kcinmo

I asked this same question here last spring before my first trip to Hawaii. I am a very poor swimmer (and I tend to panic when I get in water over my head). I received lots of encouragement from posters on this board to go ahead and try snorkeling.

I am VERY glad that I took everyone's advice and gave it a try - it really was an awesome experience.

We went with Ann Fielding's Snorkel Maui. This is not a boat trip - you will snorkel from shore with her. She was very patient - gave us a great (and educational) snorkeling lesson/tour at Honolua Bay in Maui.

I wore a snorkel vest, but the thing that helped me not panic was taking a boogie board with me - just keeping one hand on it was enough to make me feel comfortable.

We snorkeled from shore on our own on the BI - at the Kahalu'u Beach Park and at the Kapoho Tide Pools.

Best of luck in convincing your husband - if I hadn't done it, I think I would always have regretted it.

lahainaluna

I agree with cats_do_dance that you HAVE to be able to put your feet down at all times. Make sure you have those surf shoes in case you are in a rocky place. Keep in mind though that standing on coral can really damage it. If you are in Hanauma Bay it is pretty much wrecked already but if you go to less traveled spots try to avoid that at all costs (except or course, your life).

I also agree with crusin_tiger too: be sure to try it out in a pool first. Get the feel of breathing underwater where you feel perfectly safe.

It shouldn't be scary and doesn't have to be. Get good equipment from a shop that listens to you. If they try to rush you or don't spend some time getting it right, go somewhere else. It wouldn't hurt to take a life vest out anyway. It may not be needed but provides an amazing level of comfort and helps you breath a little easier.

Just take it slow. Snorkeling can be the highlight of his trip and a bad experience the first time could ruin that for life. Have fun!

pspercy

I'm not a good swimmer at all but I was determined to try snorkeling on Maui in November last year. I had a real cheap mask & snorkel combo that I practiced with many many times during the summer in pool (downside, you can spot algae spots !!) so the mask didn't bother me, neither did breathing thru' the tube. I use glasses but an uncorrected mask allows surprisingly clear viewing underwater.
On Maui I rented from Maui Dive Shop and had to return for a different mask to get one that sealed properly (shape of face), I rented Rx mask & fins for about $10 for the day. I used a boogie board found in the condo to provide a feeling of security, just kinda pushed it along Nothing too adventurous, we were at Kahekili Beach Park in north Kaanapali, a well known novice area. Note the depth will be (guessing) 15-20ft or so at the closest coral, maybe 50ft from the beach. Hardest part was entering the water with the fins on, too long to describe but wife was in fits of laughter. Anyway, it whetted my appetite to do it again Just be careful, watch the other people and be very aware of currents etc.

californialindy

I too was a non-swimmer - didn't put my face in the shower water! But my BF was so excited about snorkling at Hanauma Bay I went along, and packed a life vest. It was so incredible! A memory I cherish. I didn't want to get out of the water and now I'm much more comfortable swimming. Don't even have to be in reach of the side of the pool anymore!

bart

Thanks chepar and Marilyn for the advice.

Marilyn - you wondered if the magnifying lenses would work okay for me - I'm not sure as my glasses (from the same visit as my contact prescription) don't give me near the same vision as my contacts, thus I doubt that the lenses would be as good either. I will most likely look for a mask and wear the lenses like chepar does.

I currently don't wear the lenses when I swim (too scared to lose them), so don't know how prone they are to popping out in the water.

I guess I should go shopping early enough before our trip and try out some masks and practice with them, so that I'll be comfortable enough to not worry about the contacts.

Marilyn

Yes, but also take an extra pair of contacts with you, just in case. It's well worth the investment because think of how your trip will be impacted if you do lose a lens. (When I wore contacts I always had an extra pair.)

Remember that the water magnifies objects already. I was really surprised that I could see as well as I do with the magnifying lenses. I always thought I would need an expensive prescription mask, but decided to try the magnifiers before I sprang for it.

cindysphinx

Just a quick note about those boogie boards with the cut-out . . .

You can buy them right there at Wal-mart and they cost about $25.

I wear soft contacts, and I had no trouble. I used to wear hard ones, and I also had no trouble so long as my mask fit properly.

Rusalka

Some of the snorkeling in Maui is in very deep water eg Molokini. The company provided wet suits which help you float. Also you don't have to jump off the boats into the water if you don't want to. There is a shallow area for snorkeling near La Perouse Bay. It's a national park but I can't remember the exact name of the bay but it was good as you can swim out directly from the shore (although quite rocky) and is shallow. Haunauma Bay in Oahu is also very shallow but can be very crowded.

ww

Cindysphinx,
Did you find the cutout boogie board with built-in viewing plastic/glass at the Wal-mart in Hawaii, which island? I looked for these at our local (mainland) Wal-marts and they do not stock them.

Maggi

We recently returned from Oahu and Kauai. I was the only one in our party who was afraid to snorkle in deep water. Unlike Catsdodance, my experience at Sharks Cove was a very positive one. My hubby and friends were way out there and I just stayed in one shallow protected area (where I could touch the sand) and floated. I saw the most beautiful fish and a huge sea turtle swam by me several times! Hanauma Bay was not as successful for me.

Two other places I loved to snorkle was the aforementioned Anini Beach, almost all the way to the end of the road, way past the park, the water is shallow for a hundred feet out and the calmest of any beach we saw. Ke'e Beach on Kauai was so clear and had an awesome variety of fish. Unfortunately, there were tons of people walking around on the reef!

By the way, my friend wore her contacts snorkeling with no problems.

Samsaf

The first time I went snorkeling was in Kauai in 1997 (on a guided snorkeling trip), and I kept panicking and grabbing my mask off to breathe. I can swim, but I am not a particularly strong swimmer. I wasn't afraid of drowning -- it was just hard for me to make myself take a breath underwater. Before our next trip, I practiced snorkeling in our neighborhood pool, and it really did help. We have snorkeled at many places since then, and I still have to make myself breathe slowly if it has been awhile since we snorkeled, but once I concentrate on making myself breathe slowly and deeply, I start enjoying myself. This summer (in Grand Cayman), I was out snorkeling several times for an hour or more, and I didn't panic. Now my biggest fear is making sure the whole family is near and we don't drift away from each other

bart

Thanks for all the advice.

We found snorkeling gear on sale and picked up two sets (for US$20 each!). They are US Divers brand. One set came with a full dry top, the other came with the splash guard type dry top and fins.

We tried them out at a lake and the fit was great. Did not wear my contacts that time, but there was no water leaking in, so I think it will be great!

Thanks again for the info, it helped me pick up a mask that fit properly.

Marilyn

That's great, Bart! I hope you have a fantastic experience in March. One of my nearsighted friends snorkeled for the first time about 2 years ago using a magnifying mask and now that's all she wants to do on vacations.

chepar

bart-

One other thing. All masks have a coating on the lens that you need to remove before you use it, otherwise it will fog continuously.

Get some toothpaste like Crest, put a dab on the inside of your mask and use your finger to scrub the lens for about 5 minutes. That should remove the film. Before you dive, use defog on your mask and dip it briefly in the water before putting it on. That should keep your mask from fogging continuously.

If you don't want to buy a commercial defog solution (kind of expensive), I suggest buying a small travel sized container - the kind with the flip type nozzle - and making your own defog by diluting baby shampoo with water. Some people use their spit as defog, but I think that's kind of gross.

Marilyn

It may be gross, but spit works just fine, and is very handy when you are out in the water with a fogged-up mask and without your flip top bottle.

chepar

Well, obviously you apply the defog before you get in the water. But if you prefer to spit, that's fine.

My advice was intended so that the fogging mask doesn't occur at all.

Perhaps if someone had given you that advice before you got in the water, Marilyn, you would have never had to spit in the first place.

Marilyn

chepar, it depends how long you're in the water. I've used defogger, but it seems to wear off after a while. Maybe I need a better brand? (But it doesn't bother me to spit in my mask. It's all my own body fluids. Anyone who's ever popped a contact lens in their mouth to clean it before putting it back in has done FAR worse!)

bart

Thanks chepar, I had no idea that there was an initial coating on the lens. We were only in the lake a short time (and that lake is really murky, so you couldn't see much anyway) so did not see issue with fogging there - so it is good to know that we need to remove that coating.

chepar

Ok, marilyn - you win - popping a contact in your mouth to clean it wins hands down over spitting in your mask. eew.

If your defog seems to wear off quickly, is it because you're applying it to an already wet mask? Try applying it to a dry lens, rub it on and then let it dry. Right before you get in the water, dip it very briefly - too long and you'll wash it all off - and then put on your mask. Some defog solutions work better than others - though unless you go to a dive shop, you may be limited in your options.

I scuba dive much more than I snorkel - and my defog will last at least through an hour plus dive - but I'm limited to the amount of air in my tank, so it could last longer.

Snorkeling and freediving, it will last me a couple of hours if I leave the mask on my face continuously.

Right now I'm in the process of using up the last of some so-so defog solution. The baby shampoo solution works just as well.

Marilyn

Thanks chepar. I'll try the dry apply method next time I am lucky enough to be somewhere where I can snorkel.