Snorkeling with kids

[John Pate]

Hello Everyone,
I am new to the board, and relatively new to snorkeling. My family and I are now exploring snorkeling as our new family hobby. My wife and I have two kids (4 and 7). I am looking for any tips for fun snorkeling with kids. We are vacationing in the Jupiter FL area in July and plan on snorkeling as much as possible. My main question is what depths should we snorkel at with the kids and how far off shore is most comfortable? I'm sorry if these questions have been asked a ton already. Any answers and tips will be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

 

[АлександрД]

1. full suit for each. depending on temperature from lycra to 5mm thickness neoprene. In our country we have more cheap not in diving, but in normal sports shops, suits for rafting or surfers. It has more hard neoprene, than freediving or diving suits, but for snorkelling - it is ok.
Some hats, also to prevent overheat from sun and cold from water. E.g. neoprene bandanas

2. small (or big, if you can carry it with you) inflatable floater, and better with two or more air cameras inside.

3. belt with line to the floater attached (with carabine) to one of you, who more strong.

4. two inflatable swimming circles for your childs to rest them more comfortably.

5. some bottles of drinking water.

6. leakproof dry bag, and one small with mobile phone or radio communication station (costguard compliant) inside.

 

[aquacat8]

On the topic of kids, but scuba, not snorkling I read this article last night. Very interesting about how kids brains and bodies work differently than adults. Some of this could apply to snorkling though (baurotrauma risk if snorkle/diving down, ability to think through problems):
Why I Do NOT Train Kids In Scuba Diving

 

[aquacat8]

Peanut island would be a good place to snorkel, you take a ferry there and they have some areas lifeguarded. Slack High Tide would be the best time. You might consider snorkle vests for the kids. The Russian above gives good advice. I assume both can swim? Be safe and have fun!

 

[aquacat8]

Parks & Recreation Peanut Island

 

[АлександрД]

АлександрД - Alexander D. my name

some details:
floater is good like for speargun hunters, e.g. Dive Hunter Spearfishing Inflatable Float Board (it just an example, from first seach of google by "speargun inflatable floater")

My friend with his wife use similar one to many-hours swimming rides along the seaside.

For evening or night time - is better to have diving torch, like cheapest one for 4$

 

[aquacat8]

АлександрД
My keyboard is not Russian Alexander D. Above I tried copy/paste on your name. I enjoy many of your posts!

 

[2airishuman]

Hello Everyone,
I am new to the board, and relatively new to snorkeling.

Welcome

My family and I are now exploring snorkeling as our new family hobby. My wife and I have two kids (4 and 7). I am looking for any tips for fun snorkeling with kids. We are vacationing in the Jupiter FL area in July and plan on snorkeling as much as possible. My main question is what depths should we snorkel at with the kids and how far off shore is most comfortable?

Much depends upon the swimming ability of everyone involved. If all four of you can swim a reasonable distance, without stopping, unassisted and without floatation aids and so on, great. If not, I would advise caution. All my kids and stepkids are good swimmers now but none were any good at 4 years old, and only maybe half by 7 years old.

In very general terms, the best snorkeling is usually found in around 4 to 10 feet of water. Anything deeper and it's hard to see detail from the surface (and I assume we're talking about snorkeling, here, which means at the surface, rather than diving on a breath hold). Anything shallower and it it's hard to swim.

How far off shore. It depends if you have reliable surface support, i.e. a boat with someone aboard who is comfortable operating it, either a charter or one belonging to you or friends. With young kids who can swim, I'd stay within 25 yards of the boat. No boat? I'd stay within about 25 yards of shore, maybe 50 if it's shallow. Things can go pear shaped quickly.

Have fun. At those ages the water is fun by itself.

 

[John Pate]

Thanks for all the advice guys. We are starting slow. There are a few spots we picked out in Jupiter area that are accessible from the shore. We are going to Bathtub Reef Beach, Coral Cove, and Blowing Rocks Beach. Someone had suggested letting them use pool noodles to help keep them from tiring too quickly. This trip is mostly to get acquainted with the hobby and see who like or dislikes it. Luckily we will be right at the shoreline if it doesn't go well we still have the sun and sand to enjoy.

 

[Nick Steele]

@John Pate

Bathtub reef is a really good shallow spot for the young ones. At low tide it should be flat calm and the adults should be able to stand in most places.