USVI-On-Line

If you're an avid snorkeler, here's a tip I stole from a female snorkeler I passed by out at Blue Cobblestone (if that was you, thanks!)...


If you wear a rashguard shirt (which you should!), tuck it into your bikini bottoms while you're in the water. It looks kind of silly, but it keeps your lower back from burning (my rashguard shirt always floated around and failed to protect my back. Such a simple but obvious solution!

I will definitely do that. Thanks for the tip!

Good Advice. A friend got a nasty one inch swath of burn across her lower back were the rash guard rode up over the bikini bottom

Do rash guards also protect against the cold, by any chance? I know it sounds crazy considering the balmy carribean waters, but I get cold very easily. This prevents me from staying out any longer than 20-30 minutes at a time.

Sasky, I'm usually fine in December, but when I went in early April, I had to quit after 20-30 minutes because I got chilly too. I don't think my regular (thin) rashguard tee helped much with the chill. You might try to find something neoprene/thicker, like this?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009SA4W2/ref ... nkCode=asn

I do the same thing with my tankini top. I don't burn easily so that and sunscreen keep me good for awhile!

sasky wrote:Do rash guards also protect against the cold, by any chance? I know it sounds crazy considering the balmy carribean waters, but I get cold very easily. This prevents me from staying out any longer than 20-30 minutes at a time.

Anita gets cold easily and she typically wears only her suite when snorkeling at STJ. But she will sometimes wears her rash guard for warmth purposes only, such as if we've been snorkeling a lot or if there is a breeze blowing. We'll be out for 1 1/2 hours at a shot. While the rash guard doesn't keep you warm like neoprene, it helps her just enough for the warmer Caribbean waters. She’ll use neoprene in cooler waters such as in the Keys. She wears a tight fitting rash guard shirt which might have different insulating properties then the looser fitting one.

sasky wrote:Do rash guards also protect against the cold, by any chance? I know it sounds crazy considering the balmy carribean waters, but I get cold very easily. This prevents me from staying out any longer than 20-30 minutes at a time.

I used to get cold quickly in the water too even wearing a rashguard and I really wanted to snorkel longer. I now wear a thin neoprene shirt and it makes a great difference. I still get cold eventually but that's after a couple of hours of snorkeling. These are what I got but I'm sure there are plenty of others:

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp? ... &src=champ
http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp? ... 09-To-2608

I always tuck the shirt in the bikini (sasky - if it's the neoprene shirt, by doing so you also keep your body heat inside the shirt). I felt embarrassed doing that but I feel better now. Thanks, lark22 .

I actually wear a wetsuit vest that zips up the front when I snorkel in the winter. It lets me snorkel much longer than I could before.
Sharon

Pickle - I thanks for the link and I am glad to see I am not the only one that gets cold snorkeling!

I have two different rash guard shirts. When I wear the tighter fitting one (looks similar to the one in Pickle's link but with short sleeves and made by Body Glove), I tend to get cold less often. The other one (also the one that tends to ride up) does nothing to keep me warm.

When I get cold, I tend to swim with my arms folded across my chest (keeps the thermometers warmer )

I just wear an old cotton tee shirt. It has lots of holes in it from being worn & rinsed every day but it still works nd it's free.

peace.... bert

I also get very cold snorkeling and I found with the rash guard on that I was still chilly even in July! Does the neoprene provide any sun protection as the ads don't mention that?

Patty,

One time I snorkeled nearly 3 hours wearing my neoprene shirt and had no sunburn problems, except on my lower body, which had been exposed and turned RED.

When I first tried the neoprene on at home, it felt tight around the shoulders and under the arms but not around the belly. I emailed the company about it and they responded saying that was characteristic of the shirt (could fit a little tight around the shoulders), but given a little use, the material would stretch a bit. They thought a lager size would fit too loosely for me. I figured I would just give it a try on St. John, and the shirt worked great. I didn't notice any discomfort around the shoulders while snorkeling. Of course, my focus quickly shifts to the underwater world once I start snorkeling.

My grandson also gets chilly very quickly while snorkeling, and he likes his neoprene wetsuit, short legs and sleeves, to keep warm while visiting his favorite underwater sights. It makes the difference between a fully enjoyable snorkeling experience and having a quick peek at everything and dashing back to the beach. If you are too cold, you also don't get to snorkel as far out. These suits aren't that expensive, and they are well worth it to have a good snorkeling experience.
Kris