simonspear
Contributor
Hi all
I'm planning to do a bit of Basking Shark chasing this year to attempt to snorkel with them and get them onto film, so I wanted to ask a few questions in a bid to get better prepard.
I'm most likely to encounter them when the water temperature is 10 - 14 C (50 - 57 F), so I'm obviously going to need some kind of exposure suit, but to enable me to maximise my time filming I will need to be able to sustain a speed of around 3 knots for as long as I possibly can(!), which means that I will need a degree of mobility.
So the questions...
1. Would this be possible in a drysuit? And if yes, would it be possible in my 6mm neoprene one (O'Three), or should I look for a lighter membrane type? (The only problem I see with that would be that I'd need additional layers under the drysuit anyway so it may equal itself out).
2. If a drysuit is a no no, then what wetsuit would give me maximum protection with enough mobility and the least drag? Normally for diving in water that temperature I wouldn't even consider going in without a 7mm 2 piece, but this may also be too bulky. Also we will be out on a RIB, so it's not like I'll be able to change into anything warm between or after being in the water.
3. What type of fin would be best suited for this use? I actually want to get these ASAP to do a bit of training in the pool over the next couple of months.
I've toyed with the idea of using a DPV with some kind on lanyard, but I'm not sure how the sharks would react to that and even so it would still be very difficult to film and use the DPV at the same time.
I've never attempted to snorkel in these conditions so any help and advice would be really appreciated.
Cheers, Simon
I'm planning to do a bit of Basking Shark chasing this year to attempt to snorkel with them and get them onto film, so I wanted to ask a few questions in a bid to get better prepard.
I'm most likely to encounter them when the water temperature is 10 - 14 C (50 - 57 F), so I'm obviously going to need some kind of exposure suit, but to enable me to maximise my time filming I will need to be able to sustain a speed of around 3 knots for as long as I possibly can(!), which means that I will need a degree of mobility.
So the questions...
1. Would this be possible in a drysuit? And if yes, would it be possible in my 6mm neoprene one (O'Three), or should I look for a lighter membrane type? (The only problem I see with that would be that I'd need additional layers under the drysuit anyway so it may equal itself out).
2. If a drysuit is a no no, then what wetsuit would give me maximum protection with enough mobility and the least drag? Normally for diving in water that temperature I wouldn't even consider going in without a 7mm 2 piece, but this may also be too bulky. Also we will be out on a RIB, so it's not like I'll be able to change into anything warm between or after being in the water.
3. What type of fin would be best suited for this use? I actually want to get these ASAP to do a bit of training in the pool over the next couple of months.
I've toyed with the idea of using a DPV with some kind on lanyard, but I'm not sure how the sharks would react to that and even so it would still be very difficult to film and use the DPV at the same time.
I've never attempted to snorkel in these conditions so any help and advice would be really appreciated.
Cheers, Simon