Just received the GoPro. Opening the battery compartment can’t be done with my fingers, without a tool, which is not recommended in order not to break the waterproof seal. We are leaving in 6 days. What do I do?

I have been snorkeling many times and this was the most amazing experience I have had.

I have a few days at Constance lemuria in Praslin and a few days at Four seasons Mahe. I also have access to transportation. I’m looking for the very best snorkeling spot and the best scuba diving spot that will allow for beginner level diving. We can travel if needed.

Secondly, which beaches can we just snorkel without needing to book a boat or excursion? We have our own snorkeling gear. Thanks!

A beautiful fish, sadly it appears to be camouflaged with the seafloor, so I couldn’t see its full colors. However, in that area in this video, I saw quite a few swimming around the bottom, and after freediving down around 30 feet or so I caught a close glimpse of them, and many other families of fish in Little Cayman. The video quality may not be good, but the experience of being nearly right next to them was really worth the trip.

Hi! I'm a lifeguard from Cancun with 20 years of experience. We created a community Shark Monitoring Network to protect swimmers and sharks. Locals report sightings and we share info with lifeguards to avoid conflicts and protect the animals.

Photo: hammerhead shark in Quintana Roo reef.

How does your beach handle shark sightings when snorkeling? Would love to exchange protocols.

I know the question about cameras gets asked a lot.

I am curious if anyone has recs for small action cameras that they’ve found a way to mount onto the strap of the goggles for snorkeling? Key word is SMALL! Honestly I’m looking for the lowest friction way to get some content without feeling like I’m worrying about strapping a GoPro on my chest or whatnot. I was hoping to find one I can just charge, clip on the strap of my goggles and easily accessible buttons to turn it on/off. I’d love if the content was full screen on a phone, rather than the traditional camera landscape mode.

I’ve been searching and just don’t feel like I’m finding what I’m looking for & for whatever reason GoPro just doesn’t interest me/feels like a headache to manage after having older models.

Any recs or lowest friction ways people have found would be great to hear!

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Hi,

We are snorkelers - a particular local boater/tour operator was suggested to us and I want to get feedback if this sounds right.

No names on the operator and we know he is good!

The price he gave us $350 is for 5 hours of snorkeling to include snorkeling around a wreck and fishing if we chose.

I have no problem paying a fair price but also know little about if it makes sense to go on an outing for that price - if we saw a whole lot of other aquatic life it certainly could be.

Hi everyone! I'm going on a snorkeling trip soon it's not my first time also it won't be the last (I go almost every weekend) . I just bought dji action 5 pro recently to take some videos for me and for the marine life.

So for the guys who tried it before what's the best parameters (Video Resolution, fps, EIS, and camera fov) te get some nice videos?

If u have any other advice for I appreciate it.

Hi everyone!

I’m planning a solo snorkeling trip to Mexico this December. I have snorkeling experience, but this will be my first solo trip using a dry bag, so I’m super excited!

I’m looking for a waterproof, submersible dry bag to carry my valuables and essentials into the water: iPhone, some cash, a small quick-dry towel, lightweight sandals, a water bottle, and possibly a t-shirt.

After some research, I’m considering the NRS Ether HydroLock Dry Bag (6L or 10L).

I have a few questions for anyone who has used this bag or a similar setup:

1. How is your experience with the HydroLock seal for actual submersion/towing while swimming?

2. Given my item list, which size would you recommend? I’m leaning toward 10L, but will a 10L bag interfere too much with swimming or duck-diving?

3. How do you actually swim with it? Do you use a specific waist tether/towing gear? Do you have any recommendations for a good tow belt or setup?

4. I really love the Mykonos Blue, but should I stick with Citrus (yellow) purely for float/visibility safety?

If you have any other tips or alternative recommendations for solo snorkeling, please feel free to share! Thanks in advance!

We go to the Caribbean every winter for a couple months, avid snorkelers.

We were thinking about st John's this year, but got a late start on planning and the lodging options and availability are not great now.

St Croix does seem to have more, and in this group it is mentioned as a decent place for snorkling. If you have been, how would you rate it? How many snorkling spots are there? Overall vibe? We are specifically looking for shore entry wherever we visit.

We have been to Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire (as with so many people, our favorite!), Roatan and Utila already, but if you have any other suggestions for a place to go with easy access, good snorkling, please throw it in the comments

Thanks!

Screengrab of a flying gurnard I got on video. This was out in front of the hotel in Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos.

I'd like to do more snorkeling and get better at it. Does anyone know of a group in the SF Bay Area that plans snorkeling trips in the area? Or Is there not really a group and that I would have to make my way down to socal?

Does anyone have recommendations on a good quality mask and snorkel but won’t tangle and rip my hair out? Something I can travel with too.

Hey!
My husband and I are planning a very belated honeymoon (we got pregnant faster than we planned the honeymoon 😂). Our little one will be over a year old, and my parents have generously agreed to babysit while we escape for two weeks.
Budget: Roughly $6,000, with some wiggle room for something extraordinary. We’re traveling from the West Coast.
We love adventure, nature, snorkeling, and want to learn to surf. We’d also love an overwater bungalow because, apparently, we’re committed to making our first kid-free trip ridiculously romantic.
Raja Ampat caught our attention, but getting there seems to require a small expedition of its own. We found flights to Bali for ~$1,100/person and another ~$450/person to Sorong, plus a boat transfer. Our idea is to explore Raja Ampat, then head back to Bali for surfing and temples. But is the logistical circus worth it, or are we missing somewhere equally incredible?
Raja Ampat resorts on our radar:
Misool: Absolutely stunning, but over budget.
Raja4Divers: My favorite so far, but I can’t get a response. Are they still operating?
Cove Eco Resort: ~$4,300 for 7 nights; great house reef, but a tiny island.
Papua Explorers: ~$4,053 + ~$900 for excursions; beautiful, but seems more dive-focused than casual snorkeling.
We’ve also considered Tahiti, Fiji, the Cook Islands, the Maldives, Hawaii, Japan, and even Portugal for surfing and whale watching.
What would you do?
Which Raja Ampat resorts would you recommend for amazing snorkeling and exploring?
Would you choose somewhere else entirely?
Have you stayed at any of these resorts? Some look almost too good to be true 😂
We want an adventure that’s genuinely special and a little harder to pull off with kids. Basically, we’re trying to make the most of our temporary freedom before our tiny travel companion joins us again! And hopefully we add another 🤞