Son wants to try snorkeling any advice?

[woostercruise]

We are going on the Carnival Legend in March to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize (we have something planned here), and Roatan. My 8 year old would like to try snorkeling, however I know that is something my 6 year old would not want to do.

 

Does anyone have a suggestion for a good place in Grand Cayman, Cozumel, or Roatan where my 8 year old and one parent can snorkel while my 6 year old and the other parent are on the beach nearby? I also have no idea if it is something he will really enjoy, or after 5 minutes he will be frustrated and done.

 

Any tips or ideas are appreciated!

[cb at sea]

Instead of booking a snorkling excursion, how about just getting him his own snorkel and mask, and just letting him "have at it" while you're at the beach! The waters are so clear, that he'll have decent views of whatever is there (and at 8, he really won't care what he's seeing).

There's really nothing "frustrating" about snorkling, especially when the waters are nice and calm, like they'll be on most of those beaches!

[jerseygirl3]

We are going on the Carnival Legend in March to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize (we have something planned here), and Roatan. My 8 year old would like to try snorkeling, however I know that is something my 6 year old would not want to do.

 

Does anyone have a suggestion for a good place in Grand Cayman, Cozumel, or Roatan where my 8 year old and one parent can snorkel while my 6 year old and the other parent are on the beach nearby? I also have no idea if it is something he will really enjoy, or after 5 minutes he will be frustrated and done.

 

Any tips or ideas are appreciated!

 

Chankkanab Beach(sp?) would be perfect. It's about a 10 min taxi ride from the ship. Lots of facilities there, and snorkeling is very good. You can sit on the beach and supervise your son while he snorkels. There are two areas of beaches, one with a sandy beach and one is kinda rocky. The rocky one has better snorkeling. There are lounge chairs and tiki huts, bars, restrooms, etc.

[woostercruise]

Thanks jerseygirl3 for the Chankkanba Beach suggestion we will look into that.

 

Also cb at sea anything in particular to look for in a mask and snorkel, or would just anything from a big sporting good store in land locked central Indiana :p work?

[jerseygirl3]

Thanks jerseygirl3 for the Chankkanba Beach suggestion we will look into that.

 

Also cb at sea anything in particular to look for in a mask and snorkel, or would just anything from a big sporting good store in land locked central Indiana :p work?

 

Although Chankannab Beach will have snorkel equipment to rent, I never like to use something that I'm not sure how well sanitized it's been. So we bring our own mask and snorkel and you can just rent flippers and vest.

 

BTW, here's the website for the beach:

 

http://www.cozumelparks.com/

 

Jo-Ann

[woostercruise]

Although Chankannab Beach will have snorkel equipment to rent, I never like to use something that I'm not sure how well sanitized it's been. So we bring our own mask and snorkel and you can just rent flippers and vest.

 

BTW, here's the website for the beach:

 

http://www.cozumelparks.com/

 

Jo-Ann

 

Thanks for the link, and the tip on bringing your own mask & snorkel, I'm not much of a germaphobe, but the rental snorkel would make me a little hesitant!

[cb at sea]

I really can't help with a brand of snorkel, but a sporting store should be able to fit him...you don't want water leaking into his mask....that's just a pain!

 

As far as the sanitation, they are soaked in a bleach solution....that should kill just about any germ, but I'd still rather have my own!

[seashinesunshine]

What I did before we took our kids 9 and 11, we had them practice snorkeling in the pool before we left. That way they already knew how to do it. My son at age 9 was so excited once he got in the ocean. " Mom this is so cool" then I realized he didn't even have his mask on and hadn't looked in the water yet, when he looked in the water, he came out so exicted he could hardly talk " mom, mom there is fish down there" Made the whole trip worth it. Go to a sporting goods store and get a mask, we got ours at Sam's club. No need to have flippers.

[topspot]

If you get him a mask and snorkel before you go, let him practice in the bathtub so he will have a good seal and be comfortable with the equipment. It will be more fun for him if the mask doesn't leak, and who knows, the 6 year old may become interested once he has a chance to try his brother's mask and snorkel in the bath tub;).

[onthelake]

Seven Mile beach in Grand Cayman is another alternative. Take a taxi to any of the hotels and swim/snorkel. The snorkeling won't be as good as Mexico but it is easy to visit and you all can enjoy.

[jerseygirl3]

Seven Mile beach in Grand Cayman is another alternative. Take a taxi to any of the hotels and swim/snorkel. The snorkeling won't be as good as Mexico but it is easy to visit and you all can enjoy.

 

The problem with Seven Mile Beach is that it's a sandy beach and for snorkeling you really need a rocky area with coral reef. Our kids did snorkel at Seven Mile Beach, but they were teens and were very comfortable swimming pretty far out to see anything. But for a young child who has never snorkeled, it would be dangerous for him to swim that far out. He might be disappointed snorkeling near the sandy beach because there won't be much to see.

 

Although there's an entrance fee for Chankanaab Park ($16/adult, $8 kids), you can print out a $2 off coupon. And the park is wonderful....lots of things for the kids to see from an ecological standpoint.

[woostercruise]

What I did before we took our kids 9 and 11, we had them practice snorkeling in the pool before we left. That way they already knew how to do it. My son at age 9 was so excited once he got in the ocean. " Mom this is so cool" then I realized he didn't even have his mask on and hadn't looked in the water yet, when he looked in the water, he came out so exicted he could hardly talk " mom, mom there is fish down there" Made the whole trip worth it. Go to a sporting goods store and get a mask, we got ours at Sam's club. No need to have flippers.

 

 

That is too cute and I could see my 8 year old doing the same thing.

 

Thanks everyone for the tips!

[MMsteffey]

To get the most out of this, have him practice before you go in a pool or in the tub. Kids are very unpredictable when it comes to breathing with a snorkel and to having a mask on their face. It's even more challenging in salt water - which can sting, taste and smell funny. Getting used to the mask and breathing with a snorkel first in fresh water is very helpful.

[MamaParrotHead]

Chankanaab in Cozumel, DEFINATELY. My kids (6 and 10) took to snorkeling without a problem and it was GREAT at Chank.

 

We went to Seven Mile in GC and there wasn't ANYTHING to see. Not a THING. And we attempted to snorkel in Roatan (nothing at Tabayana) and Belize (where we attempted to snorkel off a boat and the water was dangerously rough and stirred up the bottom to the point we couldn't see 6" below our faces).

[A&Jfamily]

Chankanaab in Cozumel, DEFINATELY. My kids (6 and 10) took to snorkeling without a problem and it was GREAT at Chank.

 

We went to Seven Mile in GC and there wasn't ANYTHING to see. Not a THING. And we attempted to snorkel in Roatan (nothing at Tabayana) and Belize (where we attempted to snorkel off a boat and the water was dangerously rough and stirred up the bottom to the point we couldn't see 6" below our faces).

 

I agree that Chankanaab is great. The more experienced snorkelers can walk in from the beach on the bulkhead and see some good stuff; the newbies can walk in at the little cove.

 

Also, it is well worth a dolphin encounter - very memorable.

 

If you didn't have something planned in Belize, I was going to suggest Goff's Caye - you can snorkel from the boat or the island and it is pretty good right from shore.

 

Grand Caymen, gotta see the rays. You can snorkel there too. Good practice.

[Smithkids5521]

For your younger son- maybe try one of these snorkel rafts. This way he can be out there seeing the fishes too :D

Bigger raft-

http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Window-Explorer-snorkeling-raft/dp/B000TVTLT6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1264454428&sr=8-2

 

Small raft (not even really a raft- it is more like a window. I think that is even the name for it)-

http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Window-Deluxe-snorkeling-window/dp/B000Y1ROUO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1264454428&sr=8-5

 

And since they are blow up- you can easily have them in your bag- inflate them at the beach, and then deflate when it's time to leave...

 

Take care,

Diana :)

[Grannycb]

You might want to pick up drops to keep the mask from fogging. I think they are called Sea Drops. They work like a charm. Even if you rent a mask and fins, you will want to get your own tube.

 

A trip out to see the stingrays might be the way to go. The water is crystal clear (or has been when we were there). Seeing the stingrays glide through the water was so cool. The child who wants to snorkel can get in the water, the other can watch from the boat. The water was shallow enough an adult could hold the 6 yr old.

 

We will be on that ship and itinerary in the fall with our 7 yr old GD. Please come back and tell us of your experiences.

[seacrcsvz]

Before leaving home, buy yourself one of those blow-up airmattresses with a window in it. We take all three of our kids out snorkelling, but the youngest (2, almost 3) just looked through that window, while the four year old held on to the side of the mattress and did a bit of both. The six year old snorkeled almost the whole time, but it was nice to have the airmattress so he could have a bit of a break if he wanted to. It depends on your childs level of swimming too. Of course, you can always buy him a mask and let him practice at home in the tub or at the local pool first - sometimes it takes a bit to get them used to the feel of the mask and needing to breath with the tube in their mouth.

[misc]

I would add that's it's nice to have a dry snorkel for kids--the type with a one way valve. That way the tube doesn't get filled with sea water (and they don't panic with a mouthful of water) if the top of the snorkel tube is submerged.

[woostercruise]

Thanks for all the tips, these boards are so helpful!

 

I'd like to do the stingrays in Grand Cayman, but my husband can't get past the whole Steve Irwin thing! I even told him one of the 3 year olds in the preschool class I teach swam with them :p. They are used to being with people...

 

Grannycb, I will report back. I'll also let you know what they think of Camp Carnival, my boys will be in the same age group as your granddaughter.

[mom2jax]

My son started snorkeling at 4 and loves it!

 

I agree that Chankanaab Park is great for the whole family.

[bbrme]

I was on the NCL Jewel in December with DD6 and DS8 which went to Roatan, Belize, Costa Maya, and their private island. We snorkeled with the kids on Roatan and the private island. DS was very into it but DD not so much. We bought them snorkel sets before we went and practiced in the pool but it didnt seem to make much different for DD.

 

In Roatan we spent the day with Victor Bodden tours and the tourguide brought us to a nice area that you could snorkel directly off the shore. It was very shallow and the kids could just stick their faces in the water and see fish. DS loved it and spent a fair amount of time snorkeing with his dad while I sat on the beach with DD. There isnt much of a beach there but there were beach chairs to sit on and DD was fascinated watching the crabs in the water.

[ckekjhaze]

Bananarama in Roatan is wonderful- and they welcome day cruisers- there is great snorkeling right off the beach- and the rest of you can relax in a chair with a drink and enjoy the day www.bananaramadive.com/

We are staying there for a week in April and hope to meet lots of cruisers!

[Mack2]

I bought my kids snorkel gear from Costco last summer... It was a kid's snorkel set from US Divers for something like ~$20 bucks.

 

My youngest was 5... aboard the Carnival Legend... we did the Sting Ray City thing through a private tour through stingraysailing.com

Chip and Mark... great trip.

 

Anyway...

 

Gave my daughter the one tip to keep her face looking down in the water, and she took off.

 

She loved snorkeling.

[Mack2]

Oh... advice.

 

Chankunaab is perfect for learning to snorkel. I got my scuba certification at Chankunaab as well as the check-out dive on Palnacar Reef in Cozumel... long time ago.

 

It's still my favorite place.

 

 

Kid's mask and snorkel are important... not so much the fins...

The kid's mask because sometimes the rentals you get might not fit correctly... and they'll leak. Kid's snorkel because they're designed for littler mouths... where rentals might not be... and of course the whole "it's in your mouth" thing.

 

Fins aren't so important... A fin is a fin is a fin for kids... Fins can take up a lot of space for what? Rent those.

 

A bouyancy vest is important for the little ones... but wherever you go, they'll usually be able to provide one for them.

 

 

Of the stops you'll be seeing on the Legend cruise... Cozumel, Cayman, and Belize are very well known for their diving/snorkeling.

Cozumel and Grand Cayman are probably the best equipped and family friendly places to be. The Turtle Farm in Grand Cayman has a man-made lagoon that you can snorkel in... stocked with fishes. Last time we went there, there was some overgrowth of algae... but the kids enjoyed the snorkeling anyway (in a controlled environment)

 

This last trip, we did Stingray City with them... and didn't do Chankunaab in Cozumel (we usually ALWAYS hit Chankunaab)