Do You Use Fins for Snokeling?

[Leo Jay]

I bought fins for my first attempt at snorkeling last year, but I ended up not using them much. I found it tricky walking on sand with them, and found I didn't really need them in the water, since I stayed in shallow water most of the time.

 

How much do they help if you want to venture farther out? And is it really, really stupid to venture a bit farther out if you're a non-swimmer? (I wear a vest, of course). :D

[TNT1827]

Hi Leo...

 

As a former scuba instructor I would always advise you to wear fins while snorkeling. You should remove them when exiting the water to make getting around on the sand easy. Also, not being a good swimmer you always want to snorkel with someone else (preferably someone who swims well) and never go without your vest.

 

Hope this helps

 

Ted

[happycat Bainbridge Is]

The jury is in - 100% of two voters say ... wear fins! They do help you to move through the water more strongly without as much effort.

 

The AMEN part is for ALWAYS wearing your vest and ALWAYS snorkeling with a buddy who is a comfortable, confident swimmer.

 

Also, please be sure to check with someone who is knowledgeable about conditions and currents before you snorkel someplace new -- this goes for everyone, not just those who aren't strong swimmers -- the only surprise you want is a fun new fishy sighting, not to be swept out by a strong current or caught in sudden heavy chop that you aren't prepared to deal with.

 

Wade in and then put your fins on -- you can wear thin aquasocks if the beach is rocky. Be safe and have fun!

[TrqoisWtrs]

I always wear fins, especially if the water is a bit rough or has a current. With bare feet, you'd be going nowhere fast. :D And I personally prefer the open heel fins, so can wear dive booties if having to walk on a rocky shore, then can just slip the fins on once I hit the water.

[alphakitty]

I always wear them too....try walking backwards out of water..much easier. I was considering buying a pair of smaller fins. I've seen some people swimming with the smaller ones in our local Y pool. I wonder if they would be "good enough" to snorkel with. It would be much easier to transport them, that's for sure.

[Leo Jay]

Thanks for the feedback so far -- I'm really surprised at the unanimous "YES" response -- I was under the impression that many people didn't bother with them.

 

I think I'm now remembering the real difficulty I had with fins: I can't really float at all; in shallow water, instead of floating, my legs sink downwards, so the fins tend to trip me up by getting stuck in the sand or rocks along the bottom. I have split fins, which seem like they would probably cause even more problems in this regard than regular fins would.

 

Suggestions? Floatation anklets? (I'm only half-kidding) :D

[simonv]

I know how to swim, but am not a strong swimmer. Therefore fins are must for me. I like to go out to deep waters, and I know I can handle any situation - swiming against current, choppy water, drift snorkeling in strong current, going out pretty far, etc., and can get back to safety. Comfortable fins are a safety issue as far as I'm concerned. Safety vest not only won't help you swim back faster if you've gone too far from the boat or shore, but slows you down. I think people who snorkel without fins are brave.

[toothpilot2005]

I have never condoned snorkeling in open water without fins. The swells and currents are generally non-negotiable with bare feet. There was one time we were forced to snorkel by a dive operator. It was on a celebrity cruise that included Barbados. The theme was to swim with the turtles, and after we reached the site we were told we could not wear fins because it might harm the turtles. I suppose this was sensible, but it was a trip I would never recommend. If the turtles are what you want to see then go to an aquarium or turtle farm. If a tour operator says no fins, then shy away and find someone that allows you to experience snorkeling at its best, not just wallowing around in the water with a mask, trying to remain afloat without drowning or drinking the ocean!

[bruce-r]

If I did snorkel, then I'd always wear fins.

[scubaran]

Hi,

 

Fins in open water are a must. Any diver who had to get into a dive boat after removing their fins in the water and then kicking up will tell you it's like paddling a canoe with just the oar handle. Won't get too far too fast. You can think of it as a safety precaution as well. If you get a ways away from a snorkel boat in the ocean you can remove one and wave it in the air to get the boat's attention (I usually wear yellow fins just to be more visiable).

 

Fish have fins, figure we should as well.

 

Randall

 

As far as them weighing you down, you might explore your snorkel kick, as I've seen in a lot of people, they tend to "bicycle kick" bending at the knee while fining. A straight leg kick should reduce the fins dragging and "pulling down".

[simonv]

[quote name=

As far as them weighing you down' date=' you might explore your snorkel kick, as I've seen in a lot of people, they tend to "bicycle kick" bending at the knee while fining. A straight leg kick should reduce the fins dragging and "pulling down".[/quote]

 

Randall's advice is a good one. Keep your legs straight and move them ever so gently up and down. That's all you need to move or stay afloat. If you want to go faster, then kick a little harder while keeping knees straight. You'll be amazed by the speed you can get with so small energy spent. Keep your arms on your side. Use them only for steering. Unlike in regular swiming, arms don't help you swim faster, but serve only to scare fish away. Less motion the better.

[simonv]

[quote name=

As far as them weighing you down' date=' you might explore your snorkel kick, as I've seen in a lot of people, they tend to "bicycle kick" bending at the knee while fining. A straight leg kick should reduce the fins dragging and "pulling down".[/quote]

 

Randall's advice is a good one. Keep your legs straight and move them ever so gently up and down. That's all you need to move or stay afloat. If you want to go faster, then kick a little harder while keeping knees straight. You'll be amazed by the speed you can get with so small energy spent. Keep your arms on your side. Use them only for steering. Unlike in regular swiming, arms don't help you swim faster, but serve only to scare fish away. Less motion the better.

[Stevesan]

I have never condoned snorkeling in open water without fins. The swells and currents are generally non-negotiable with bare feet. There was one time we were forced to snorkel by a dive operator. It was on a celebrity cruise that included Barbados. The theme was to swim with the turtles, and after we reached the site we were told we could not wear fins because it might harm the turtles. I suppose this was sensible, but it was a trip I would never recommend. If the turtles are what you want to see then go to an aquarium or turtle farm. If a tour operator says no fins, then shy away and find someone that allows you to experience snorkeling at its best, not just wallowing around in the water with a mask, trying to remain afloat without drowning or drinking the ocean!

 

I did the finless turtle swim with Silver Moon in Barbados. I wear an inflatable vest so didn't have a problem staying afloat. Didn't the guide offer vests? Many mandate wearing one.

[Leo Jay]

I have pretty much standard size, stiff split fins. I saw some people on the beach last year that had shorter fins, that seemed like they were made of a more flexible rubber-like material...? Are shorter fins ok? Or should I stick with what I have?

[river_sand_bar2]

I use fins as well... when I snorkel with the kids...

 

Split fins are actually pretty nice to dive with, they have allot less stress on your legs rather then blades. However, when I do my rescue classes they are not allowed due to the lack of power with them. The coast guard and navy no longer allow them as well. But for snorkeling they work fine.

 

You nigh also want to invest in a pair of booties.. the help when your walking back and forth to the beach and over the rocks.

 

As far as short fins go, they should be fine in a very restricted area and close to shore... I wouldn't want to be in the open ocean with short fins.

[scubaran]

I have pretty much standard size, stiff split fins. I saw some people on the beach last year that had shorter fins, that seemed like they were made of a more flexible rubber-like material...? Are shorter fins ok? Or should I stick with what I have?

 

And again, it depends on the fin wheither short works or not. Force fins are extremely short but engineered for power. I use split fins that are rubber (bio-fins) and I find that they work well for me (make the "best fins" list in the scuba magazines every year). The best way to find out what works for you is go to your local scuba shop. Tell them you're looking for a pair of fins for snorkeling and find out the next time they're doing some pool work. Usually they'll let you try them out in the water without cost and you can try several types to see what works best for you. Also, might look at open heel fins, as a previous poster indicated, you can then pick up some booties or surf socks to wear in them and can use on the beach when you get out (no walking in the sand in your fins (unless you like SAND-wiches after doing a header in them).

 

Randall

[jaguarprincess]

I snorkeled for some 30 years without fins. My husband is phobic about deep water, so most of our snorkeling has been from beaches on calm bays. If I was in open water, with a group, they just had to wait for me to get back to the boat. I really hated fins and refused to wear them. Whenever I tried them, I almost drowned. I am very bouyant and could not get my legs down to tread water. I finally realized that I needed to turn over on my back, or at least to a sitting position, and press my heels down into the water (rather than floating on my face and trying to press the tops of my feet and the fins down). I also finally realized that I needed fins (particularly in Hawaii versus the Caribbean), certainly in open water, and that I was taking way too many chances snorkeling without them. So, now, whether I wear them or not depends on where I'm snorkeling (depth of the water, currents, etc.), but I've gotten more comfortable with them and am willing to wear them when I know that I should.

That is my common sense answer. I'd like to point out a reinforcement for my prejudice again fins, however, one that has far more wide range implications than my personal safety. As noted, most of our snorkeling has been near-shore, over patch reefs, in relatively calm areas. Over the years, I have watched idiot after idiot beating the hell out of coral heads in areas where fins weren't necessary or even desirable. The fins only allowed the individual to zoom around the snorkeling area faster, and to tread water over more coral heads, blithely destroying the fauna. In short, there are places where fins are not needed and should not be allowed, just as there are places where fins and a snorkel vest should be required.

[simonv]

MikeKaye vbmenu_register("postmenu_10503010", true);

Cool Cruiser

Join Date: Nov 2002

Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Posts: 2,005

 

 

Worst currents I ever saw in my life were at Ke'e beach.

If you can imagine someone grabbing a stop sign and going horizontal from the wind, that's what it was like but underwater. I grabbed a rock briefly to stop and it was like being in the narrow part of raging river for kayakers.

Yeah it scared the crap out of me...

 

*** dumb dumb dumb: I was by myself, a big snorkeling no no

*** dumb and dumber: ignorant of local conditions before getting in

* mild reprieve: I swarm perpendicular to the current to get out of it

* lifesaver: very powerful scuba fins

__________________

 

That's why I wear good fins.