I would like to know if you have to actually swim a good distance to the location to see the fish and marine life? Some posts I have read say you should be a good swimmer considering the distance you have to go. Just wanted to know if this is the case anywhere in the Caribbean? I have three children(they will be 14,9 and 4). Are they too young to snorkel at all or only in some locations? Thanks.

Depends on which island you visit. Most of the time, you take a boat ride out to a reef and jump in so you don't have to swim far, but the water can be quite deep so you have to be comfortable in deep water. The 14 and 9 yr old should be fine if they are decent swimmers and not afraid. I think 4 is too young for most kids to be dropped off in deep water to snorkle - I'm sure there are exceptions. In fact, all of them should spend some time in a pool or very calm water getting used to the gear before going into the ocean to snorkel. Even in the calmest water, little waves can lap over the snorkel and you can get a mouth full of water. They need to be able to handle that without panicking. They can wear lifevests while they snorkle. I recommend buying the mask and snorkel at home and having them fitted properly. Most kids don't tolerate a leaky mask very well.

All great advice and tips from cartera. As that poster stated, it all really depends on where you are snorkeling, on which island, as well as whether you are in the Caribbean Sea or the Atlantic, and how comfortable your kids are with the gear and depth/current of the water.

Where I live, very young children can snorkel directly from the beach in about five to fifteen feet of water. However, it isn't that way on every island.

There are a lot of variables in answering your question. It depends on their overall abilities and comfort level while swimming in the water that may be over their heads. I've seen 4 year olds snorkel with the best of 'em and I've seen 40 year olds who are deathly afraid.

Generally speaking your older children should have no trouble snorkeling. The youngest's attention span may not be long enough or he or she may have some fear because the water might seem deep. You can help ease these apprehension by starting out in the shallow end of a pool or at the edge of a calm beach. Also, if they are not particularly good swimmers get them an inflatable snorkel vest (they are inexpensive, available at any good dive shop or sporting goods store and don't take up any room in your luggage - don't confuse them with personal floation devices which are more expensive and are bulkier - most snorkel tour operators will provide basic instructions and have some type of floatation devices for use by lesser swimmers). I personally taught 7 year old who couldn't swim how to snorkel in less then 30 minutes using a snorkel vest. An hour later he was snorkeling along side me in 30 feet of water. The trick is to let them advance at their own pace and never force them to do anything that scares them.

There are numerous threads on this forum answering questions from first time snorkelers. Use the search feature above for a wealth of information.

We snorkeled at Beaches Negril & they would not let kids under 6 go. They could go on the boat with someone to watch them but they would not let them in the water. I saw nothing posted on that but this is what I saw. There was a tiny girl on our boat (maybe 4) & she stayed on the boat with her mother & grandmother while the dad took the older kids in the water. We went out pretty far in the boat. I am really a non-swimmer & after the 1st round of nervousness it was great.

One option might be to pay for a ride in a glass bottom boat that also offers snorkeling. That way the youngest could still see the fish that the older ones see while snorkeling.

Thank you to everyone for their input. I would say that all three of my girls are comfortable in water. My 13 yr. old can swim in deeper water(10 ft+),but I would not call her a strong swimmer. As for my 8 yr. old she pretty much stays where she can touch the bottom of the pool, but loves to swim with a mask under water. Well my 3 yr. old loves the water and of course is too young to fear it. I think St. John is in our future. Any advice or info about snorkeling there?(Especially w/ young children)Thanks again. Lipsticktraveler

We have snorkelled with our kids since they were very young - and the trick with the younger ones is to have them wear goggles. That way, they can lift their head to breathe, and still see all the beautiful fish. There's great snorkelling off the beach in Cozumel, St. John, and Grand Cayman.

lipsticktraveler: St. John is a great choice for snorkling with kids. Plenty of good stuff is right off the beach, and there are several (of the 39) beaches in STJ that are shallow for quite a way out, thus being perfect for kids. I'd probably avoid deep water snorkling for the younger two, at least at first. See how they do in the shallows, and then judge from there what they'll be comfortable with. The suggestion to get acquainted with the gear & breathing through the snorkle tube in a pool or shallow area first is a good one. Trish

tpatricco, Sounds like St. John is the perfect place for us at least the snorkeling part. Any suggestions on hotels for our family(5 of us)? I have researched Caneel Bay and the Westin. Both seem nice. I would like a great beach w/ pretty sand, calm surf, and easy access to the beach from the hotel. Close to town and stores for snacks. The hotel or villa does not have to be perfection but clean is good and a good price too. What kind of activities did you do while in St John(hiking,touring the island,etc.) any advice on these or anything else? Thanks again. Lipstick

There really are only two resorts on STJ. Westin & Caneel Bay. We don't do the resort thing on STJ, have stayed in both the Eco-tents at Concordia (Maho is better for kids) and have rented villas. There's copious amounts of info & opinions on both of these resorts on this board to help you decide if you want to go the resort route. Seems like from what you describe Caneel Bay would be better than Westin. Another option is Gallows Point in Cruz Bay which might be a good option for you, especially if you want to stay close to town. www.gallowspoint.com Most of the rest of the island is quite a drive to get to a store, etc. Part what's great about the island is it's natural beauty. Much of the property is part of the National Park.

As for activities, STJ is primarily snorkling, hiking & beach time. The National Park does lead some activities & hikes. Check their website for details about offerings & schedules. Driving around, exploring different beaches & relaxing is the best to-do on STJ. This site is a good one for getting details on the different beaches: http://www.stjohnbeachguide.com/ since they are definitely varied, and not all white sandy types. Trish

Trish, Thanks for your info. I would like to know if you think St. John is expensive? Like for snacks or anything else you purchased there? Are the locals friendly and helpful? Have you visited other Caribbean islands? If so would another one be a better choice based on info I have given? We are not really sure where to go since we have never been to the Caribbean. We do camp ourselves(traveltrailer) but we thought a resort would be safer and we would have access to things there. Did you feel safe while visiting St John? I am surprised by the different colors of sand. I guess I always thought the sand was white everywhere in the Caribbean. Thanks. Lipstick.

More on kids and snorkeling:

Anyone who isn't a strong swimmer should at least be comfortable floating continuously (or wear flotation designed for snorkeling). If you are snorkeling over a reef (where you would want to be, of course, to see things) you must not put your feet down on the bottom to rest.

A.) Any touching of the coral at all will kill the coral, and B.) you can get a nasty scrape or sting from many of the reef inhabitants.

You might want to check into PADI's SASI programs for young kids. They train the kids to snorkel using a tiny scuba tank and flotation vest. The kids don't descend as you would in scuba diving. Breathing through a regulator instead of a snorkel prevents that mouthful of water that can leave even unprepared grown ups choking.

As a rescue diver, I can't say enough about making sure your children use flotation even if they are swim-team stars. They should also stick with a grown up and know what to do if they get caught in a fast moving current (this can be an issue in lots of locations, including Cozumel.)

Snorkelling is wonderful, but always remember and respect the power of the ocean!

Hi Lipstick -

St. John can be expensive or modest depending on when you go and where you stay while there. Caneel Bay & Westin are expensive. This is why we tend to rent villas, etc. We were just there for two weeks and rented a one bedroom villa for $850 per week. Car rental in off season is about $390 per week. Groceries tend to be expensive as everything is imported. Locals are very friendly and helpful. Since your family likes camping, check out the Maho Camping area, as this is a great spot for families. www.maho.org

We've been to a number of Caribbean islands, but we are early 30's with no kids and like to do off the beaten path kind of trips. We avoid AI's like the plague. We've been to Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent, Mayreau, Bequia, Carriacou, Bahamas & St. John.

St. John would be a good first time Caribbean experience for the whole family because: it offers what you seem to be looking for, it's a short flight, and it's in the US, so there would be no language, currency etc. issues to be concerned with.

Less expensive deals on other islands might work for you, because packaged resort vacations are simple and tend to be relaxing with less daily planning to do. Family oriented resorts are plentiful on many Caribbean islands, although this is not my personal preference so I don't know what to suggest. You might also consider St. Thomas, as there are more hotel & resort options there at more budget points as well. You might check Fodor's destination guides for some other islands too and see what sounds like a good fit. Trish

Trish, I can not thank you enough for your information on St. John. My husband also thinks an A/I would suit us better. I do not think we would go to an A/I if we did not have kids. You know. I think a lot of people feel that way. It is amazing what a parent will do for their kids. Thanks again. Lipstick Thanks to everyone for their snorkeling advice. Lipstick.

Hi Lipstick. Glad to be of help. Wherever you decide to go, have a great, and hopefully somewhat relaxing trip! Trish

Thanks for the advice BlueSwimmer. I've got a question for you regarding kids snorkeling in Cozumel. We are going there next March - staying a little over a mile north of town, my kids will be 11 & 12. What type of floatation device do you advise? An actual vest or something more like a water ski belt? or does a wet suit supply enough floatation? The kids snubad & snorkeled last year in Hawaii, they didn't use any type of floating device and did well. Is it more dangerous in Cozumel?

Mariann

Mariann-

Since I mostly dive, I'm used to wearing dive gear, so I'm not as familiar with what is out there for snorkeling flotation, but I know that the group snorkeling operators I saw in Cozumel had special snorkeling flotation vests that let you float face down or face up. Depending on the thickness of the wetsuit, that could be an option too, but it won't hold your head out of the water, so shouldn't be relied on as a lifesaving device for weak swimmers. If your kids are comfortable in the water, experienced snorkelers and strong swimmers, I think it will be a judgment call when you get there. It isn't like trying to snorkel on a roller coaster or anything (my wimpy mother in law even went out at Tzul Ha (sp.?) to see the parrotfish.

I think I'm overly cautious because I've seen so many accidents waiting to happen as a diver, i.e. parents taking their kids out in adult dive gear or makeshift gear that clearly didn't fit, dive operators certifying people who could barely swim a lap, etc. Diving and snorkeling are amazing sports, but you are at the mercy of the unpredictable ocean, so it's important to always keep that healthy respect.

I think what I would be careful of in Cozumel is current, usually (I think) parallel to the shore. Talk with your kids ahead of time about how to swim out of a current, not panicking, not overtiring themselves trying to swim against it, etc. Keep a close eye on them. When people wear themselves out in the water fighting current, that's when accidents happen.

The good side of current is that you can walk up the beach (against the direction of the current) then do a drift snorkel back down, just letting the current take you. Again, just use caution, be sure you know how to go across the current to get to shore, and watch where you are going! I've only been to Cozumel 2x; I'm sure the watersports people there can tell you more about where currents are, etc.

Have a great trip!

Thanks so much for your advice blueswimmer. I tend to be over cautious while my husband isn't, probably blends for a good mix. We are going to be independant a lot for the snorkeling out front our condo so we'll just have to see when we get there, I would guess they sell floatation devices over there.

I'm curious? Sounds like you have dived a lot. What is your favorite place to dive???? My husband has recently been certified for scuba which is one of the reasons why I chose Cozumel (the other were the kids loved snorekling & snuba in Hawaii this year so I thought they would enjoy it even more over at Cozumel).

Thanks,

Mariann

mariann-

The best place for diving,especially for the independent type, which you seem like, is, hands down, Bonaire.

Shore diving all around the island, just pull up in your rental truck, gear up, and in you go. The reef is lush and healthy, navigation is easy because it runs parallel to the shore, visibility is great, lots of color and pretty small fish (less of the big scary critters that some divers crave.)

We love Toucan Divers at the Plaza, and did our original certification and our advanced open water there. Great instructors, safety conscious but fun. The Plaza and a number of the other resorts and dive operators have scuba classes for teen divers, fish identification/marine biology camp programs, etc. so if your kids love snorkeling, it might be time to take them to the next level. Diving as a family would be awesome. There is some great snorkeling in Bonaire, too.

We did rescue diver in Maui, and while I lreally oved Maui, and all the turtles, rays, sharks, etc., the coral/flora seemed so much less gorgeous compared with Bonaire.

Dominica also has unbelievably beautiful reefs- lots of purples and oranges- and tons of fish. There aren't really beaches on the island (it's rainforest) so it isn't a great destination for everyone, but we've been twice in 18 months. We dive and stay with Nature Island Dive. Simon, the owner, is such a pro, and great at finding rare creatures. All of the divemasters are safety-conscious but so cool and fun. It's all boat diving on Dominica, and you have to be with a licensed guide. Dominica is more of an off-the-beaten track destination, with lots of agriculture, rasta-type men walking around, areas that look immersed in poverty, etc., but we have found the people to be so warm and friendly, and the views, birds, flowers, produce (in the farmer's market, hiking, photo ops, etc are all to die for (it's also quite cheap.)

I really keep doing a circuit of Bonaire, somewhere else, back to Bonaire, somewhere else, and so on. Now that I have found Dominica, I'm afraid I'll just go to these two islands from now on! But I am about to have enough frequent flier miles for another trip to Maui next summer

Thanks for the info. I'll research both places. My kids would love a marine bio camp, right now all my 11 year old seems to talk about is fish. The Hawaiian Islands are close for us to get to (we live in Alaska) but we like to explore new places. Maui is my favorite, just great for relaxation and ocean breezes. If you go over there you should get over to the Big Island and do the Manta-ray night dive. It's pretty cool but with all your experience maybe it wouldn't be that big of a deal. If you do go you should use Jack's Locker, they had the best set up.

Mariann