for a beginner, self-guided versus guided snorkeling

[SashaS]

hi there,

I am about to go on my first snorkeling vacation, and I'm trying to decide whether to do self-guided snorkeling, snorkeling with a group, or a mix of the two.

Since I am new to this sport, I'm just wondering, does a guide really bring a lot to the experience? That is, do they really help you notice things and steer you toward interesting marine life? Or is the role of the guide more one of physically getting you from place to place and making sure you know how to use the equipment? I did take a class, so I feel pretty comfortable with my gear.

Just wondering if anyone has general advice on this.

thanks so much,
Sasha.

 

[Testudo]

Advice on would vary on where are you planning on snorkeling.

Your first couple times actually snorkeling will be pretty much be getting you acclimated to what it is like to actually use your gear in real world conditions (waves, currents, leaking mask, swallowing water, etc...) and how to react to those conditions. Once you have a comfort level on your abilities and with the given conditions is when the real fun begins.

I've never really much been one for enjoying a typical guided snorkel. While a snorkel tour will usually bring you to a good area, ideally you'd like to practice snorkeling from shore prior to heading out on a boat. In my experience most guides are more like a chaperon, following-the-leader from point A to point B. While a guide can point out some marine life you may have missed otherwise, I found the added effort of trying to follow/keep up with a guide to distract from the enjoyment of the overall experience.

That stated, snorkeling with a group can provide some sense of reassurance for a beginner snorkeler. Also, having well trained guides in the vicinity is definitely a plus if you need assistance should something go wrong. Usually the bigger the group the less useful I find a guide to be. When I go on a tour nowadays, I just head of and do my own thing until it is time to head back to the boat.

 

[danvolker]

hi there,

I am about to go on my first snorkeling vacation, and I'm trying to decide whether to do self-guided snorkeling, snorkeling with a group, or a mix of the two.

Since I am new to this sport, I'm just wondering, does a guide really bring a lot to the experience? That is, do they really help you notice things and steer you toward interesting marine life? Or is the role of the guide more one of physically getting you from place to place and making sure you know how to use the equipment? I did take a class, so I feel pretty comfortable with my gear.

Just wondering if anyone has general advice on this.

thanks so much,
Sasha.

Hi Sasha,
Best advice I can give is for you to "make time" now, to practice snorkeling in a pool prior to your trip....get the kicking part down and efficient, and get the breathing and purging down with the snorkel....while you are doing this, if you find you have a mask that leaks at all, this MUST be dealt with ASAP, meaning you need a different mask...Also, the new masks tend to fog a lot, and you will want this fixed prior to your trip..you will find this out in the pool as well....Scrubbing will sometimes help, but many of the silicone masks actually need to have a bic lighter burn the silicone overspray off the inner glass of the mask. [ You need your own mask..Do not rent one]

And then there is bouyancy....in the pool, figure out if you will be doing drops to 10 feet or more...and if you are extremely bouyant in the pool, you will be too bouyant in the ocean as well. Determine if you need a weight belt..if you do, get one for freediving, they are elastic, so the belt allows easy breathing, even if on tight enough not to fall off. If you perfect bouyancy in the pool, you will need to perfect again in ocean, but this should be easier if you already have a base point ...


Regards,
DanV

 

[Dave C]

Snorkeling with a group will usually not gain you much, except for transportation by boat to a spot you cannot access from shore. Most snorkeling tours consist of taking large numbers of tourists out on a boat, providing them with some cheap gear, and then dumping them in the water. There really won't be much if any personal attention on these tours, and they will be crowded and expensive. Most people who go on these types of trips are not that serious about snorkeling; it's just a fun activity they do once on a vacation. However, going on a boat tour can transport you to places that have better reefs and clearer water than those that are accessed off the beach. As Testudo mentioned, going on a tour might also be helpful if you are scared of the water.

As you might suspect, going on a boat tour can be worthwhile if you went with a very small group of 4-8 people. I've done these a couple of times in Belize, and they were quite memorable. If you are truly going on a "snorkeling vacation" instead of just going snorkeling once or twice on a vacation, you will probably want to spend most of your time snorkeling off-the-beach on your own. This is the real advantage of snorkeling vs. scuba diving; snorkeling gives you have the freedom of going at your own pace off the beach vs. scuba diving's regimented dives off a boat. Snorkeling is pretty easy to pick up on your own, especially if you are decent swimmer and are already comfortable in the water. The recommendation to buy your own mask beforehand is a good one.

 

[SashaS]

Thank you very much to all who have replied! This is exactly the sort of guidance I was looking for.

To answer one of the questions raised, I am going to St. Lucia, which is known for having good snorkeling conditions right off the beach. The downside is that getting from one beach to the other can be cumbersome given the island roads, which are full of hairpin turns, etc. I've done a lot of reading on the bus system, which sounds like it is not exactly up to Swiss scheduling standards, but can serve you well enough if you know what to expect. I've pretty much decided I want to take my chances on the bus and be self-guided -- my only concern is that St. Lucia is recovering from a hurricane and I'm not sure how badly some of the roads might have been affected.

I do have my own mask, snorkel, fins, etc., and I bought a vest as well -- I'm not sure I'll use it, but at least I'll have it if I want it. I did take a class and have practiced.

When I practiced, I find myself quite buoyant -- more so than I was expecting. Diving down was a bit difficult. That is interesting advice about the weight belt. I hadn't really thought of that as an option. I probably could also work on my diving technique.

 

[WonderlustOji]

If I ever come up from a dive before the rest of the group, I like to leave my weight belt on when I snorkel. I only put on 2-4 lbs, but it really helps when I want to dive down. Obviously you wouldn't want to wear the vest if you're planning on doing any free diving.

I think the bus ride would be good adventuring. After doing extensive bus travel in Central America, I must say you'll need to set your scheduling standards aside. You're going to be on an island, so set yourself on island time, and don't get too flustered when you're waiting a few minutes longer in paradise.