I'm leaving tomorrow for St. John, and I'm determined to try snorkeling basically for the first time. I know it's ridiculous (and slightly embarassing to admit on a public forum), but I'm terrified of pretty much all creatures. That said, I am SET on getting over this and trying to enjoy snorkeling! Is there anything that I need to be particularly concerned about though? Are there any precautions I can take? (Besides the obvious - I'm clearly NOT going to venture sticking my hand in any dark holes or even straying from the surface, really.) I am especially scared of jellyfish and I'm trying to find out if they're abundant in St. John this time of year or if there are certain spots I should avoid. And I just found out about sea lice...I had never heard of them before. Are they prevalent in the Caribbean? I've tried searching around for these answers, but I figured it would be best to hear from you experts.

Thanks in advance!
Susan

If you're really, really scared of jellyfish and such, maybe you should think about renting a wet suit. It would give you protection from any stray stings (except your head) as well as the sun. It might be a little over the top, but if it gives you confidence it would be worth it.

I agree. Having a wetsuit on will give you an addes sense of security. I snorkeled with one for the first time too-and it did help.
One other tip. Try to take a snorkeling trip on a boat (snorkle tour sort of thing.) They usually take you out to deeper water and then you can watch the creatures from above and they are not swimming right around you.
We did this in Hawaii.

Susan, hope I'm not too late, but there's a product out there called Safe Sea, that some say provides protection against jellyfish and sea lice. You may be able to find it on St. John. Another idea - maybe try a Snuba excursion first, to get more comfortable around the creatures? There are some excellent operators on the island.

Does this mean you have never been swimming apart from a man made pool? Because snorkeling is just swimming with a mask on your face so you can see what there is to see.

I would say a good idea is to go to Trunk Bay where there are easy to see fish and wade in from shore with a mask on. Pretty soon you'll be so excited to see the fish you'll forget about the creatures.

Also, you can calm yourself with the notion that with so many other targets around the big bad sea creatures will eat the other people first.

Are you afarid of a sting? I think I must get stung or bitten every time I stay in too long. Think of it like a mosquito biyte. Any really dangerous creatures would cause the lifeguards to close the beach.

Have fun.

Thank you so much for the responses and encouragement! This was really helpful. I'll keep all of these suggestions in mind! I promise to follow up when I return, and will hopefully have a good photo or two to post.

And to answer the questions - I have been in the water a few times before, but not usually very far out (we're talking just a few yards) and not for very long. And I'm not so much afraid of the sting as I am of my own reaction - I'm worried that even seeing a jellyfish will make me have a near panic attack! But hopefully I'll surprise myself and stay calm if I do encounter any beasts.

Thank you again! I'll report back soon.

Also, if your nickname means you are a photographer, take along a camera to use and it will also distract yourself.

I have never seen the things that bite/sting. I just might notice a bump once I get out, or a pinch while in. In truth, this has only happened to me in Hawaii, and it's happened enough that maybe they just like me.

I think you will really enjoy Trunk Bay. The water is totally calm and you can stand and see your feet.

Really don't worry.