Do we need fins to snorkel in Noumea, Lifou & Champagne Bay?

[aussielozzie18]

New to cruising & snorkelling. Been looking at snorkelling gear. Some shops sell just mask and snorkel. We will only be snorkelling at Noumea (Amedee Island), Lifou & Champagne Bay. At these 3 spots we will just walk into the water from the beach so just wondering if there is a need for fins?

Edited November 22, 2013 by aussielozzie18

[cruisingsis]

Some people don't use them and you can certainly do close snorkelling without them. So much faster and easier with fins so I always take them. Very frustrating if you see people enjoying spots further out than you can reach without the fins but if u are uber fit then you can get everywhere I guess.

[bazzaw]

I am not a strong swimmer - and have only snorkeled a small number of times -- but I have found that I can't really snorkel at all without fins. They somehow seem to improve my bouyancy when stretched out in the snorkeling position. I am really hopeless without them

 

Barry

[Fletch1]

New to cruising & snorkelling. Been looking at snorkelling gear. Some shops sell just mask and snorkel. We will only be snorkelling at Noumea (Amedee Island), Lifou & Champagne Bay. At these 3 spots we will just walk into the water from the beach so just wondering if there is a need for fins?

 

If you are going to Amedee Island, it should be on a ship tour and they include the fins and snorkel. Unless you are off the ship early and get to the visitors centre in town and do it with one of the local vendors at a much cheaper price. You will need your own gear then

 

Lifou you will definitely need your own gear...tremendous snorkelling on the front beach. Give Jenat bay a miss...they now charge you to swim there and they hire out crappy gear for expensive rates. There are more turtles at the front beach as well.

 

Champagne Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches and bays on the planet......both above and below the water. Don't miss the opportunity here.

 

My advice is to take your own fins...so much more easier and relaxing to move about. We take our own gear every time we cruise the islands. It takes up more room and weight in your luggage, but well worth it.

[thied]

yes

[joejoe 59]

Not sure who your cruiseing with, but P&O charge $49 per adult to hire their snorkel gear:eek:. Go buy your own gear once & you will have it for every upcoming cruise you book. I need snorkel & fins, but hubby only needs the mask, depends how strong a swimmer you are i think.

[Kinkacruiser]

I have the smaller, lighter fins (about 30cm long) and always take them. There could be a current, so having them could be invaluable. Enjoy the islands :).

[aussielozzie18]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Question answered. I will buy fins.

[thied]

That would the best idea buy your own fins and goggles as you never now how clean they are from the hire shop, plus you will have them for every cruise you will do.

[Aus Traveller]

That would the best idea buy your own fins and goggles as you never now how clean they are from the hire shop, plus you will have them for every cruise you will do.

I think each passenger gets a new snorkel so cleanliness isn't an issue.

[thied]

I think each passenger gets a new snorkel so cleanliness isn't an issue.

 

on P&O they are wash and reused, and you must hand in the goggles and snorkel or you get charged for it.

Edited November 23, 2013 by thied

[joejoe 59]

on P&O they are wash and reused, and you must hand in the goggles and snorkel or you get charged for it.

On P&O in June this year you hired them for $49 per adult & the snorkel was yours to keep, yay. For hygiene reasons of course.

[Aus Traveller]

On P&O in June this year you hired them for $49 per adult & the snorkel was yours to keep, yay. For hygiene reasons of course.

That is how it has been when we have been on P&O - and this was a couple of years ago.

[rumnic5]

My family and I went to the islands last year. We brought our own goggles and snorkel and instead of fins we used reef shoes. We found we did not have a need for the fins and they took up way too much room in our luggage. We had to fly from Western Australia to Sydney so we had limited kg's.

[sherri3802]

My family and I went to the islands last year. We brought our own goggles and snorkel and instead of fins we used reef shoes. We found we did not have a need for the fins and they took up way too much room in our luggage. We had to fly from Western Australia to Sydney so we had limited kg's.

We did the same.

I would recommend reef shoes instead of the fins-easier all round.

[Widebay]

I do a lot of snorkeling here in Qld, Australia, on Lady Elliot Island, a short flight away from Hervey Bay.

 

My wife & I always take our own face mask & snorkel, then just use the fins of the provider.

 

One thing we always carry are our "reef shoes" - a MUST. They take up little room in your day backpack. We used our reef shoes on the "Beach Break" on Bora Bora, and they fitted the bill perfectly, especially when walking across shallow lagoons between Motus (coral islets)

 

If you do nothing else in Bora Bora, make sure if you do the "Swim with sharks a sting rays" - its a beautiful experience having sharks rub past you looking for little pieces of food, and the same goes for the sting rays.

[aussielozzie18]

I do a lot of snorkeling here in Qld, Australia, on Lady Elliot Island, a short flight away from Hervey Bay.

 

My wife & I always take our own face mask & snorkel, then just use the fins of the provider.

 

One thing we always carry are our "reef shoes" - a MUST. They take up little room in your day backpack. We used our reef shoes on the "Beach Break" on Bora Bora, and they fitted the bill perfectly, especially when walking across shallow lagoons between Motus (coral islets)

 

If you do nothing else in Bora Bora, make sure if you do the "Swim with sharks a sting rays" - its a beautiful experience having sharks rub past you looking for little pieces of food, and the same goes for the sting rays.

 

Ok, I have already bought the reef shoes for the three of us. After reading everyone;s responses, I plan to buy fins. Question now is - If I wear my reef shoes into the water, then need to put on fins, what do I do with the reef shoes? Do I just chuck them back onto the sand once I am in the water?

[Aus Traveller]

Ok, I have already bought the reef shoes for the three of us. After reading everyone;s responses, I plan to buy fins. Question now is - If I wear my reef shoes into the water, then need to put on fins, what do I do with the reef shoes? Do I just chuck them back onto the sand once I am in the water?

At the places you mention (Noumea, Lifou & Champagne Bay), I wouldn't wear reef shoes. Take them with you if you like, but you can walk into the water barefoot and sit down to put on your fins. If you threw your reef shoes out onto the sand, they might not be there when you come out of the water. :)

[3littlepigs]

At the places you mention (Noumea, Lifou & Champagne Bay), I wouldn't wear reef shoes. Take them with you if you like, but you can walk into the water barefoot and sit down to put on your fins. If you threw your reef shoes out onto the sand, they might not be there when you come out of the water. :)

Which leads me to ask...what do you do with your belongings while you snorkel?

[yatchet]

Which leads me to ask...what do you do with your belongings while you snorkel?

Leave them in a bag/backpack under a tree somewhere.

[Aus Traveller]

Which leads me to ask...what do you do with your belongings while you snorkel?

I wouldn't take anything very valuable ashore. You would have your gear in an area where there are plenty of other passengers. They would notice if any locals started going through your things, and people sitting nearby might also notice if another passengers tried to do this. However, I feel this is unlikely.

 

Probably the main thing you need to keep safe is your cruise card and that is waterproof. We have waterproof plastic containers (about 1.5 times the size of a cigarette packet) that are made for this purpose, but I haven't ever bothered to use them. I wouldn't trust them sufficiently to put a non-waterproof watch in, but they would be OK for Aussie plastic money & cruise card.

 

You can safely leave your towel (supplied by the ship so no-one would take them), shoes, hats and other bits and pieces. Sometimes some member/s of the group would remain on the beach or there might be another passenger sitting nearby who intends to stay there for quite a while.

[3littlepigs]

I wouldn't take anything very valuable ashore. You would have your gear in an area where there are plenty of other passengers. They would notice if any locals started going through your things, and people sitting nearby might also notice if another passengers tried to do this. However, I feel this is unlikely.

 

Probably the main thing you need to keep safe is your cruise card and that is waterproof. We have waterproof plastic containers (about 1.5 times the size of a cigarette packet) that are made for this purpose, but I haven't ever bothered to use them. I wouldn't trust them sufficiently to put a non-waterproof watch in, but they would be OK for Aussie plastic money & cruise card.

 

You can safely leave your towel (supplied by the ship so no-one would take them), shoes, hats and other bits and pieces. Sometimes some member/s of the group would remain on the beach or there might be another passenger sitting nearby who intends to stay there for quite a while.

 

Thanks!

That was what I was hoping.

We will just take our cruise cards cash and waterproof camera...all good!

[Cruise_me_Crazy]

Perhaps u could buy the fins that are purpose made to be worn over reef shoes?

If nit jus belt them around your waist :-)