Help-We are new to snorkeling

[weebo]

and after advice given to us from the forum here, we're planning on buying our own masks and snorkels to use on our cruise. (Jewel RCCL, March, Western Caribbean)

I remember you all recommended Eden Rock in Grand Caymen. Could we rent life vests and fins there? We need life vests, right? Would someone be available to offer some basic instruction? Is the water all deep, over 6ft? How do you see anything pretty if you are in deep water floating on the surface? We both swim well, but not up to lifeguard-standards.

Would we be better off booking an excursion for beginners from the ship? Or if not from Royal Caribbean, then maybe from a private company. Anyone have a good recommendation?

Thanks, Weebo

[Lovin the Cruise]

The water there is very clear. You will not have a problem seeing down even 30 or 40 feet.

I wouldnt get a life jacket. They make snorkel vests that go around your head "much like a May West vest" and strap around your body. You can inflate the vest to your liking with a tube that is attached to the side.

 

Have fun!

[coevan]

Make sure you buy a dry snorkel. They do not allow water in your mouth if your snorkel submerges. There are several good internet dive shops that sell snorkel sets (mask, fins and snorkel), with dry snorkels in the $60-$70 range.

http://www.leisurepro.com and http://www.scuba.com.

[nolaAlive]

If you have never snorkeled before, I'm not sure that you should be doing it unsupervised. It is not hard at all to snorkel, in fact, you don't need to know how to swim to snorkel. But when I hear someone asking about is basic instruction available, I need to question.

 

You can rent whatever you need, but when you rent individual pieces, it will cost about the same as renting everything.

 

Are you going to be purchasing your mask over the Internet or from a dive shop?

[weebo]

Thanks for the replies! We are planning on visiting a Dive Shop in Toledo Ohio (close to our home) to buy our snorkels. And I'll make sure we get dry snorkels.

 

I think a excursion might be best for us then... Can any one recommend one in Grand Caymen?

 

('asking about instruction' is just because I like to be fully informed and I'm curious...oh, and cautious! :) )

[nolaAlive]

Probably any of the independent stingray sandbar tours would work. Most include a stop at a reef or two for some snorkeling as well. You don't really snorkel at the sandbar, but you can dunk you head for a look underwater.

 

If you want to avoid the stingrays, then perhaps a reef and wreck tour. The wreck is usually the Cali and I think the reef is usually Cheeseburger.

 

After any of these, if you desire to try out your new knowledge and feel up to it, Eden Rock is still just a few minute walk from the tender docks.

[robtulipe]

This is a deluxe snorkeling vest since it has a pouch and emergency inflater. You can get ones that are cheaper that basicly is a vest only with a tube inflater hose.

We have done stingray city sandbar in Grand Cayman serveral times and it is very easy and fun to do.

[2manyplaces]

I would definitely recommend a ship excursion or a private shore excursion which offers basic instruction, as you say you are cautious. Once you know the basics, you can determine if you are comfortable enough to go to Eden Rock and what type of equipment you should rent.

[mrsfuzzmo]

We just returned from Grand Cayman (RCI Navigator) last week. It was wonderful. We've been there before and done Stingray City via ship tour and independant tour (Capt. Bryans). We liked the snorkeling trip with Capt. Bryans, BUT aside from the stingrays (which everyone should do at least once in their lives), the snorkeling was fair. This trip we decided to snorkel on our own. We have our own masks and snorkels, but would need to rent fins. We read about "Sunset House Resort" just about a mile south of Georgetown, here on the CC website. We decided to give it a try. We took a cab (about 3 minutes, $10 total). Some friends of ours walked from the dock and we all walked back (about 20 minute walk). We rented fins from the dive shop for $15.00 (for 2 pair). The guy at the shop was very kind and told us the areas that were great to snorkel and what to look for (shipwreck, nurse sharks, mermaid statue, reefs). They had what I consider a "wonderful" area for beginners. It was a "sea pool" which was a 40' x 40' (approx) area carved out in the rock where the depth was about 4 ft. deep. You could swim around in there and get used to your gear, then swim out through the gap into the ocean. The water was calm and crystal clear. You could see at least 50-60 ft. down. We swam out to find the mermaid, then realized we were going WAY to far and the colors were much better in the shallow waters, so we just swam along the coast. It was wonderful. We snorkeled for over an hour. It was an easy swim and we didn't need to step down at all. It was only about 6-12' deep where we were so it was nice. To get out, we swam back through the gap into the pool, stood up, took off our fins and climbed the ladder. In addition to that, the resort has a WONDERFUL bar and restaurant right on the water. We ate and drank for 4 hours and our total bill was $40.US. There was a freshwater shower, pool (which we were told we could use, but did not). We also left our bags right there at the "sea pool" as recommended by the dive guide, as there is very little access to the area from outside the resort and Very little crime on Grand Cayman. Sure enough, it was fine there.

 

We had a wonderful time and would highly recommend this to a beginner couple. I would recommend a vest for those who are not comfortable or experienced. We did not use one and had no trouble, but for beginners, I would recommend it. There was an inexperienced couple we met that borrowed our gear and went out (while we enjoyed the sun and brew). They too loved it and had NO problems whatsoever.

 

The only thing to watch if you are booking an excursion is that many "boat" excursions go to reefs that are off-shore and in 20' water, so there is no where to stand (standing on a reef is a big NO-NO) and if you are not comfortable treading water, you may have trouble. I suggest an excursion where you walk in from the beach for your first time out. The deeper water can be a little scary if you've never been out there.

 

Mrsfuzzmo

[Host Star]

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This is a deluxe snorkeling vest since it has a pouch and emergency inflater. You can get ones that are cheaper that basicly is a vest only with a tube inflater hose.

We have done stingray city sandbar in Grand Cayman serveral times and it is very easy and fun to do.

 

rob,, where did you get that vest.?. i have the regular snorkel vest but like the pouch idea.. great place to store the camera or fish food :)

[Capt_BJ]

Glad to hear SUNSET hasn't changed....

[mrsfuzzmo]

No, it probably hasn't and a HUGE thanks Capt BJ for recommending that to us. It was by far the best day of our cruise! Muchas Gracias! My husband even wants to go back there and stay for a week because he liked it so much.

 

Mrsfuzzmo

[Capt_BJ]

No, it probably hasn't and a HUGE thanks Capt BJ for recommending that to us. It was by far the best day of our cruise! Muchas Gracias! My husband even wants to go back there and stay for a week because he liked it so much.

 

Mrsfuzzmo

 

You've made my weekend :)

 

SO glad it worked out for you

 

A few minutes walk out of town SO SO SO enhances the experience!!!

[Capt_BJ]

No, it probably hasn't and a HUGE thanks Capt BJ for recommending that to us. It was by far the best day of our cruise! Muchas Gracias! My husband even wants to go back there and stay for a week because he liked it so much.

 

Mrsfuzzmo

 

Must share that in our 25 years of diving the absolute best nite dives have been right off Sunset House.

 

Best site ever ... no, I'll not say that. But we've dove that site hundreds of times day and nite and now will find 'our place' turn out the light and sit.

 

I have AMAZING nite dive photos from here (OK....I'll post one or two) ... the easy in/out you mention tho makes this a wonderful nite dive....as you mentioned....you can easily swim fm shore to 100 foot depths.... and when you exit there is

 

My Bar!!!

 

no association ... I'll just heartily recommend a good dive shop, good resort and great bar/rest'aunt :D

 

A nice lil' walk from the tender landing and a damn decent group of folks, good snork' and a great shore dive .... less crowded than Eden....

 

 

OK ... dismounting the soapbox

[LadyLeo84]

Could anyone recomend a good place to snorkel in Grand Cayman and Cozumel where you walk in to the water from the beach. We've been snorkeling once in Hawaii but don't want to get into deep water just yet.