about $40 that has a "purge valve". What that does is allow me to exhale through my nose which forces any water that has snuck into the mask to exit a one way valve. No more nose holding! The other key is to make sure the mask fits well with no stray pieces of hair under the mask, and no large facial expressions that would break the seal on the mask and let the water come in.

ya know ... the funny thing I just realized is ALL ... EVERY ... decent mask allows you to 'pinch your nose'; this is needed to 'equalize' ..... I don't think of this because I'm one of those folks who can (under normal circumstances) equalize by just wiggling my jaw ... no pinch and blow required

OP says

My wife is unable to hold her breath underwater

so I'll go back to my first post ..... she's water adverse ....... you need to beat the 'fear' not try to teach a skill.