Snorkel Bans?

[Walter]

It's an infringement of your freedom. This was once a free country.....

 

[Haiko]

Yeah, people are not aloud to take any risks anymore. And a life without taking any risks (dangerous or not)... well, that really sucks.

But what are the chances that you will be cought while snorkelling on that beach? Will the police chase you into the water and drag you back to shore? I don't think so...
Okay, I'm not American... but I'll guess that anything is possible in the land of the "free"

 

[DrSteve]

LOL HAiko! As someone who grew up swimming in the North Sea, often in some very rough conditions I really find it funny there are so many life guards on US beaches. But then I realised that most American's don't live near the beach and most don't have any experience swimming in the sea, or even a pool. Hell I'm a strong and fit swimmer, but I notice a huge difference swimming in the sea, than in the lap pool with my speedos and goggles on. Nothing I can't handle though

 

[chip104]

As far as my problem with the local lifegaurds I solve it by merely not swimming and sitting far enough from the gaurd chairs so that I do not have to listen to thier inane chatter. Unfortunately in my mind the lack of professionalism and age directly linked.

Really sorry to hear about the irresponsibility of your town beach lifeguards. They shouldn't be able to get away with that. Is it a crowded beach that is frequented alot?

Be a little tolerable about the age - a lot of my lifeguard friends were very mature and professional plus made lifesaving rescues at a ripe young age. The lack of supervision is most likely behind the lack of profesisonalism. Isn't there a supervisor you could bring this to? You should call them out on their behavior.

 

[Captain CaveMan]

take you digital camer and tke pics of the life guards talking to there freinds instead of watching the swimmers and take it up to the life guards black mail them about not doing there jobs and demand that you can snarkel.
get them were it hurts

 

[Gidds]

I was young not so long ago so I really cannot give younger people a break because I know first-hand what snots they are/can be and due to the carte blanche contemporary society has given young people (both minors and adults) in regard to not accepting personal responsibility. I hold myself to a higher standard and will hold them to it as well.
That aside from what I have been able to observe the head lifegaurd is the one who has leopard spots tattooed on her scalp While I am all for personal expression I am biased enough to support the present conservative ideas regarding professionalism i.e. I don't think talking to her would do a bit of good. I feel that it's kind of unfortunate because our beach small but heavily frequented mostly by families with small children. Fortunately there have been no accidents there while I've lived here that I know of.

 

[freediver]

I was young not so long ago so I really cannot give younger people a break because I know first-hand what snots they are/can be and due to the carte blanche contemporary society has given young people (both minors and adults) in regard to not accepting personal responsibility. I hold myself to a higher standard and will hold them to it as well.
That aside from what I have been able to observe the head lifegaurd is the one who has leopard spots tattooed on her scalp While I am all for personal expression I am biased enough to support the present conservative ideas regarding professionalism i.e. I don't think talking to her would do a bit of good. I feel that it's kind of unfortunate because our beach small but heavily frequented mostly by families with small children. Fortunately there have been no accidents there while I've lived here that I know of.

Stand where you can be seen and with pad and pen in hand, tell them you are simply doing your routine evaluation and then ask for their names. Explain you will be back the next day with an "administrator". Actually, as an instructor I DO routine evaluations but have used this in other locales. Works well and the word spreads pretty quickly.

 

[chip104]

I was young not so long ago so I really cannot give younger people a break because I know first-hand what snots they are/can be and due to the carte blanche contemporary society has given young people (both minors and adults) in regard to not accepting personal responsibility. I hold myself to a higher standard and will hold them to it as well.
That aside from what I have been able to observe the head lifegaurd is the one who has leopard spots tattooed on her scalp While I am all for personal expression I am biased enough to support the present conservative ideas regarding professionalism i.e. I don't think talking to her would do a bit of good. I feel that it's kind of unfortunate because our beach small but heavily frequented mostly by families with small children. Fortunately there have been no accidents there while I've lived here that I know of.

I'm not asking you to give them a break. Yes, I agree you should hold them to a high standard especially since they are lifeguards. It's just such a dang shame that your municiple lifeguards think they can get away with doing what they're doing.

You should still try talk to tattoo girl. Or if you're not comfortable, I'm sure someone higher will listen. Sorry for pushing it. The professionalism of the lifeguards at my old pool really deteriorated and last year it reached an all time low when a 7 year old drowned. It's an experience like this that is the eye-opener for unprofessional lifeguards and it would be a shame should something similar happened to your beach (knocking on wood). In this case, you could tell the spiral began from poor supervision.

Anyway, sorry for throwing it way off topic of a snorkelling ban. I find a lot of young lifeguards are ready to enforce the rules but don't know the basis behind it which can really upset patrons who ask for a proper explanation. What if you say that you're "practicing rescue diving/snorkelling techniques"? Maybe they'll be a little lenient on that.

And if talking doesn't work, maybe blackmail will. heheheh

 

[fishoutawater]

I've never heard of such a thing!
I'm sorry, but I've been swimming and snorkeling since I was ten years old. I'm 46 now, and can still swim (without fins), across the Mississippi river and back. I may end up a little farther downstream than I used to, but I can still do it, no problemo. I'll be damned if some little X-Box kid is going to tell me I can't use whatever equipment I want in a natural body of water.
I'd tell him to come on out and take them from me. We'll see who ends up rescuing who.
Walter is absolutely right. This USED to be a free country.
I never thought the phrase "Molon Labe" would apply to my snorkeling gear.

 

[spectrum]

I like to try to practice my snorkelling as much as possible but I've noticed that most of the municiple beaches nearest my house prohibit use of full-face masks, snorkels, and fins. This isn't really a problem since there are plenty of places for me to snorkel but I was wondering why they enact such bans? Is it due to a fear that such equipment will lead to dangerous behavior by novice or poor swimmers?
That's the only logical reason I could think of.

Maine State Parks with surf beaches also prohibit floats, rafts, masks snorkels and such. It was explained to me that too often they were childrens toys and would get caugt in the wind and current and either get lost at sea or the uses would all too soon get carried away needing rescue.

Those like us who wish to enjoy a serious skin-dive are caught in the middle. Most will issue a free scuba diving permit to certified divers. I have not tried getting one of those in order to skin-dive. That may be worth a try. Prior to this year I wasn't certified so it was moot.

Fortunately I have not had this problem at any municipal beaches however quite a few of them are restricted to "town residents only" by day in the summertime when the life guards are on duty so I have not experienced all of the rules. I live one town from the coast. Effective Tuesday, right after Labor day it's any beach anytime, Yipee.

Pete