USVI-On-Line

Good morning! I

We will be first time visitors in May. Being from "way up north" and never taking an island vacation, snorkeling is new to me, but I am excited to try and after reading trip reports and travel books, can't imagine going to St. John and NOT trying. My father (who has been scuba certified and done it all) has given me a few simple lessons at home this summer.

Because we are only able to stay six days, I am hesitant to give one up for snorkel lessons, but wondered what the opinions were about the importance of taking a lesson vs. just heading out with people in our group who have snorkeled in the past.

If I were to take a lesson, does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks!

I would go to an easy snorkel spot like Maho beach and just snorkel around in a couple feet of water and go from there. Shouldn't have any trouble, I would skip the lesson.

I would agree with Dave and skip the lesson and find a nice calm place to give it a try. I will suggest Trunk though, there are lifeguards and a snorkel trail. The trail is kind of simple but it does give you an idea of what to look for. It is really very easy. The most difficult thing about it is keeping an eye on your surroundings and not ending up in trouble (hard to do usually) or ending up damaging the reef or coral (easily done if not paying attention)

Your right about coming to StJ and not snorkeling. It would be a shame.

Ericka: It can be helpful to try on your gear and get a feel for breathing through a snorkel in a controlled environment, such as a pool. If you are bringing snorkel gear with you, give them a try in a pool back home; if you are renting gear on island, there is a good chance that your villa or hotel has a pool. Most people pick it up very quickly, although we did have a friend last year who couldn't get comfortable breathing through a snorkel. Since you are likely to want to snorkel in water that is over your head, a snorkel vest will provide buoyancy, and ease any initial concerns about staying on the surface with your snorkel well above water. Make sure that your snorkel is angled back properly, and not grazing the water in front of you when you are facing downward. Start out in gentle, protected bays such as Maho or Francis, or the underwater trail at Trunk. With just a few of these simple pointers, you are bound to have a great time snorkeling!

All the best,

Kevin

Snorkeling is pretty easy to pick up on your own, but it can be helpful to have some tips and guidance. I think Eagle Ray Lover (on this very forum) has talked about giving private snorkeling lessons. Try messaging her.

If you can afford a snorkel boat trip, I heartily recommend Cap'n Phil of the Wayward Sailor. He gives a little talk on how to clean and fit your mask, takes you to a beautiful snorkeling spot, and then hops in the water with you and shows you around.

If you're renting equipment from a local shop, tell them you're a newbie and get as much instruction as possible on how to put on the mask, etc. Be sure to buy some anti-fog gel - it really does work! And be sure to scrub your mask thoroughly with dish soap or cleanser after each use before putting on the anti-fog stuff. That's the single most important factor in keeping your mask clear (learned that from Capn Phil).

Here are great websites with tips for beginners, dangers to avoid, and lots of pictures for identification of what you will see.

http://www.snorkelstj.com/index.html
http://www.stjohnbeachguide.com/Snorkeling%20101.htm

My tips -- don't put your fins on and try to walk across the sand to the water. Sit in shallow water, put on your fins and mask, and then just swim away.

Be sure to put sunscreen on, and don't forget to put it on your bum and backs of your legs. Remember your swimsuit is apt to ride up while swimming. Nothing worse than a sunburned bottom especially on the long plane ride home.

If you are going with folks who have snorkeled before, I'm sure they can teach you the ropes.

These tips are wonderful! Thanks to all of you. I am going to do my best to remember them all and just relax and take baby steps with it. Hopefully it will be the just the beginning for me.

I am happy to go out with you one day when you are here. We are pretty good snorkel era and have good tips for newbies. PM me
If interested!

It is pretty easy to get the hang of it, but if you can do any snorkeling back home to get more comfortable with it, that will help quite a bit. When we went to St. John several years ago, my wife had never snorkeled prior to our arrival, and she struggled quite a bit, especially those first few times out. After struggling for a couple of times, she decided she "did not like snorkeling very much." I really believe that if she had gone in a controlled environment back home before we left, it would have helped quite a bit. I took a group of Boy Scouts to the Florida Keys a few years ago, and one of their lessons learned was that they should have had a few practice sessions before going down there. Then another group of ours went to the keys 2 years ago, and they did practice before going and that group did much better. You will enjoy it much more if you are comfortable and relaxed, and the best way to do that is in a pool (or a clear local lake if you can find one before it gets too cold.) If it is shallow enough to stand when you are first doing your practicing it will go even better.

Joe

My husband and I rented snorkel gear and hiked to Honeymoon Beach for our first snorkel. We got the hang of it in the first 5 minutes and the snorkeling there was fantastic. If you've had prior practice in the pool, you're good to go. Pick a known easy spot for your first try and enjoy!

I can also highly endorse a trip with Captain Phil on the Wayward Sailor. He does half day as well as full day trips and is excellent with beginners.

Pam Gaffin's book "Feet, Fins and Four Wheel Drive" has good beginner snorkel instructions and you will probably want a copy of the book anyway! She also does a "Snorkel 101" at Maho I believe (http://www.pamgaffin.com/). Have fun!

I'm not giving lessons. I just see people from the forum
And other places who think they know how to snorkel and then tell me they don't see anything and I go out with them and I understand why. The first thing is
You should be horizontal - if your treading water, you are not snorkeling. Also it's not a race. I see people going so fast that they miss the fun stuff. The other reason I offered is because we know our reef identification quite well and can tell you what things are and whether they are a danger to you.

I snorkeled around in our public pool a couple of times before our first trip, and I'd say that it gave me confidence in my ability to relax and trust the snorkel for breathing. I wasn't very comfortable in the water, though! I am not a strong swimmer. What I didn't understand was the advantage that salt water bouyancy would give me. Once I realized that I float like a CORK in salt water, and that it was virtually impossible to sink, snorkeling became my all-time very favorite activity.
That's my experience. I liken the difficulty of snorkeling to the difficulty of lying face down on your sofa with your mask and snorkel on! I'll bet if you start as folks have recommended - in a calm bay like Maho - you'll find a new love of the ocean. I wouldn't pass on the opportunity to meet Leslie, though. She seems like truly good people

I have taught many people to snorkel over the years. One day I was teaching a woman who was having some trouble with breating through the snorkel. A young boy came by and said, "Hey mister, just tell her to breath like DathVader".
She did and that worked for her.

I am going to be practicing in the pool tomorrow, but I am sure it will be the last time before the pool gets closed for the long, long Maine winter. on the bright side, that gives me plenty of time to read and check out some dive shops for gear that fits properly. I will be getting it before I go because I want to be certain it fits and I believe in positive thinking! I'll have to practice my darth vader breathing, too.

It is just says so much about St. John being more than simply a travel destination when you have a forum where everyone is so helpful and even willing as EagleRay to meet people to help them get the most out of there time on island! Thanks!