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Snorkeling in these South Pacific Islands


4774Papa
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We are on the RC Explorer of the Seas next year TP and will stop at several South Pacific Islands.

 

Snorkeling seems to be very popular.

 

Is there an option to snorkel with a life vest so one would float on the surface?

 

Also, is some of the snorkeling done is shallow enough water, so someone could easily stand up?

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We are on the RC Explorer of the Seas next year TP and will stop at several South Pacific Islands.

 

 

 

Snorkeling seems to be very popular.

 

 

 

Is there an option to snorkel with a life vest so one would float on the surface?

 

 

 

Also, is some of the snorkeling done is shallow enough water, so someone could easily stand up?

 

 

For $20+\-, you can get a "float vest" on Amazon or at a local dive shop. You inflate it with your breath. Very compact and light. Works great.

Depending on where you go and if you do some excursions that feature lagoons (e.g., Blue Lagoon on Fakarava? - if I remember correctly), you can wade in and see some fish.

 

 

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Another option is taking a "noodle" which you place under your chest and float on.

If you have not snorkelled before there are some easy breath masks on eBay for about $50 these are great especially if you have trouble breathing with a normal snorkel and mask.

 

 

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Another option is taking a "noodle" which you place under your chest and float on.

If you have not snorkelled before there are some easy breath masks on eBay for about $50 these are great especially if you have trouble breathing with a normal snorkel and mask.

 

 

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In many Polynesian snorkling spots, you are in the open ocean. Even protected areas may have currents. A noodle would not be appropriate. Get a float vest.

 

 

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And please don't plan on standing up without watching for coral and also protect your feet then you do so. That said, we used a snorkel vest that we brought and it was great.

Thanks for the information.

 

No one specifically answered my questions. However, based on your posts, it would appear that life vests are not available on site and snorkeling there generally involves deeper water.

 

I have snorkeled before in waters that were too deep to stand up, but I was able to float on top of the water without much movement.

 

DW is concerned about swimming without a life vest and probably won't go there without one. We don't plan on buying one.

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Thanks for the information.

 

No one specifically answered my questions. However, based on your posts, it would appear that life vests are not available on site and snorkeling there generally involves deeper water.

 

I have snorkeled before in waters that were too deep to stand up, but I was able to float on top of the water without much movement.

 

DW is concerned about swimming without a life vest and probably won't go there without one. We don't plan on buying one.

 

Hard to answer without knowing exactly which Islands. Snorkeling spots can be very different depending on the island.

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I agree that the sites vary.

 

Some sites are quite shallow, you cannot stand and you sort of float and swim gently over the coral. In that case a vest can protect but I also wore a rash guard.

 

Some sites are deep and others moderately so. My husband wore a swim vest a lot and I less so.

 

We also wore these. They went right into my fins and I never had to worry about what I was stepping on.

Tilos Neoprene Fin Socks

 

 

 

By the way, there are definitely some operators that have vests. When you plan your excursions, you need to read the details. The vests deflate so they take almost no room in the luggage.

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Thanks for the information.

 

 

 

No one specifically answered my questions. However, based on your posts, it would appear that life vests are not available on site and snorkeling there generally involves deeper water.

 

 

 

I have snorkeled before in waters that were too deep to stand up, but I was able to float on top of the water without much movement.

 

 

 

DW is concerned about swimming without a life vest and probably won't go there without one. We don't plan on buying one.

 

 

Your question has been answered.

Lagoons are bath tubs. Near in, offshore waters can have currents. You really need to be much more specific about which islands. A float vest is essential for poor (or uncertain) swimmers in any water deeper than you. Some locations lend themselves to current generated "drift snorkeling" (floating with the current from drop off to pick up spot- your boat follows close-by). Others range from calm to rough.

Again, for about $20+\-, you can get a self-inflatable float vest. Some snorkeling tours have them (as well as wetsuits and/or rash-guards- again depending on location). Pretty much all tours will have masks/snorkels/fins (we bring our own mask/snorkel and reef shoes for rocky shores). Strong swimmers, we may or may not use the provided fins - again, it all depends on location.

Buy the float-vest and make your spouse happy AND SAFE.

 

 

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It's very hard to answer more specifically unless we know what ports you're visiting.

 

You of course have the option to snorkel with a life vest if you bring it with you. I haven't seen any available for use in ports, but then again you may be visiting different places than I've been.

 

Mare was probably the best island for snorkeling in shallow water, but I'm not sure if that's on your itinerary. Many islands have places that you could swim/snorkel in shallow water, quality varies.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Answers: Yes and Yes. BUT an inflatable 'MaeWest' type of flotation device affords a much more comfortable and ethical experience; as you don't kill the coral you want to see. Walking in from shore often means you're walking onto dead coral others walked on before you did. ps WHERE are you intending to snorkel? Locomotiveman

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  • 6 months later...

LOL if you are not competent swimmer you must have access to a life vest as it could save her life and really they are not that expensive. If you can't swim I suggest you don't go past your waist. Be careful as all beaches have drop off points that could catch you out very easily. It's not really not worth a life for a few dollars well spent.

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I have snorkeled before in waters that were too deep to stand up, but I was able to float on top of the water without much movement.

 

DW is concerned about swimming without a life vest and probably won't go there without one. We don't plan on buying one.

 

I don't want to be a killjoy, but I would suggest that neither of you snorkel if you aren't swimmers. It's suprising how quickly even an adult can drown.

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Prospective Snorkelers, I have NEVER seen a Snorkel Tour operation without flotation gear avail. Never. I've SCUBA'd and snorkeled since the 1960's. Snorkeling properly ABOVE coral in 10-12 feet of water necessitates it. For those except children, wading in 3 feet of water would not of course.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Prospective Snorkelers, I have NEVER seen a Snorkel Tour operation without flotation gear avail. Never. I've SCUBA'd and snorkeled since the 1960's. Snorkeling properly ABOVE coral in 10-12 feet of water necessitates it. For those except children, wading in 3 feet of water would not of course.

 

I have but it was a $16 tour in the Philippines. LOL.

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Prospective Snorkelers, I have NEVER seen a Snorkel Tour operation without flotation gear avail. Never. I've SCUBA'd and snorkeled since the 1960's. Snorkeling properly ABOVE coral in 10-12 feet of water necessitates it. For those except children, wading in 3 feet of water would not of course.

 

 

 

On many of the islands visited by RCI, Carnival, etc out of Australia people are talking about snorkelling on their own without paid tours. Places like Mare, Isle of Pines, and Mystery Island people are not usually using any snorkel tour as such. They just walk in off the beach with their own equipment or equipment hired from the ship. Your response is very true if we're talking about larger scale tour operations, but of course that's hard to know unless the OP tells us what kind of snorkelling she's planning to do in which ports. There are still lots of small local operators in some of these locations, truly people that just drive a few people in a van to a nice spot for beach snorkelling or hire out hodgepodge equipment in popular areas. For that reason I wouldn't count on flotation vests being available at the ports unless you were taking a specific snorkelling tour.

 

 

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I'm not a strong swimmer by no means but I have a swim vest that I bought on Amazon. I can stay in the water for hours on end with by best on. A swim vest is a lot smaller then a life vest. It doesn't weigh hardly anything. I have been to the South Pacific islands [emoji267] 6 times and I love ❤️ my vest.

 

 

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