What to wear when snorkelling/swimming

[spam@thanks.com Tim]

Hi all

I'm travelling to the Caribbean in about 3 weeks and would like to know what
would be sensible to wear when snorkelling and what risks there are that I
need to look out for - I don't want to make stoopid noobie errors if I can
help it

We will be island hopping to the following places
Barbados 4 nights Silver sands
St Lucia 5 Papillon
Antigua 5 Halcyon cove
St Kitts 2 - not sure of the hotel yet!
St Martin 3 - not sure of the hotel yet!

Any advice you could give me on places to swim or nice beaches would be
wonderful

Thanks for any help

Tim

[WS]

Have a great time. St. Lucia and Antigua are fantastic ! Go to Runaway Bay
Beach in Antigua. The cabbies will take you and come back for you ( at
least in our experience)

Here's what I suggest:

- If you may burn easily take a T Shirt. You may feel like a geek but
remember your back will be facing the sun for a while. ( I was burned really
bad that way once)
- Don't put on sun screen til you get there. Sometimes the more
environmentally conscious operators will ask you not to use sunscreen before
entering the water as it can damage the coral.
- Do not put oil or sunscreen on your face as it effects the seal with your
mask
- Do not touch or kick the coral- it will kill it.

Enjoy. I love the Caribbean and wish we could go this year

Bill

"Tim" <no sp...@thanks.com> wrote in message
news:GlWig.84259$wl.2...@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

[Bert Hyman]

In news:Cs%ig.1531$h46.1165@trnddc07 "WS" <wmar...@verizon.net> wrote:

> - If you may burn easily take a T Shirt. You may feel like a geek but
> remember your back will be facing the sun for a while. ( I was burned
> really bad that way once)

An ordinary white t-shirt is about SPF 5, probably a lot less when wet.

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN be...@iphouse.com

[John Ramsay]

Tim wrote:

You're not usually going to find beach snorkeling on the spot.

Often you have to pay extra for a boat trip.

Do a web search for snorkeling at each location you're staying
and plan accordingly.

[A.Malhotra]

Tim wrote:

> Hi all
>
> I'm travelling to the Caribbean in about 3 weeks and would like to know what
> would be sensible to wear when snorkelling and what risks there are that I
> need to look out for - I don't want to make stoopid noobie errors if I can
> help it
>

A T-short and leggings may look silly but will save you from burning if
you are very fair skinned. Or invest in a very good waterproof sunblock
(I find kids ones are best)

> We will be island hopping to the following places
> Barbados 4 nights Silver sands
> St Lucia 5 Papillon

Take a water taxi to Anse Chastanet beach nr Soufriere. The snorkelling
just off the southern end of the beach is superb (or at least, it used
to be)

> Antigua 5 Halcyon cove
> St Kitts 2 - not sure of the hotel yet!
> St Martin 3 - not sure of the hotel yet!
>
> Any advice you could give me on places to swim or nice beaches would be
> wonderful
>
> Thanks for any help
>
> Tim
>

> Anita

[Steve Weiss]

A good, waterproof sunscreen, like Bullfrog, is essential. I just wear
that plus my bathing suit. My wife is more sensitive to jellyfish
stings, so she wears a thin nylon full body suit.

[Sarah Banick]

"Tim" <no sp...@thanks.com> wrote in message
news:GlWig.84259$wl.2...@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>

In Antigua, you'll want to take one of the eco-tours offered by Adventure
Antiqua. Run by Eli. He not only gives a great deal of information about the
area, he also takes his guests to the best sites for snorkeling.

[Marshall Karp]

Sam's Club has $30 O'Neil Shorty Wetsuits and they pack small. Never know
about the water temperatures due to the storm. Just fine for staying in the
water and snorkling for a long time.

"Tim" <no sp...@thanks.com> wrote in message
news:GlWig.84259$wl.2...@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>

[Mike]

For the what to wear... If you're concerned about sunburn and/or things
like jellyfish, I'd suggest a Lycra shirt. We (wife and I) use them
when windsurfing and if they will protect us from the Aruba sun on top
of the water, they should protect you when snorkeling. They will also
provide some (but mot complete) protection from 'stingy things'....
They are also very light/small and take up little space.

[jo]

Tim wrote:
> Hi all
>
> I'm travelling to the Caribbean in about 3 weeks and would like to know what
> would be sensible to wear when snorkelling and what risks there are that I
> need to look out for - I don't want to make stoopid noobie errors if I can
> help it

> Any advice you could give me on places to swim or nice beaches would be
> wonderful

Lycra full suit or lycra t-shirt are great protection for snorkeling.
I use alcohol based quick drying gel for non-greasy face protection, and
lycra or .5 mil neoprene full suits for the rest. A skull cap or
bandana is good protection for the hair impaired. A proper fitting mask
is the most important piece of equipment to own.

I've only done day trips while cruising to these islands, but for what
it's worth:

Barbados- haven't been there in 5 years, there were a lot of snorkelers
in Carlisle Bay diving on wrecks of a drug boat and a French tug. I
think they were in the 30 to 50 ft. range and a short swim to shore.
There was a resident moray on one of the wrecks at the time.

St. Lucia- best stuff at the foot of the Pitons, off of Anse Chastanet-
we were given a scuba skills test of sorts before they allowed us to
dive off their shore. It's a lovely and shallow area for snorkeling if
you can get there. The hotel is a pricey one.

Antigua- we did some decent snorkeling off the beach at Long Bay Hotel
area when our diving trip fell through.

St. Martin- not the best of my diving experiences. I never snorkeled
here. Orient Beach is a popular hang out spot. Check out Maho beach, too.
http://www.sint-maarten.net/St-Maarten-Beaches/MahoBay.html

St. Kitts- never been.