USVI-On-Line

I think the point that is comming across is that if you have never done it before and are unsure, error on the side of caution. Take a floation device with and hope you don't need it

XOXO
Bug

I've weighed in on this before. First trip and 1st time around Waterlemon got a bad cramp in my foot working against those currents. Not fun.
For next trips got and used one of these belts water skiers use:

Also got a foot cramp again but with the belt, just able to lean back, took the fin off, and worked the cramp out without struggling to tread water at same time. Glad I had it in Anegada in June also. Helped deal with some strong rip tide action there during full moon.
I believe others have indicated similar kind of belt can be rented on STJ for the day you do Waterlemon because if you can swim, you really dont need it anywhere else on STJ, unless you go out pretty far and long and you just want a little extra insurance against cramping and fatigue.

My son used a belt like the one above and he had no problem at all. He is not a great swimmer and he was 11 years old at the time.

jmq--

I have a couple of questions about belts. Do you get used to it fairly quickly or are you always kind of aware of having it on? Does it really keep you afloat to the extent that you can't dive down even if you want to? Does it tend to hold you upright in the water or can you float on your back easily?

I'm trying to imagine what it would be like with a flotation device atound my waist rather than a vest. So these are often called waterskiiers belts?

We are the people who tend to use noodles to snorkel with. Our group likes to buy a couple at Chelsea Drug to have for the week. Then, whoever heads out to snorkel, takes them. My husband and I have often snorkeled without any flotation, he did Waterlemon without, but I took a noodle for that one the first time. I know that weird stuff can happen to even the healthiest, young person so I like the insurance policy of having a flotation device, but don't want the belt around me. We then just leave the noodles at the villa.

Something else to keep in mind.....make sure there are others around just in case you run into a problem. My husband and I snorkeled around the cay one day in October and there wasn't a soul in sight. It only scared me after the fact when I wondered what we would have done if we had run into trouble. As far as I knew, no one was even within shouting distance. Just my two cents.

Jamestown

Here's more advice. Before you start your swim to Waterlemon Cay, find someone coming back from the Cay and ask them how the currents are. They can vary quite a bit.

jmq wrote:I've weighed in on this before. First trip and 1st time around Waterlemon got a bad cramp in my foot working against those currents. Not fun.
For next trips got and used one of these belts water skiers use:

Also got a foot cramp again but with the belt, just able to lean back, took the fin off, and worked the cramp out without struggling to tread water at same time. Glad I had it in Anegada in June also. Helped deal with some strong rip tide action there during full moon.
I believe others have indicated similar kind of belt can be rented on STJ for the day you do Waterlemon because if you can swim, you really dont need it anywhere else on STJ, unless you go out pretty far and long and you just want a little extra insurance against cramping and fatigue.

One of the worse things that can happen to you if you don't have anykind of flotation device is a cramp in your foot.

I got cramps in both my feet last May, had a jacket on, was only in 6 feet of water and almost drowned. My jacket kept riding up, I took in water, couldn't get my fins off and started to panic. I could see my husband on the beach, but couldn't yell and I thought I wouldn't make it.

Another woman saw me in trouble, yelled to my husband and he came and got me. I learned my lesson quick.

Don't snorkel by yourself, get a vest that fits you and don't panic. It really can be scarey.

Lex wrote:jmq--

I have a couple of questions about belts. Do you get used to it fairly quickly or are you always kind of aware of having it on? Does it really keep you afloat to the extent that you can't dive down even if you want to? Does it tend to hold you upright in the water or can you float on your back easily?

I'm trying to imagine what it would be like with a flotation device atound my waist rather than a vest. So these are often called waterskiiers belts?

Lex - Got used to it pretty quickly.

Can't dive down with it on. I cant dive down well without one on anyway so not a dealbreaker for me. I would actually like to try a weight belt, but only in a place like Pelican Rock where swim out not that long and lotsa critter likely nooks and crannies to explore.

Never tried floating on my back (??) Very easy to shift between float/snorkel face down or hanging out upright with very little effort to tread water and deal with a fogged mask etc.

Think primary use/design is for waterskiers.

My feet sometimes cramp up too, usually if I have been out for a extended time--and it especially happens towards the end of a long trip. Luckily it's not happened to both feet at once! That would be scary! When it happens, I just take the fin off and massage it out while slowly treading water with the other foot/fin. While working out the cramp I always keep my mask and snorkle on and put my face under the water so I am able to breathe steadily and not worry about swallowing any water.

I've also flipped onto my back and floated and had John work out the cramp while he treads water. His feet never cramp up for some reason. I wonder if I am wearing the wrong size of fins?

Back to Waterlemon, Teddy is right about asking people. We usually do, to find out which way to go around the cay, but last time we did not encounter anyone as we were walking to the snorkel site (it was early). I know I told every person I ran into about the current as we were leaving!

I bought these travel fins before our last trip and love them. I almost always get foot cramps while snorkeling. But, with these I didn't get one. They are very soft compared to the big black fins that you rent at most dive shops. They are also smaller, lighter, and much easier to pack.




I bought mine from Nat Geo, but you can find them other places like Amazon, too.

http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/jump ... change=126

Have the same ones. Bought them before our last trip.

They're great for packing and actually very comfortable.

John and I used to have those, but I got cramps using them too, plus I disliked not having as much power as you get from the longer fins. We ended up giving them to a staff member at Caneel when we left. They said they knew some kids that would use them.

Last trip we used the US divers full length fins. They were OK.

I'm still on a quest for the perfect fins.

I have a very large fear factor. I wear a snorkle vest. It goes over your head and straps around your waist. I wear it deflated most of the time.But when the fear factor kicks in, it has a valve that sits close to your mouth and you can inflate it. Its a great confidence builder for me. I have also used noodles and ski belts, but they are much bulkier to pack. This folds up very small for packing. Plus, if you want to dive down you can if you just deflate it. Inflation and deflation is easily done while in the water wearing it.

Asking others what the conditions are is a very good idea.

I also learned on a day trip that you should keep an eye on the sea fans and other soft coral to assess the current. I often find it hard to feel the current when I'm moving through the water any way, but if you look at the fans and they're swaying gently - you're good to go. If they look more like a flag in strong wind - the current is up and you should be very careful. If you find yourself being pulled/pushed by a current and can't just turn around and go back, try to swim as perpendicular to it as possible and still reach safe land (think: you can't outrun an avalanche, but if you go perpendicular you might be able to get out of it).

Cardinal rule: If you get in trouble or scared, DO NOT take your snorkel out of your mouth or your mask off your face. Just leave it alone. You don't need to be thinking about losing it, putting it back on or taking on water in addition to whatever else is going on. Just leave it alone and concentrate on the problem.

I sometimes get foot cramps too. I like the Force Fins, shorter (good for packing), lighter and flexible. One thing you can do, depending on the cramp of course, is keep your fin on and pull the tip toward your knee to stretch the cramp out, hold it there until you feel relief and release slowly to see if it's gone. This technique leaves 1 leg and 1 arm available for treading water or a little side-stroke-gimpy-swim if needed.