Rent snorkling gear at ports

[loveturtles]

Grand Turk, San Juan, & St. Thomas is where we will be. We don't want to book excursions but if we have time at one of the ports we would like to snorkel. Can we rent the gear pretty much anywhere or do we have to know in advance?

[Pilot70D]

First, if you go on a snorkling trip in one of the ports on a boat then the snorkling equipment is usually included in the price of the trip. The gear provided is ok but my advice is to bring your own equipment or at least have your own mask and snorkel.

 

It's really important for everyone to have a mask that fits properly and is comfortable. The best way way to accomplish ths is to buy your own. There is another consideration. If anyone in your party wears glasses then low cost diopter corrective lenses can be installed in place of the regular plain lenses. I am near sighted and having these corrective lenses in my masks lets me see as well underwater as I do on land. There are anumber of good masks available in the $30-$45 range. The corrective lenses cost anywhere from $15 apiece to $35 apiece. The prices charged for these corrective lenses varies widely. One on-line scuba shop is selling a reasonably good mask with free corrective lenses for just under $37.

 

I would also recommend bringing your own dry snorkels on your trip. In my opinion a dry snorkel makes it much more enjoyable particularly for the first time snorkeler. I use a dry snorkel whether I dive or snorkel. While there is no such thing as an absolutely dry snorkel, the so called dry snorkels are much better than the typical open tube snorkel used as rental equipment. Dry snorkels run anywhere from $15 to $25 depending on where you buy them. If you search through some of the older threads here you should find messages that I posted with some specific brand recommendations. These recommendations are still valid because not much changes in the mask and snorkel product areas.

 

I would use whatever fins and flotation devices that are provided by the snorkel operator. There is one more piece of equipment that I would strongly recommend and that is a full length rashguard. These rashguards are ideally suited for either snorkeling or diving in warm Caribbean waters. The rashguard will help prevent a bad case of sunburn. It is both awesome and awful to behold what sometimes happens when someone spends anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours floating face down on the surface of the ocean. Does the term "glow in the dark" mean anything.

 

I hope this advice proves helpful. Enjoy your snorkeling adventures and everyone have a great day.

[loveturtles]

Hey thanks for the information!;)

[mowrider]

Grand Turk, San Juan, & St. Thomas is where we will be. We don't want to book excursions but if we have time at one of the ports we would like to snorkel. Can we rent the gear pretty much anywhere or do we have to know in advance?

 

Check the online auctions for your own gear, because you will more than likely go cruising again. I got mine and have used it often (low cost}