You really don't need a lesson, if you rent snorkel gear and are concerned you can try it out in a pool, but really snorkeling is pretty easy..On St. John go to Water Lemon Cay if you can or charter a day sail to get to some great spots that only boats have acess to...Have fun

Snorkeling is fairly easy but it can bring anxiety for a first timer.

I would recommend going to Trunk Bay. You can rent snorkel gear there and get a vest to help you, although I think you will find that you don't need it but better safe than sorry for your first time. Also, there is a lifeguard on duty and that may ease your anxiety as well.

Grab your equipment and sit at the waters edge and put it all on...DO NOT try and walk in your fins, it doesn't work and makes you look silly 🙂

Once you get all set just put your face in the water and practice breathing, you will get the hang of it very easily and then you can swim out to the trail.

Some things to remember:
DO NOT stand on the coral, it will kill it. If you are getting tired or a little worried, just float.
Small kicks with your fins is all you need, pounding on the water is wasted energy and disturbs other snorkelers and marine life
ALWAYS snorkel with a buddy

If you are not a strong swimmer I have a few thoughts-

Get a snorkel vest, they are inespensive inflatable safety vests that can really help lower axnxiety....

Something like this- http://www.diversdirect.com/scuba-diving/evo-snorkel-vest/

Also practice in a pool beforehand if you can- it is "easy"...but everything is once you know how...get comfortable breathing through the snorkel in a pool if you can...all the more fun in STJ then.

I would avoid Waqterlemon if you are a first timer, there are moderate currents there sometimes.

I would suggest places like Cinnamon Bay, Trunk Bay, Maho...

Have fun it is a blast!

We just returned from a trip to Hawaii where snorkeling was a big part of what we did. I understand the anxiety issues, I've never been a great swimmer. Snorkeling is not swimming it is floating. Convincing your brain that you will not sink can be the challenge. Most good snorkeling areas will only stay good if all of us just look and don't touch. The concept that I could not touch ground to fix my gear was my biggest anxiety problem. Practicing in the pool rinsing off goggles, fixing fins, etc. would have helped me a lot. Throw a quarter in the pool and dive after it with snorkel gear on. That will give you practice clearing the tube of water. Once in a while a wave will get water in your tube and it needs to be second nature to clear your tube. All this can be solved very easily, you just have to build your confidence that you can fix the issues as they come up. In regard to currents, if the landscape under you is moving by faster than you are swimming you are being moved by current. Pay attention to that. Before you enter a reef, study it from the highest vantage point you can get, most times you will see the areas where water in the reef returns to the open ocean. Rip tides can be very fast, deep flowing water in some cases and change constantly depending on ocean conditions. We asked lots of questions of other snorkerlers as well, and stayed where we were comfortable with our skill level. I could snorkel for hours, it's mesmerizing and very relaxing. By the end of our trip I managed to snorkel in 300 ft of water along a vertical wall reef in basically open ocean. Never thought I'd be able to do that, nor will I ever forget!

I ended up on this site researching our next trip. Have fun and be safe.

Just a couple of tips that might help your first snorkeling experience:
-Don your equipment in the water. Before you do, submerge your mask in the water long enough to be at water temperature.
-Rinse your face off or better yet, put your face in the water to cool it off. If your face or mask is warmer than the water you will have fogging problems. I also use a bit of spit and water to rinse the inside of my mask to keep it from fogging

I can think of no better place to learn snorkeling than on St. John!! Here are my thoughts:

1. Learning to snorkel in a swimming pool doesn't simulate snorkeling in saltwater. You will be much more bouyant in salt water - almost impossible to sink when lying flat on the surface. Not so in a swimming pool. You can learn to relax and breath through the tube with your face in the water in a swimming pool and that would be beneficial to you. Just don't freak-out if you aren't floating easily.
2. My wife is a "decent" swimmer. She's snorkeled probably 2 dozen times. She STILL wears a shokeling vest because that's what makes her feel comfortable. That's the whole trick - be comfortable and you'll be relaxed. Be relaxed and you'll enjoy snorkeling. There's SO much to see underwater, and you'll miss much of it if you're not relaxed. Get the vest. We use the inflatable vest and it's like $25 on ebay.
3. If you go on a Day Sail, they will teach you to snorkel. We went on Winifred years ago with friends and one of them had never snorkeled. The first-mate did a great job of helping her get started. It really does not take long to "get it", and once you do you'll LOVE it! I do not know of any land-based lessons. However,
4. If you do NOT go on a Day Sail, go to Trunk or Leinester Bay. I like Leinester Bay even better than Trunk to learn because there's just no waves, and much to see within 30 feet of shore. I taught my sister to snorkel there. Stand in the water and learn to breath through the tube first. Then have someone with you as you lie flat in the shallows. As you get more comfortable, paddle on out into the deeper water.

Good Luck! Have Fun!

I second the advice on avoiding Waterlemon until you are seasoned. It's a bit of a snorkel out to the reefs and the current can be very strong at times and if you aren't a good swimmer it could make for a very bad snorkeling experience. I snorkel on STJ and really enjoy the calmer areas. Jumbie is nice because it's somewhat set back and there isn't any turbulance from the ocean and there's lots to see. Trunk Bay is good for your first time, it's usually really calm out by the snorkel trail and like others mentioned they rent equipment and have lifeguards so it will ease some of the anxiety.

Whatever you do have fun and be safe!

if you have never been snorkeling before, go to Trunk Bay and get a feel for it. if feeling comfortable, go to Leinster Bay and snorkel Waterlemon Cay....great snorkeling there!

WOW! Your first time - how exciting! You will just love it! I understand your anxieties but you really
have nothing to fear - its so easy and STJ is the perfect place to learn. My family & I have been
going for over 18 years and we all LOVE to snorkel. I want to give you the easiest, stress free &
least expensive way to ace your first time adventure.
FIRST, pack you own snorkel & mask - it doesn't have to be expensive or technical - just something
you'll be comfortable with.
SECOND, go to the $1 store and purchase one of those styro-foam noodles. They pack nicely when
you shape them like a 'U'. This is just perfect for flotation - place it under your arms and you can
pop your head in & out of the water until you get more comfortable. Fins are not
necessary for your first trip - honestly, they are only needed if you are going far or the current/
conditions are not favorable.
THIRD, for your first venture, I suggest going to Maho Bay. Its so nice, flat and there is usually
not a big wind like can sometimes happen at Cinnamon or Hawksnest. Also, DO NOT venture
out to Waterlemon to snorkel. It is not for novice snorkelers.
With these simple steps, we've taught all of our children - now they are hugh - their friends and
some of our own friends & family how to snorkel - we haven't lost one yet and they all are now
very happy snorkelers!
Best of luck!

Bruce if you bring your own gear get some defog gel works great and will last a long time. second if you have facial hair like a stash or beard you might not get a good seal on the mask. That's wear vaseline comes into play by putting it on wiskers will help to seal the mask. Do Trunk bay it is an easy place to learn. Just remember to relax and you will do ok.

All great ideas. I would only add that you might feel anxious when it's harder to take your first few breaths. That's when you want to slow your breathing down (yoga breathing is great for this) and recompose...then relax and enjoy the amazing view!

A tip that may seem silly but might help. Before you put your mask on, take a taste of the salt water. If you have not snorkeled before and you are not used to the ocean, the saltwater taste in your mouth might be different and a bit of a shock if it happens while you are in "open water" get a taste of it while you have your feet on the "ground" so it doesn't startle you.

Two years ago we brought a couple with us to StJ. He told me that he liked the beach but did not like saltwater swimming or snorkeling. To him the taste was disagreeable and the salt left behind after swimming was something he didn't like. I told him that I find the salt left in my ears when the water dries one of lifes pleasures because when I feel that I know that I am somewhere that I love to be. The tropics! I suggested that he taste the water prior to snorkeling and he said it did keep him from tensing up when he got a taste later while snorkeling. As a result his snorkeling experience was much more pleasurable than previous attempts. I think that the whole StJ experience was able to relax his normal type A personna was a big part of that also.

Spend some time just floating and getting comfortable breathing through a snorkel. I have to re-learn each trip!
I am in the "get a vest" camp until you feel comfortable. Have snorkeled at Waterlemon following an offshore storm, and wished that I had had one, lots of currents, and large waves/troughs. On the days with questionable weather, they are there for those "what if" moments, plus they add a small amount of warmth, if you happen to be snorkeling on a cooler day. Will echo the Vaseline treatment for those of us with facial hair, seals the mask fairly well. goop it on, and go have fun!!!

Hi, your response to "snorkeling advice" was so re-assuring, I'd like to ask for your ideas on a related topic. My 20 year old daughter and her best friend would like to go to St. John to snorkel and generally relax. Do you have any recommendations about a good location/hotel/resort that would be safe and allow access to beach and a good (safe, they are new at this) snorkeling spot? They are not "party people" but would like to have some evening entertainment available. Ant advice you could provide is greatly appreciated!

Thank you, Joanne

I see how many times I used the word "safe"! They are not so worried, but I am.

sarclavier wrote:
Hi, your response to "snorkeling advice" was so re-assuring, I'd like to ask for your ideas on a related topic. My 20 year old daughter and her best friend would like to go to St. John to snorkel and generally relax. Do you have any recommendations about a good location/hotel/resort that would be safe and allow access to beach and a good (safe, they are new at this) snorkeling spot? They are not "party people" but would like to have some evening entertainment available. Ant advice you could provide is greatly appreciated!

Thank you, Joanne

I see how many times I used the word "safe"! They are not so worried, but I am.

The easiest answer to your question is Caneel Resort. They have a selection of gorgeous beaches at their front door. Their main beach in Caneel Bay is protected from most winds and surf which makes it a calm beach to snorkel from. That is if your daughters budget allows for Caneel prices. There are many beaches on StJ that allow for a safe snorkel. It would be easy for them to find a calm bay to learn to snorkel no matter where they stay on StJ.

Just returned and oh so nice. Thanks for all of the snorkeling suggestions. And you know, it was so easy. We had a great time for our first snorkeling experience. We did the mandatory Trunk trail to get indoctrinated, a suggestion that I would pass along to anyone wanting to get their feet wet. Also snorkeled the reef between Maho and Little Maho, Salt Pond (take your shoes so you can hike the rock shore on the left hand side to get out to a deeper water dive) and the south side of Whistling Cay - wife swam with a Hawksbill turtle. Also suggest a belt for those who are not real strong swimmers. The currents can be deceiving.

One more non-snorkeling suggestion. Swim in, drink, swim out . . . repeat !

bruce