River snorkeling

[terallan]

Hi there, been doing your river snorkelling in the cold waters around the UK for about 15 yrs. Nothing I like better than working my way up a river, but I call this activity 'sniping' and what you're looking for as a bonus at the end of a long swim in a river is a piece of gold from the bedrock!

The gold is a bonus, but like you say, the thrill of the rapids and fighting the current, fish, bedrock geology, all great fun and all with basic gear.

Thumbs up for river snorkelling and a wee bit of gold if you can find it

 

[Longshot270]

I primarily snorkel in the rivers around here because all my gear fits nicely in my kayak. I also don't have to drive very far when I've got two clear, WARM rivers in my back yard.

 

[Riversnorkel]

In prepration for an upcoming trip to Roatan and Utila I've been dusting off the snorkel gear in the local river. Cool temps and snow were a bit daunting at first, but a thermos of hot water to pour down the wetsuit take the edge off makes things a bit more palatable.

 

[JohnniG]

Isn't the visibility in a river very limited?

 

[Longshot270]

Isn't the visibility in a river very limited?

Usually but it depends on what you consider limited. Factors like bottom sediment quality (mud vs sand), geological features, water speed, water depth, animal traffic, vegetation, and weather conditions like temperature all have factors on water clarity...at least down here they do. The river I usually dive in can have 5 inches of visibility in one spot and then move 100 yds down stream and have 5+ feet. During the winter it gets around 5-10 feet in just the murky areas.
Some rivers like the Frio river can be over 15 feet when there aren't people stirring it up. I know I would go out in the mornings to pick up jewelry and money off the bottom.

 

[heavychevy]

so im in iowa and this thread got me to wondering about trying my rivers. (which are only bout knee-deep right now but hey, its winter!) my question is in the chariton and des moines river there is a pretty strong current when they are @ regular flow and levals. what would you do to keep it from just sucking you down? extra weight so you can crawl to shore @ a down current slant?

 

[agilis]

I usually get to Dominica once or twice each year, and always do some river snorkeling while there. Extremely clear warm water in most rivers, fantastic rock walls that are actually the base of sheer soaring cliffs, gigantic boulders the emergent tops of which have become tiny ecosystems over time, strange currents, fishes, shrimp, aquatic plants, Boas and Iguanas in the huge root systems that break the surface, dark deep pools, stunning scenery, and fast flowing glides that can carry you straight into the sea, which is usually cooler and less clear. The transition zone from fresh to salt can be fascinating. Many marines fishes swim far up into fresh water to hunt and probably to shed some parasites. I've seen large Barracudas more than a hundred yards upstream from the small deltas that wild unchanneled natural rivers constantly form and reform.

I've never seen another snorkeler or swimmer while in Dominica's rivers, and very few people of any kind. Blessed edenic solitude.

 

[Riversnorkel]

HC, looks like you have some good rivers out there. My advice is to start small and avoid rapids until you get the hang of whats going on.
Remember to scout the runs you want to swim for hazards ahead of time. When swimming constantly look ahead, both above and below the water for obstacles,( like barb wire, a tree or an old car)
Take the time to learn your rivers and seek out the local rafting& kayaking community. They won't understand the snorkeling thing, but they do know when a river has a new hazard in the water, or there is a low head dam to avoid.
I would recommend learning in an area that has easy access to a small riffle and a good set of pools. Start small and learn to understand the dynamics of moving water in an area with a safe tail out. You can park and play in one spot, alternately swimming and crawling against the current and drifting back down. Rapids create lots of bubbles, making visibility go to zero, a real great way to get a boulder to the face.
Try and talk one of your friends who is a solid swimmer into your crazy adventures, it's more fun and potentially safer. Not too many divers here swim solo because it's dangerous. In short, awesome stuff, but be careful.
A basic google search for your areas turned up this river resource. Looks like there are conservation and paddling groups active in your area, chances are they would be glad to have a new member and you can glean your new friends experiences for beta.
Paddling Clubs
Here's the link to my videos to get you stoked but remember, there is no PADI, no active community of river snorkelers, nobody telling you that it's stupid, unsafe or totally awesome. It's up to you to keep yourself safe.
Here's my vimeo page to get you stoked, there's a link there to the Facebook community for river snorkeling.
https://vimeo.com/riversnorkel

 

[Kharon]

Isn't the visibility in a river very limited?

Spent 2 weeks in Brattleboro, Vt a while ago. Snorkeled the West River daily for several hours each day. Vis was great - comparable to the Caribbean. Lots of smallmouth bass, some sunfish, some perch, schools of rock bass & minnows, and the ocassional sucker. Rock formations were awsome. The one bummer was I was always picking up junk (cans and bottles mostly).

Surface water was nice and cozy - below about 8 feet it was very soft ice - felt that way, anyway. Much of the water in the West River comes from underground streams. When you hit one you know it. River vis depends on where on the river you are. Once it slows down and gets deep it's usually pretty bad. Where it's faster it's usually much clearer unless just after a rain.

I've been snorkeling for more than 55 years, diving just a few. I love both but I recently got a 27cf steel LP tank (very light and small) to use snorkeling so I can spend some time submerged should I want to.

 

[REVAN]

Check out the snake this guy found in a river in Brazil!

Diver Discovers Giant Anaconda - YouTube