Snorkling gear?

[hemlockdj]

First trip south and have a snorkeling excursion planned. Can I assume that they will provide snorkeling gear. We will be in St. Thomas and Nassua.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[CruiserBruce]

Yes, they will provide.

[hemlockdj]

Thanks, that was fast :)

[CruiserBruce]

I will try to be faster next time!:D;)

[kassimer1]

yes they provide the gear but if you ever watch how its cleaned you may want to bring your own snorkle. there are some very nasty bugs out there and you dont want it ruining your cruise. a simple snorkle doesnt cost much espically at this time of year. Or better yet get a dry snorlkle - it has a valve on the end so water doesnt come in the top.

[mamasue]

We also take our own snorkel and mask.....

I really don't want stuff in my mouth that other people have used.... disinfected or not!!!

[klauer]

The "disinfecting" is that everyone dumps their snorkels into a bucket of water with something like Clorox. It is not that expensive and doesn't take up much room in your luggage to bring your own. I also bring my own mask so that I can be sure that I have one that fits my face and has a good seal.

[Colorado Kat]

I usually bring my own mask (prescription) and snorkel. Then I get ones that I know fit well and work well.

[chipmaster]

Yet to be on a snorkeling excursion where they didn't provide gear.

 

IMHO the debate between bring your own and use rental about sanitation I find funny. People have no fear about touching elevator buttons, bathroom doors, using forks or shaking hand, holding handrails, but good snorkel gear rinsed and disinfectected cause people grief. These people are going to be with 3000+ people in close quarters that have just traveled from all over the world ( think Contagion ;) ) and they are worried about their snorkeling gear..

 

The gear I've seen used at on several excursions were good, if I was to buy equal gear for use very other year and have to lug, what a headache. Has always been an easy decision for me. Dip it good in salt water and trust my immune system to do the rest :D

 

 

First trip south and have a snorkeling excursion planned. Can I assume that they will provide snorkeling gear. We will be in St. Thomas and Nassua.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[Colorado Kat]

For me, I've had the gear for years, since we scuba-dive, and the mask is a specialty, prescription mask, so I can see better underwater. I have the fins as well, but I really don't know if I want to carry something so bulky.

 

I'm not booked on any snorkel excursions, so I would have to rent fins where ever I choose to beach snorkel.

[klauer]

Definitely the "ick" factor for me to put a used mouthpiece in -- not really the same as touching an elevator button. I think that it's really exaggerating to talk about "lugging equipment around" when you are talking about a snorkel and mask that weigh a few ounces

and can easily be arranged around the other items in your luggage. Good point about the prescription goggles too -- I wear contacts when I snorkel, but my husband wears glasses and really gets more out of his experience when he can see more clearly.

[rimau]

I do not worry about germs but my snorkel is better than any I have been provided. I always have to take my prescription mask so now I just throw in the snorkel too.

[beachchick]

Yet to be on a snorkeling excursion where they didn't provide gear.

 

IMHO the debate between bring your own and use rental about sanitation I find funny. People have no fear about touching elevator buttons, bathroom doors, using forks or shaking hand, holding handrails, but good snorkel gear rinsed and disinfectected cause people grief. These people are going to be with 3000+ people in close quarters that have just traveled from all over the world ( think Contagion ;) ) and they are worried about their snorkeling gear..

 

The gear I've seen used at on several excursions were good, if I was to buy equal gear for use very other year and have to lug, what a headache. Has always been an easy decision for me. Dip it good in salt water and trust my immune system to do the rest :D

 

I certainly respect your right to not want to buy or bring snorkel equipment. But it really is not at all like touching railings, etc. etc. After I've touched railings, etc. etc., I don't stick my fingers in my mouth (or on my face) and I definitely don't leave them in there! That is precisely what you do with a snorkel. As well, snorkels are made of porous material that is not always easy to sanitize. Not all snorkel operators or rental companies use a good disinfectant solution. Sure, it's a small risk, but I'd rather not worry about it. (As a small note: Even the CDC recommends not using bare hands to open public bathroom doors when leaving. And hand shaking is becoming less frequent as more people realize it's a great way to spread illnesses.)

 

On top of all that, snorkels are not all the same size, same materials, or same style. I like specific ones that fit my small mouth comfortably and that are semi-dry or dry. It's really not a headache for us to "lug" it along with us and we use it often enough that it's more than paid for itself. As for masks, my hubby has a large head and a beard, and I have a small head and need corrective lenses. We know that our gear will be ready, in good shape, and fit perfectly whenever we want it. We even bring our own short power fins. The whole deal fits nicely, along with towels and sunblock, into a single netted snorkel duffel that can be worn as a backpack. It's not the least bit a headache.

 

beachchick

[pickler1]

"The whole deal fits nicely, along with towels and sunblock, into a single netted snorkel duffel that can be worn as a backpack. It's not the least bit a headache."

 

Where did you purchase the netted duffel? We were disappointed that the snorkeling gear that we ordered did not come with a bag. The mesh backpack sounds nice.

[beachchick]

"The whole deal fits nicely, along with towels and sunblock, into a single netted snorkel duffel that can be worn as a backpack. It's not the least bit a headache."

 

Where did you purchase the netted duffel? We were disappointed that the snorkeling gear that we ordered did not come with a bag. The mesh backpack sounds nice.

 

Hi. I'm trying to remember if we bought it through Diver's Direct where we bought most of our gear (in one of the outlets, rather than online), if we bought it in Hawaii the next year when we picked up our new fins, or if we picked it up locally. I just can't recall. It's shaped like a mid-size duffel and can be carried that way, but the straps are long enough and just comfy enough that I can sling it on my back backpack style for reasonably short distances. I don't think I'd love wearing it for a long hike or anything. OTOH, I can't do long hikes anymore, so it's not an issue.

 

If I can remember where the heck we bought it, I'll post here. Sorry about that.

 

beachchick

[Colorado Kat]

Check out your local dive stores to see what they offer. We have one of those netted bags as well, but we've had it so long I do not recall where we got it. It might have been a dive shop bonus when we purchased other things.

[newcruiser123456789]

They will provide it if you are comfortable using it, go for it.

 

We bring our own but we are big snorkelers and use it every year, at least once. So it was worth it to us - it's not that expensive and if you use corrective lenses you will definitely want a prescription mask or else you won't be able to see anything. I am a germophobe so I'd never use a mask/snorkel someone else has worn but to each their own!

[Scotoco]

http://www.scuba.com/scuba-gear-76/018792/Oceanic-Cargo-Mesh-Backpack.html

 

Here is the bag we use when we go snorkeling/diving. It has an enclosure to keep vauables and holds a lot. You can carry it like a backpack

[dsrdsrdsr]

I went snorkelling in Barbados where they gave you a mask and snorkel, but no fins.

[Putterdude]

My experience is that do provide gear. However I have my own, I particularly want my own snorkel and I also have a mask with corrective lenses which an excursion won't have. The netted bag for gear can be purchased at most dive shops.

[34TigerLily]

We bring our own equipment, including fins. DH has very short, wide feet and it is hard to find fins that fit him

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Yes they will supply you with all..

[kassimer1]

Yet to be on a snorkeling excursion where they didn't provide gear.

 

IMHO the debate between bring your own and use rental about sanitation I find funny. People have no fear about touching elevator buttons, bathroom doors, using forks or shaking hand, holding handrails, but good snorkel gear rinsed and disinfectected cause people grief. These people are going to be with 3000+ people in close quarters that have just traveled from all over the world ( think Contagion ;) ) and they are worried about their snorkeling gear..

 

The gear I've seen used at on several excursions were good, if I was to buy equal gear for use very other year and have to lug, what a headache. Has always been an easy decision for me. Dip it good in salt water and trust my immune system to do the rest :D

 

I dont push the elevator button with my mouth. And i definitely dont kiss the 3000 people on the boat.