snorkeling equipment

Hi,

I want to get back into snorkeling. I did it years ago and want to start
again.

What equipment should I get and how much will it cost me to get kitted out?

I plan to do snorkeling in Sydney Harbour and the coast around Sydney
and the south coast.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Jason

Hi Jason

You'll enjoy being back into snorkelling. Just don't leave it too long: its
autumn already. Personally I'd keep it cheap. For low-level stuff you
could be happy with a $25 mask/snorkel kit, which might not suit scuba
people but be quite enough for snorkelling. If I were you I'd use boot-fins
rather than strap fins because its one thing less to carry and wash,
although that means you get to walk across rocks in bare feet for entry and
exit. Try going off the public baths at Harbord or Shelly Beach near
Manly...both easy entries, reasonable shallow and definitely something to
see.

Places like Rebel Sport have basic kits available: remember the technique
for checking if a mask fits you...should stay fixed to your face with
minimal inhale without using the strap.

Best of luck

Mark
"Jason Lewis" <jason@NOdicksonSPAM.st> wrote in message
news:4068fed8$0$27643$61ce578d@news.syd.swiftdsl.c om.au...
> Hi,
>
> I want to get back into snorkeling. I did it years ago and want to start
> again.
>
> What equipment should I get and how much will it cost me to get kitted
out?
>
> I plan to do snorkeling in Sydney Harbour and the coast around Sydney
> and the south coast.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions,
>
> Jason

Hi Mark,

Thanks so much for your words of wisdom. I'll give it a go.

One more thing I was thinking of getting is a wet suite. Would a board
wet suite be good enough?

Jason

Mark Schmidt wrote:

> Hi Jason
>
> You'll enjoy being back into snorkelling. Just don't leave it too long: its
> autumn already. Personally I'd keep it cheap. For low-level stuff you
> could be happy with a $25 mask/snorkel kit, which might not suit scuba
> people but be quite enough for snorkelling. If I were you I'd use boot-fins
> rather than strap fins because its one thing less to carry and wash,
> although that means you get to walk across rocks in bare feet for entry and
> exit. Try going off the public baths at Harbord or Shelly Beach near
> Manly...both easy entries, reasonable shallow and definitely something to
> see.
>
> Places like Rebel Sport have basic kits available: remember the technique
> for checking if a mask fits you...should stay fixed to your face with
> minimal inhale without using the strap.
>
> Best of luck
>
> Mark
> "Jason Lewis" <jason@NOdicksonSPAM.st> wrote in message
> news:4068fed8$0$27643$61ce578d@news.syd.swiftdsl.c om.au...
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I want to get back into snorkeling. I did it years ago and want to start
>>again.
>>
>>What equipment should I get and how much will it cost me to get kitted
>
> out?
>
>>I plan to do snorkeling in Sydney Harbour and the coast around Sydney
>>and the south coast.
>>
>>Thanks for any suggestions,
>>
>>Jason
>
>
>

Hello again

I own a 5mm wrist-to-ankle, a 5mm short arm-long-leg and a 5mm
short-arm-short-leg (sort of thing you'd expect to ride a boogie-board). On
the dive off Harbord I wore my short-arm-to-ankle and was cold in scuba
below 7metres. Its a bit different for you as a snorkeller because the more
neoprene you wear, the less chance you have of freediving and secondly, your
time is dictated by what you want to see, not tank-air-time. I'd select a
short-arm-short-leg as a cheap option ($80 typically) and find out from
there.

Whatever you do, do it well and enjoy yourself.

Mark


"Jason Lewis" <jason@NOdicksonSPAM.st> wrote in message
news:406a79c7$0$27646$61ce578d@news.syd.swiftdsl.c om.au...
> Hi Mark,
>
> Thanks so much for your words of wisdom. I'll give it a go.
>
> One more thing I was thinking of getting is a wet suite. Would a board
> wet suite be good enough?
>
> Jason
>
> Mark Schmidt wrote:
>
> > Hi Jason
> >
> > You'll enjoy being back into snorkelling. Just don't leave it too long:
its
> > autumn already. Personally I'd keep it cheap. For low-level stuff you
> > could be happy with a $25 mask/snorkel kit, which might not suit scuba
> > people but be quite enough for snorkelling. If I were you I'd use
boot-fins
> > rather than strap fins because its one thing less to carry and wash,
> > although that means you get to walk across rocks in bare feet for entry
and
> > exit. Try going off the public baths at Harbord or Shelly Beach near
> > Manly...both easy entries, reasonable shallow and definitely something
to
> > see.
> >
> > Places like Rebel Sport have basic kits available: remember the
technique
> > for checking if a mask fits you...should stay fixed to your face with
> > minimal inhale without using the strap.
> >
> > Best of luck
> >
> > Mark
> > "Jason Lewis" <jason@NOdicksonSPAM.st> wrote in message
> > news:4068fed8$0$27643$61ce578d@news.syd.swiftdsl.c om.au...
> >
> >>Hi,
> >>
> >>I want to get back into snorkeling. I did it years ago and want to start
> >>again.
> >>
> >>What equipment should I get and how much will it cost me to get kitted
> >
> > out?
> >
> >>I plan to do snorkeling in Sydney Harbour and the coast around Sydney
> >>and the south coast.
> >>
> >>Thanks for any suggestions,
> >>
> >>Jason
> >
> >
> >

Hi Mark,

Mark Schmidt wrote:
> Hello again
>
> I own a 5mm wrist-to-ankle, a 5mm short arm-long-leg and a 5mm
> short-arm-short-leg (sort of thing you'd expect to ride a boogie-board). On
> the dive off Harbord I wore my short-arm-to-ankle and was cold in scuba
> below 7metres. Its a bit different for you as a snorkeller because the more
> neoprene you wear, the less chance you have of freediving and secondly, your
> time is dictated by what you want to see, not tank-air-time. I'd select a
> short-arm-short-leg as a cheap option ($80 typically) and find out from
> there.

Yes, I think I'll try that. Just something to take the chill off. I know
it gets much colder once you start going deep with scuba gear, but as
you say, that won't really be a problem with me.

>
> Whatever you do, do it well and enjoy yourself.

good advice, i will :)

Thanks again for your advice.

Jason