Snorkeling for non swimmers?

[sanger727]

31 minutes ago, Pyrate13 said:

To each their own. I'm quite content with my choice.

 

Yes, to each their own. I look at this as in a similar way to advising someone to get a passport for a cruise. Do many people cruise just fine without one with no issues. Sure. Does it create the potential for a serious headache. Yes. Is getting a passport good general advise for someone wanting to travel. Yes.

 

Will people who can't swim or can't swim well participate in snorkeling excursions without a problem? Yes. Does it create the potential for a serious (and in the case of swimming a life or death situation). Yes. In my mind swimming is an essential life skill and I would always encourage someone who doesn't know how to swim to learn. 

 

I couldn't in good conscious suggest that a non-swimmer go in any deep water ocean excursion because I couldn't live with the worst case scenario. 

[Capt_BJ]

One does not need to know how to swim to safely snorkel.

 

I STRONGL disagree ... one needs to know how to swim or stay out of water over their ankles ... take showers NOT baths. Otherwise, you are a fool. You can safely snorkel if you can not swim so long as the water is less than 6 inches deep ☠️

 

This topic can be found several times over in the forum for scuba diving and snorkeling ......

 

I was a 'life guard' in various forms for all of my professional life ... I worked at keeping people alive when they ventured into the water. At 15 yoa I began teaching swimming as a Red Cross trained swimming teacher. Years later when I retired I'd been Commanding Officer of a Coast Guard Cutter working in the Bearing Sea trying to keep fisherman from killing them self and providing medical support and a mobile helicopter landing zone when I was less successful.

 

If I had a dollar for every one I pulled to safety and first words were "I thought it would be OK ...."

 

Flotation devices are intended for last resort SAFETY ..... if you depend on them for "normal" you choose to throw away a safety device - like driving with no seat belt or riding a motorcycle with no helmet.

 

I know how to swim (obviously) and I will not go into MY OWN pool unless someone else is home and knows I'm going in ...... I've had THREE friends or family found dead in their own pool .....

 

off soap box now . . . 

 

last ps. ... the next step from snorkeling (which requires no formal training) is SCUBA (which does require formal training) and the first step in PADI SCUBA training? The swim test ...... now WHY would it be important to be able to SWIM for SCUBA if NOT important for snork'?

Edited July 22, 2021 by Capt_BJ

[Noodles84]

My husband and I both love to snorkel, although he is a much stronger swimmer than I am and has learned to snorkel under ice as well.  However, now we are in our 70's, we are finding that many tours are limiting the ages, so we no longer qualify.  If we are healthy and still good swimmers, I don't think we should be disqualified because of our age! Nicole

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Noodles84 said:

My husband and I both love to snorkel, although he is a much stronger swimmer than I am and has learned to snorkel under ice as well.  However, now we are in our 70's, we are finding that many tours are limiting the ages, so we no longer qualify.  If we are healthy and still good swimmers, I don't think we should be disqualified because of our age! Nicole

I find your post very interesting and a bit weird.  While some excursions have age limitations one does not need a tour to go snorkeling as it is relatively easy to do on one's own especially from a shore entry.  And then you toss in snorkeling under ice?  Ok, I will bite.  Having spend more then half a century loving the water, snorkeling, and even SCUBA I will admit to never having heard of snorkeling under ice...not to mention I have never heard of any "tour" that includes snorkeling under ice.  Yes, there are plenty of SCUBA divers who have gone under ice.  But snorkeling under ice makes no sense although one could free dive under ice (and risk drowning if unable to find a path to the surface).  

 

I am also in my 70s (as is my wife) and we routinely snorkel.  In fact we have an upcoming Caribbean cruise that has several snorkel "tours" without any age limitation.  The tours do have limitations based on various health conditions such as epilepsy, heart conditions, diabetes, asthma, and height under 4 feet (I find this one curious), but there is no restriction based on age.  Another tour only cites a minimum age of 5 with no maximum.  We are talking typical Caribbean islands of Antigua and Tortola.  We also live in Mexico part of the year where there are daily snorkel tours none of which has restrictions on folks in their 70s.

 

I do not doubt that there are some tours that have a maximum age limit, but one could simply find other tours without such limitations or go snorkel on one's own.

 

Hank

[Noodles84]

Hank, you are absolutely right.  I blame it on lack of sleep, but my husband did Scuba under ice, not snorkeling.  We were looking at ship's tours as weren't sure how restricted we would be with COVID rules now.  We have 3 cruises booked, but I think it was HAL that I was finding the age restrictions on.  I'll certainly research it further with the ports we are going to.  Thank you for you comments and I apologize for screwing up the Snorkel, SCUBA. Nicole

[2wheelin]

6 hours ago, Noodles84 said:

Hank, you are absolutely right.  I blame it on lack of sleep, but my husband did Scuba under ice, not snorkeling.  We were looking at ship's tours as weren't sure how restricted we would be with COVID rules now.  We have 3 cruises booked, but I think it was HAL that I was finding the age restrictions on.  I'll certainly research it further with the ports we are going to.  Thank you for you comments and I apologize for screwing up the Snorkel, SCUBA. Nicole

Have seen age restrictions on Carnival as well.

[Hlitner]

6 hours ago, Noodles84 said:

Hank, you are absolutely right.  I blame it on lack of sleep, but my husband did Scuba under ice, not snorkeling.  We were looking at ship's tours as weren't sure how restricted we would be with COVID rules now.  We have 3 cruises booked, but I think it was HAL that I was finding the age restrictions on.  I'll certainly research it further with the ports we are going to.  Thank you for you comments and I apologize for screwing up the Snorkel, SCUBA. Nicole

HAL with age restrictions?  Too funny.  I would assume on many of their cruises nobody would be under the age limit they impose :).  

 

Hank

P.S.  Before I get flamed by some HAL lovers I should disclose that we are 5* Mariners 🙂

[jaga04]

I personally couldn't imagine going snorkeling if I couldn't swim.  The first time I was on a snorkeling trip and saw that there were non-swimmers wanting to snorkel, I thought they were crazy.  However, since that time, I've seen it happen so often, and work out so successfully, that my thoughts have mellowed.  

 

A few things to consider: 

-the person's comfort in the ocean/water--some people can't swim but can float, some are terrified to put their head in the water, etc.

-the conditions of the water, which you may not know ahead of time

-the willingness/ability of the crew to teach the person what to do and watch them (they're supposed to be working as lifeguards regardless)

 

As others have said, it can be quite lovely to go on a boat ride even if one doesn't snorkel.  Also, the very first time my husband went snorkeling, I planned to say on the boat.  I could swim, but TBH was afraid of the fish.  After everyone was in the water, the crew gave me a mask and suggested that I hang onto the ladder and look into the water.  Water was very calm that day, so easy to do.  I thought it was amazing and it led to years of snorkeling. 

 

I agree that Bonaire is likely to be the best snorkeling.  Finally planning to go there in April, for a week, mainly to snorkel.  

[midwife1021]

I think it really depends on the individual.  My 21 year old can’t swim, but was very comfortable snorkeling with the small flotation device we were all provided.  Nobody believed he was a non-swimmer because he did so well.