Want to snorkel but can't really swim

[cns]

I would love to try snorkeling, but here's the problem: I PANIC in water that's too deep for me to touch the bottom and still have my head above water. Also, I've never been able to tread water effectively (probably b/c I'm panicking? :rolleyes: )

Anyway, is it possible to snorkel in shallow water? We're going on an NCL cruise and I was thinking of doing the snorkel excursion at Great Stirrup Cay, but it says a requirement is that you can swim. Couldn't I just wear one of those inflatable snorkel vests?

I really, really appreciate any help you could give!

Thanks,

Stacy

[jo44]

I totally understand your fear. I also am afraid of water. I don't even get my face wet in the shower! I am happy to say that I can snorkel like a fish...with my own snorkel and mask. I got them from a dive shop that fit my face and then I practiced in our pool, which we got so that I would be able to snorkel on our first cruise.

 

You need to practice somewhere before you go. I wear water shoes. The fins freak me out still. I just bought a snorkel vest because I can't tread water either. I panic with my face wet, then I put on the snorkel stuff and I can lay on the water without hardly moving. I love it.

 

I do have to say that I paniced on our first cruise because I had never had on fins, the equipment was the JUNK that they provide on the tours, and be prepared that with the combo of fins and vest, it is intended to lay you in the water. That is why it si so important that you have your own equipment.

 

I hope you try it and love it as much as I do. Best to you!

 

Jo

[cns]

Jo,

Thank you very much for your reply! :) I was afraid someone might say "duh, if you can't swim, then WHY would you want to snorkel?!?" I'll look into getting my own equipment. At least it's not as expensive as SCUBA!

[jo44]

Just to let you know:

I am getting small fins with straps on the heels because of reading posts warning of open water and the need to get back in quickly. I am also getting boots to go in the fins. I am so glad to have this forum!

 

Also on our second cruise my mask leaked because I had it tightened too much. Live and learn OR read forums!!!

 

Have fun, Jo

[Jacqueline]

For this to work, you should get into a pool and practice. If you panic in the water, it won't be too enjoyable.

Snorkeling is very very easy. My husband can't swim and does not like the water in general but he can snorkel.

It is really about floating in the water. you don't need to use your arms at all and just the very gentlest finning. It's not about going anywhere. You will be very boyant in salt water. you can't help but to float !

It's a state of mind- and if you get a mask that fits well and you can be comfortable with your face in the water- that is all there is to it.

[cns]

Good idea, thank you! I think I will try it.

[WECRUSIN]

Thanks so much for the info about snorkeling. I'm not much of a swimmer either - I don't even float, but I'm going to go to the dive shop before our cruise to Bermuda to get my own snorkeling gear. As much as I'm not real sure about being in water over my head, I don't want to miss this chance of a lifetime. Thanks again for the great info. :) Cindy

[Bassethound]

Remember that where you are snorkeling you will be in salt water so you will naturally be buoyant. With a proper fitting mask you should have no problem. I would also suggest that you purchase a "dry snorkel", any reasonable dive shop will have one and they protect water from accidentally entering your snorkel, thus one less worry.

[Geoshar]

Number 1! Please get a snorkel vest! :) They are so great, and you can float face down as you should or just bob in the water..see the sights, clear your mask or just rest.

 

I have snorkeled for 40 years..and now using one.

(I didn't say I was old..I am saying I am lazy..and older;) )

Love my vest!:D

[vacation fool]

I am so glad to have seen this thread. Want to swim/snorkel with the sea lions in Curacao and although i can swim-not experienced with snorkeling. I thought i would buy a mask and practice in my pool. Am happy to hear the suggestion of wearing water shoes as the thought of the fins creeps me out as well and am happy to hear about the vest. Other than expensive dive shops where would you suggest buying a vest? Outdoor World is near us-is that a good place? Thanks:D

[Geoshar]

Oh dear! Fins will be your best friend. I do hope you will reconsider that?

Water shoes will just weigh you down.

Fins make "floating and swimming in the sea" a piece of cake, and I would never enter the ocean without them.

(There are currents as well in some locations that could cause a problem without fins..)

 

Any dive shop will have vests.There is a very good discussion on snorkel vests on this board if you go back a few pages.:)

[Bassethound]

You won't go very far without fins and, if the others have them, you won't b e able to keep up.

[scubaran]

Hi,

 

Please, please check out snorkeling in a pool before you get into the ocean. As a rescue diver I've been trained to help people in distress in the water and it's not only unsafe for you, but unsafe for a potential rescuer if you had any problems. When people panic in the water their first instinct is to get their head above water and a rescuer makes for a great bouyancy device. But that usually requires you to push them under the water, not a good thing. By having all the proper equipment (including fins (imagine how a fish would swim without fins, you won't fair better)) and practice, you can then make a judgement call. Also make sure you're not shy and remind any life guards, or shorkel masters on a boat, that you don't swim. They'll make an extra effort to help you and will keep a tigher eye on your activities. Also remember that salt water is more bouyant, so if you can float in a fresh water pool, there should be no problems floating on the ocean. My son started snorkeling at 10 and he was not a swimmer at the time, but once he got in he was cruising around so quick I had a hard time keeping up. :)

 

Randall

 

p.s. dive shops do "pool work" all the time. Look up your local one and see if they offer snorkeling classes or will allow you to go to the pool while they're there and give you helpful hints and help.

[Nebr.cruiser]

To the OP: There are some places where you can snorkel in quite shallow water, but I am unfamiliar with the NCL site you mentioned. Perhaps someone else knows. I'd suspect that if it says you must know how to swim it is in deeper water. Also, some areas have currents that can be a little tricky.

 

Yes, you can definitely use a snorkel vest. Being a good swimmer, I am occasionally very annoyed when they make me wear the vest.

 

All snorkel tours that I have been on in the last few years have vests; this used to not be the case.

 

Do try it first in a pool; if you are going to panic you need to find out ahead of time. Having your own equipment that fits you is a plus as well. You can snorkel without fins, but it is harder. Why does the thought of fins bother you?

 

Snorkeling is wonderful; with a little practice you should do fine.

[vermonter16]

I panic in deep water as well. Completely hyperventilate. I got a snorkel vest and now DH can't get me out of the water! I first tried snorkeling on a cruise and wound up panicking on the first excursion and couldn't do it. On the next island DH went out and I saw on the shore practicing putting my face in the water and after about an hour I was doing great with it. Then I went out to the reef and did ok but was still uncomfortable until I got a vest for the next trip. Now, I want to snorkel all of the time. I tried the vest the first time on a snorkel in the Bahamas - DH gets off the boat and says 'c'mon' and I say, hang on, this vest better darn well work :) and it did...and the rest is history!

[Sansouci]

Yes, you can definitely use a snorkel vest. Being a good swimmer, I am occasionally very annoyed when they make me wear the vest.

 

All snorkel tours that I have been on in the last few years have vests; this used to not be the case.

 

Snorkeling is wonderful; with a little practice you should do fine.

 

Yep, I've noticed recently too, that (with the exception of Hawaii) the vest is rarely optional -- especially in the Caribbean. I'm a strong swimmer and would rather not wear one. Liability issues perhaps?

 

To all those nervous first time snorkelers: I know that this is easier said than done, but the key to good snorkeling is just to RELAX! And as Nebr.cruiser suggests, it does get better with practice. Enjoy!

[Madkitty]

I have the same problem but mine is due to the fact that ever since I tore the ligaments in my ankle I get extreme cramp when treading water which has completely put me off swimming in deep water. Can you snorkle successfully with a life vest on?

[scubaran]

Can you snorkle successfully with a life vest on?

 

It's difficult in a typical life vest carried by boats. They are build to keep your head "above" water when you want you face "in" the water. Most folks, if they get their own, go for snorkel vests. They're chambered to keep you floating on your stomach "face in the water" or on your back "face out of the water". They're typically inflatable, since you may want to empty them to dive down to see something with an easy inflate for when you come back up on the surface. There are some filled snorkel vests. While these eliminate the risk of the vest failing to inflate, they also don't let you dive down.

 

Hope this helped,

Randall

[Cruisin Oma]

You will need to practice. I am a fish in water and love to swim and snorkel. But I had a panic attack when I tried diving in Hawaii. Having a panic attack in the open ocean is not the place to have it.

 

My panic attack was due to the equipment and the weight of it. Obviously you won't have that problem with snorkeling.

[Madkitty]

so do they tend to have snorkel vests on the excursions?

[scubaran]

so do they tend to have snorkel vests on the excursions?

 

Can't say definitively but, yes most excursions actually require you to wear snorkel vests, even if you don't want one. :) I float very well without one and love to "duck dive" down to the reef for up close pictures.

 

Randall

[Sansouci]

so do they tend to have snorkel vests on the excursions?

 

I'm certainly no expert, but I absolutely love snorkeling and have done a fair amount. Every snorkeling excursion I've been on recently has had snorkel vests (as opposed to the typical life vests) on board. I cruised PoA in Hawaii in May/June and went on several snorkeling excursions during which the vest was optional. Since I'm practically unsinkable and am much more comfortable without one (let's just say my vest is "built in" ;)), I declined. They also had flotation noodles available for those who wanted them too! Then in July, I took a Carnival cruise to the Western Caribbean and snorkeled at every port. All of these had snorkel vests on board and it was mandatory that we wear them. Don't know if this is the same throughout the Caribbean, but that was MY experience. Hope this helps!

 

P.S. I certainly hope that we don't get to the letter "R" this hurricane season!:eek: --Nervous in Florida

[simonv]

so do they tend to have snorkel vests on the excursions?

Yes. Many of them require you to wear one. Their insurance requirement I suppose.

[Sansouci]

I have the same problem but mine is due to the fact that ever since I tore the ligaments in my ankle I get extreme cramp when treading water which has completely put me off swimming in deep water. Can you snorkle successfully with a life vest on?

 

Snorkeling is really all about floating in the water, face down and sometimes "duck diving," for those who like to go under. I think if you have powerful arm strokes, you can use your arms to propel yourself through the water to get where you need to go. I seem to use my feet (with fins) only when I need more power to get out of a current or to get back to the boat quickly. Not usually too much treading involved except when I'm clearing my mask.

 

P.S. Let's hope for no Rebeka this hurrican season, shall we? --Nervous in FL:eek:

[c_renee]

I was pretty nervous about snorkeling the first time. It was off the beach so I could touch ground the whole time, and I was still freaking out.

 

That was until I saw my first fish. I was so excited; I popped my head out of the water and yelled “FISH!!!” A couple people even came over to see what I was so excited about. Of course, it was just a regular old fish, and DH was laughing his head off.

 

After that I was hooked. That first tiny moment when I put my face in still makes me a little nervous, but I just force myself to breathe slowly.

 

Also, the vest and fins make a HUGE difference.