scared to snorkel

[sweetpea-2]

I'm taking my first cruise in aug and my husband would really like to snorkel, however, I'm soooo scared of seeing SHARKS:eek: can anyone ease my fear

;) I think that you snorkel in pretty safe areas and that you should experience it at least once.....stay in shallow water as much as possible if that helps to ease your mind.....

[baylivin]

Dear Spud,

Be sure and book with a tour/dive guide. I've had wonderful experiences when I was learning and now have no problem going on my own. When my Rachel was 10, we went snorkeling and she was scared to put her face down in the water. I finally took her head and pushed it down. All I could hear (through the snorkle) with great excitement was;"LITTLE FISHY, LITTLE FISHY." She ended up loving it and was hooked from then on!!!

Five years ago, we were lucky enough to talk my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, into going on a cruise with us. I say lucky, because he died last summer from esophageal cancer. We had such a wonderful time on the cruise and have wonderful pictures and memories to keep us going. But, anyway, he was afraid to snorkel because he almost drowned as a child. The tour guide was great and took extra time to allay his fears. He was the last one off the boat and was wearing two life vests and had a kick board!! He said it was one of the neatest things he had ever done. So, don't be scared!!

 

Marcia in Hampton,VA

[ZydeDiverDC]

"she was scared to put her face down in the water. I finally took her head and pushed it down"

Tho this situation worked out for you fine, I really don't recommend this as a means of encouragement to have one's face in the water. To me it would only serve to frighten even further.

My entire family were life guards at one time or another.. ( that is my mother, father and 5 brothers) I was a rock. I sank constantly. Every swim class was excruciatingly embarrassing. So I gave up. Until. My best friend in college had a Hobie Cat 18 footer. Oh boy I really wanted to go on it. But not being able to swim.. I could not. My best friend said. I can teach you.. and I laughed and said.. after all those who have tried.. but he would not relent. So I said. Ok try.. He would meet me every day .. and tell me jokes.. make me laugh.. while he would tell me what was the lesson .. to walk into the water.. to sit in the water.. to float.. and eventually.. laughing all the way.. I learned the dog paddle.. at age 30!! I was so proud.. to go on that silly little Hobie.. it was grand to me..

and from that day forward.. when I learn something.. or teach.. it is with laughter and encouragement and long term patience. and never, hold or push anyone's head in the water. Just me take on that.

I, too, had children who were shall we say concerned.. what I did was help the try on a mask and snorkel.. and in the tub. .. I would drop either a favorite toy or a shiney coin.. and let them find it by looking in the water .... the game was to put a hand up to signify it was found...! heads would come up then all excited and the reward was a pix in their scrap books ... and huge hugs and words of great validation... My LIttle Jacque Cousteaus!! As their bravery increased.. we went to the pool and then to the ocean.

we also would watch various Discovery shows like dive detectives.. so the excitement was always there!

Note: the answer to finding the 'treasure" was always a hand up ... so they did not decide to "dive for it"! we also had alot of fun practiciing the hand signals.. and much to my amusement.. when they were out in the "kiddy" pools .. they would signal to each other... to me, an old timer .. it was Sea Hunt all over again!! A blast!

I surely do hope those who were feeling a bit timid of trying this very fun and exhilerationg sport .. gather the information and give it a go!

Like eating seafood for the first time.. you will either like it or not.. but you were courageous and tried.. its a most definite Win Win proposition!!

Best of Luck!

blue

[w0209666]

So true, this past March, Wendy and I took the Beginners Diving Course just for her since Im already certified. They had her do 3 things which are totally impossible for a newbie, (even in a pool)

 

1. Remove, Flood mask under water and replace and clear.

 

2. Remove the regulator from your mouth, throw it back and recover it and clear.

 

3. I think the last one was Rescue breathing or Buddy breathing.

 

These are hard to do for a beginner at the beach, they are hard for most people even in a swimming pool.

 

Wendy failed on all 3 things listed above and spent a nice time sitting at the beach. Although they were willing to spend the time to train her, it was taking away time for the rest of us as we had to wait.

 

I don't recommend the Beginners Divers excursion unless you had prior training.

 

Fred

 

I did the intro class about 5 years ago right after I graduated from high school. There was one person in our class that could not do it. I had never had any prior training and it was AMAZING!!!!! It is my number one memory from my cruise. I don't think it's for everyone but I think it is definitely worth a try!!!

[SOPHIELYNNE]

You will see them, and if they are hungry, they will bite you. But other than that you should be fine.

 

ROTFLMAO toooooooooooooooo funny

 

 

if you are that afraid let him go and you sunbathe, drink rum punchlol... dont make an issue of it.

[kchesneylover]

I was googling 'shark attacks' at work today - because of my upcoming cruise and the fact that I could do it because my boss was traveling.

 

You are MORE likely to win the lottery than being bit by a shark in the Caribbean - so go play your numbers!!!

[swom]

Heck, I just want to find somewhere in the Caribbean that I can swim with the sharks. Anyone know of a place????

BTW-yes I am a sane person.

[scubaran]

Heck, I just want to find somewhere in the Caribbean that I can swim with the sharks. Anyone know of a place????

BTW-yes I am a sane person.

 

Two places come to mind, Shark Alley in Belize (nurse sharks, small reef sharks and stingrays) and Nassau, Bahamas, Stuart's Cove offers shark dives, though I don't know if snorkelers are invited, might only be for certified divers (and not that kind of "certified" either).

 

Randall