Advice ? I didn't love snorkeling

[Athankfulheart]

I'm hoping that I will find some helpful advice from all the snorkeling lovers here. My hubby and I went snorkeling while at Xcaret on a trip to Cancun. He LOVED it ! I, on the other hand just couldnt "get it" :o I just couldn't seem to relax into the breathing pattern which almost made me feel a little bit panicked. I'm very level headed in most situations. Im a mom to 8 kids - I have to be chilled - so what went wrong and how can I enjoy snorkeling in the future :confused:

 

We have a cruise booked for Valentines week and will be at cococay and Nassau for our port days. My hubby would love to go on a snorkeling trip but I know he won't book one because of my not so stellar experience from Mexico. Any advice would be appreciated and used. I'd love to enjoy this with him.

[Friscorays]

Practice makes perfect. Start slow and work your way up. Wear the mask and breath through the snorkel outside the water, for example while watching tv, until it is second nature and perfectly comfortable. Once that is accomplished, try submerging your face in a sink or tub (with the mask and snorkel on of course). Once that becomes second nature, move on to a local pool.

[TrqoisWtrs]

Practice makes perfect. Start slow and work your way up. Wear the mask and breath through the snorkel outside the water, for example while watching tv, until it is second nature and perfectly comfortable. Once that is accomplished, try submerging your face in a sink or tub (with the mask and snorkel on of course). Once that becomes second nature, move on to a local pool.

 

That's it exactly! :) Good luck!

[Capt_BJ]

MONARCH????

 

At CoCo you don't need to 'take a tour' there is great snorkeling for just the cost of the equipment rental (if you don't have your own) .... so you can take your time and ensure you are comfortable. There is a nice protected area where you would normally enter the water near the rental building and you can (should) spend as much time here as you need to get the feel of things b4 venturing farther out. But it is all on YOUR schedule, no tour guide to keep up with.

 

Relax and try to enjoy it .... and the hints about practice b4 the trip are spot on as well . . .

[OrcaGirl]

I'm still not 100% comfortable when snorkelling (I'm not a strong swimmer), but like the others have said, practice really does help. After our first few snorkel experiences, I bought my own snorkel mask, and took it to the pool at home a few times to get the hang of breathing through it. When out in 'the wild blue', I focus on slow, deep breaths.

 

Even if the snorkel tours provide the equipment, I like bringing my own mask because I know how it fits.

 

As well, I think the snorkelling site itself makes a huge difference in whether you enjoy the experience or not. The snorkelling around Cancun and Playa del Carmen was pretty ho-hum for me, and didn't seem worth the anxiety. But then we went snorkelling in Barbados and the experience of having a gorgeous sea turtle surface right beside me was so cool.

[grandmkmk]

I would freak out and hyperventilate, until a nursing friend advised me to think about my breathing in relation to breathing on a ventilator: you have to take deep, slow breaths. It's also calming, like 'Lamaze' breathing! My teenage daughter would hold my hand as we snorkelled until I felt confident to let go also. Good Luck!