Snorkeling beginner

[jaxs5150]

Hello,
Hoping to get some feed on snorkeling. I'm a novice and have a couple dozen times. I will be vacationing in Guam ( South Pacific ). I plan on purchasing a 3 mm Shorty, can anyone advise me on how much weight I should to start and is there method on developing skills. I am 60 years old and weigh 190 lbs and in good health and very active. Any advice would helpful.
John

 

[TMHeimer]

If I were in the tropics snorkeling I'd use just a "body" suit for protection from organisms and wear no weight. Some call it a rash guard I think.

 

[Trilobite]

Welcome.

– As Tom suggests, a full body covering is helpful for snorkeling (rashguard and/or wetsuit) – mostly to prevent sunburn which can quickly get severe when snorkeling in the tropics. (If you use sunscreen, be sure to use only reef-safe sunscreen.)

– You don't need weights for snorkeling, but they might be helpful once you are experienced and if you plan to do a lot of duck diving to try to get closer to critters. (Though be aware weights can be a hindrance if you're fighting current, so you need to be able to ditch them quickly if you get into trouble; also there is some risk of dangerous shallow water black out when freediving--especially if you dive more than 15 feet or so). I'm still experimenting myself with weights when snorkeling, and weigh about 205 pounds at 6'2" (about the same age as you); I seem to need at least 3 kg in saltwater for it to make a difference in ease of diving. [Edit: as Waterwulf notes below, the right amount of weight will make you neutrally buoyant--if you sink it's too much.]

– Some diving shops offer freediving courses through PADI, which you might find helpful. It will explain the risk of shallow water blackout.

– If you're not familiar with it already, this site has a lot of useful information about snorkeling:
https://www.tropicalsnorkeling.com/

Jim

 

[TMHeimer]

I snorkeled for decades before doing scuba and never gave thought to using weights. Never actually heard of weights for snorkeling until I got into scuba. I used to hyperventilate (can't use that word now according to PADI-- it's "diaphragm deep breaths" or something) and dive down to maybe 8-10 feet shell hunting.

 

[Waterwulf]

Snorkeling can be a lot of fun. Depending on water conditions, a shorty wetsuit or even no suit might be fine but you may want to get a full length skin suit aka rash guard aka Ballet tights. They have little loops for hooking onto your thumbs and feet to keep it in place and they do protect you somewhat from things that itch, cause rashes, etc.

I've always found weights to be a "Good Thing" when snorkeling because I can move easier underwater when I'm close to neutral buoyancy. They're good as long as you follow the rules. I always set my weight so I'm at neutral buoyancy and I wear a flotation vest so if I want to rest, I just puff a couple of breaths in and float a while. I use the same Horse Collar BC for SCUBA or snorkeling. Mine can take air from the tank or lungs and has a CO2 inflator. It's low drag and floats me on my back. Also, make sure your weight belt is a quick release type.

Don't forget the safety aspect. Whistles, dive flags, line cutters, inflatable buoys, gloves, etc. is all just extra crap to clutter up your harnesses until you need it. If you get a snorkel vest or Horse Collar BC, you can keep all of that stuff in the pockets. After a while, you'll never even notice it's all there but you will if it's missing! Have fun.

 

[Trilobite]

I haven't used a vest myself (I'm already very buoyant (w/o weights)), but here's more on snorkeling vests for those interested:

Snorkel Vest - Do You Need One? What Type Is Best?

Here's a cooler looking black one that seems popular on Amazon:

Seaview Palawan Vest