Total NOOB, but addicted and want more

Hello, the last 2 years I was lucky enough to go to the Virgin Islands to snorkel with my GoPro and absolutely LOVED it. Since I am so new I am scared as can be of course, lol, but getting better each time. I do not free dive yet at all but would like to learn. I guess my main question is that since I got addicted to snorkeling and cannot just fly down to the VI every month as I live in the midwest, is there anything I can do in the summer months just for practice? I saw some of the other threads about Oklahoma City and that but of course those just turned humorous, lol. I plan on getting down to the Keys sometime soon, but I was more looking for places I could take road trips to during the summer. I am in Ohio and I am so new I really know nothing about water visibility other than the Virgin Islands was AWESOME! Is there even any visibility at all in the Great Lakes??? Again, I do not need to see much or anything, it is more to just get out and do it and practice. Oh, and while I have a GoPro, I do not have any kind of flashlight thing for underwater, so if there is anywhere around the midwest to go with poor clarity should I look into some sort of underwater flashlight?? Also, what about the east coast? Say from like Virginia Beach down to about Amelia Island, or would I get attacked by a SHARK! Those sharks scare me compared to the little nurse sharks I saw in the Caribbean!

Again, just a total noob, but I am hooked and just looking for more places to practice in the summer and possibly learn some free diving. I know absolutely nothing other than the Caribbean and that is AWESOME. I understand I will not see anything like that, but I just do not want to stick my mask underwater and have like 6 inches of visibility......... that would be a total waste to me. And if I haven't said it enough, no I do not need to see any stingrays or nurse sharks, this is more for me to get used to snorkeling more and some visibility would be perfect. Heck if Lake Erie has a few feet of visibility I wouldn't care if I saw a perch, lol.

Just a noob looking for some practice places in the summer on long weekends. Even any little lakes or quarries would be fine. I will have quite a few long weekends in the summer so even an 8 to possibly 12 hour drive from central Ohio would be fine.

Thanks for any tips!

This thread may provide some ideas: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/snorkeling-freediving/356224-river-snorkeling.html

Testudo:

This thread may provide some ideas: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/snorkeling-freediving/356224-river-snorkeling.html

Click to expand...

Hi, thank you very much for the reply and this sounds very cool. Unfortunately I am such a noob this sounds way too scary for me to start on, lol. Has anyone done much in the Great Lakes for snorkeling only (not diving)? I know Erie would be the warmest, but I doubt there is any visibility. Again, I know nothing. Oh, and also, anywhere on the east coast say down to the Jacksonville area where I could get some visibility? Or even some other lake just out in the middle of the midwest or south that I do not know of?

Thanks!

Go to the lake, and start swimming around. Not much in the Great Lakes to be of worry.

Georgian Bay and the Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary are spectacular. Visibility can be 30 feet and more. Cold water but plenty to see. If you find a mudpuppy, they are especially cool, and like to hang out around the dock areas. Cheers