Help with Snorkeling
 

Going to Oahu on Saturday. Hubby wants to take our 2 years old to Hanauma Bay for snorkeling. I have never done snorkeling before and got two concenrs:

1) What can a 2 years old do at Hanauma Bay?

2) I can't wear contacts, and I am blind without glasses. Is there a special type of snorkeling mask I can get there so I can keep my glasses on?

Thanks in advance.

I can't wear contact either...except for snorkeling! Normally my eyes are just too dry and contacts irritate them, and I also have astigmatism. But I had my eye doc prescribe some disposable contact lenses and I found that in the water, there is just enough humidity, even wearing your mask, that your eyes are feeling very comfortable with the contacts in. When I'm done swimming I just take them out. I got disposables that last about 2 weeks. I didn't want them too thin because then they are hard to hold on your fingertips, but I wanted them comfty. Worked great!

Also there are snorkeling masks with prescription lenses. But I don't know if you can rent them or not. Of course they wouldn't be your exact prescription, but I think you might be able to rent them. Or you could have some made for you. But I didn't want to wear a mask that somebody else had already used!

Also my husband takes a broken old pair of glasses and somehow wedges them on inside his mask, but it leaves marks on his face and isn't very comfortable. I think he might use them without the temples, inside his mask. He regretted not getting the disposable contacts, as I had them and I was fine. (I only wear them for snorkeling, nowhere else!)

I've snorkeled and scuba dived a bit and I find you don't need glasses underwater. Everything is magnified about 30% by the water. Enjoy and leave the glasses behind.

You can rent masks with prescription lenses. Check out Snorkel Bob's website.
http://www.snorkelbob.com/cgi-local/...html?E+scstore

I tried wedging old eyeglasses into the mask, and they actually stayed in pretty well. However, they fogged up, and just weren't that helpful. I wound up just going without glasses, and it was fine.

It's easy to rent masks with Rx lenses (see Snorkel Bob info above). Believe me, as someone who is also blind without glasses, it makes a world of differnce. Enjoy!

Hanauma Bay has a very nice beach - and an inexpensive shuttle to run you back up the steep hill. The interpretive center is interesting too. Take public transportation because the parking is a nighmere. We had our rental car broken into when we were at Hanauma Bay last year. The buses are cheap and run by regularly. The bus stop is right by the entrance to the park. Also, get there as early as possible as there is a limit to the number of people allowed in at a time. Check a guidebook for the day each week that the park is closed to give the marine life a rest. or ask at your hotel You could and your husband could take turns snorkeling. One of you could let him toddle around in the water close to shore. The fish are so friendly that your little one will probably see a couple.

Have a wonderful time!

It is awesome snorkeling there!! I went there last year, one month after knee surgery (broken kneecap) and had a blast snorkeling with the help of a boogie board. Taking turns will work, just make sure you always stay oriented of where you are. When you are underwater, you can get very far out and not realize it. That is when swimming with a buddy no matter how old you are is very important. I got very far out and had a very hard time getting back in (becuz I couldn't use my legs mostly). But it is awesome there and your young one will still have a great time!!

When my son was smaller (not as young as 2, maybe 4) he was afraid to snorkel so I wore a vest or belt and he just rode around on my back while I snorkelled (he wore a life vest). He had a blast. When there was something easy to see, I would tell him and he would slide off my back and put his face in and look (with a mask, without a snorkel). Then he would climb back on and ride some more. Fun for both of us.

have used the snorkle prescription lenses, almost all rental shops will have them. you won't get the perfect perscription tho.

know what yours is, for ex. if you are nearsighted and your rx is 525-20 you get the 500 mask. my rx was 650 so i used a 600 mask.

I now use disposable lenses and have no trouble with them.

Thanks everyone. I guess I will just have to try to use a pair of old glasses coz I don't even have prescription for contacts.

Don't give up that easy! About a month ago I got snorkel equipment from Snorkel Bob's, and paid an extra $2 a day for a prescription mask, in the 8.0 to 8.5 range (i.e. "blind as a bat"), and they were great for snorkeling, far better than using the "wedging the glasses in a mask" trick. And don't worry about not knowing the prescription, they'll set you up in about a minute with the best fit... just try a few on. For the small amount of extra $ they charge, I would highly recommend the prescription mask, it is so much easier to snorkel, and they always seemed to have something that is suitable even for my own "strong" prescription.

Last year we took our grandson who was 3. He had a great time. We were careful to always have a life jacket on him. You can have him try lying on an inflatable float, and then he can look down and see the fish. A boogey board might also work. There is also a couple of areas on Waikiki beach were they have built break walls, so the water stays really calm for the kids. Our little ones loved it there.
We also took the kids to Sharks Cove. Our 10 year old grandaughter snorkeled with my husband while the little one and I stayed at the shore and explored all of the tide pools. At one point, he did snorkel at Sharks Cove by floating with his life vest on and using his snorkel to breath. The calm waves would push him in and out. I stood over him in 18 inches of water. As fish swam under him, I could hear him giggle from his snorkel. It was one of the best moments of our vacation. Note: You could never do this in the winter months, but we went in late June and water at Sharks Cove was very calm that day.
Hope this information helps.
Tina

Here is a good snorkeling guide.
You can also send him a message with questions.

http://www.snorkeling-hawaii-insider...com/index.html