USVI Snorkeling Safety Tips

The US Virgin Islands are a great place for both beginner and experienced snorkelers. The waters tend to be calm, clear, and warm year round, and there are many places where you can see an abundance of reef and marine life in relatively shallow waters. We love helping visitors experience the magic of the underwater world, and we have guided snorkeling tours and snorkel gear rentals available on all three islands: St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. 

In order to best appreciate our waters and have a wonderful time while you’re “under the sea,” here are a few USVI snorkeling safety tips to keep in mind:

1. If you’re unfamiliar with the location, go with a guide the first time.

Not only are our guides all CPR & First Aid certified, they are a wealth of local knowledge and can give you important infomation about the environment, the marine life, and snorkeling, in general.

2. Pay attention to the weather conditions before you head out.

You don’t want to be caught by surprise if there’s a thunder & lightning storm on the horizon; that’s not the time to be out in the water. It’s also important to take note of the current. In certain locations, if the winds are up, the current can take you directions you don’t want to go, leading to a difficult swim back to shore, and sometimes that can be tricky to notice when you’re focused on the fish. 

3. Avoid wearing jewelry.

Sparkling metals can look a lot like fish scales underwater, and you don’t want your bangles catching the eye of a curious barracuda. This is incredibly rare, but a good safety tip nonetheless. Beyond that, you don’t want to lose anything valuable in the water. It’s best to leave it back safely at your hotel/villa.

4. Always go snorkeling with a buddy and stick together.

Don’t head out in the water alone. Having a buddy nearby in case you need assistance is important, and having a shared awareness of your surroundings is helpful. Plus, it’s just more fun to have someone to point out your snorkel finds to (otherwise, no one else will believe you saw that huge pufferfish, right?).

5. Stay hydrated, and don’t snorkel after you’ve been drinking alcohol.

While snorkeling can feel like a mellow activity, you’re still being physically active in ways your body is probably not used to. Making sure you’ve had enough water and aren’t inebriated will keep you swimming safely.

6. Wear reef safe sun protection.

This means reef safe sunscreen or, better yet, a rash guard. The sun reflects off of the water and you’d be surprised how many people get pretty bad sunburns after being in the water for an extended period of time. 

7. Don’t touch things.

Not only can you damage fragile ecosystems with your fins and fingers in ways that take decades to repair, rubbing up against things like fire coral or sea urchins will leave you in pain that will ruin your vacation.

8. If you’re not a strong swimmer, wear a life jacket.

There is no shame in wearing a life jacket. While our waters are calm and approachable, it’s still the ocean and it deserves our respect. A life jacket is great because it helps you stand out to boaters and it keeps you afloat without much effort on your end so you can just enjoy watching the fish. We provide personal flotation for all of our tours, and all of our snorkel gear rentals also come with inflatable life jackets.

9. Don’t feed marine life.

Not only is it not good for the underwater world to bring our human foods to its creatures, it also teaches marine life to approach humans for food and potentially make some grabs out of confusion. A moray eel is more wary of you then you are of it, but if you try to feed it, it can move faster than you’d expect and has the potential to do some damage, even with just a mistaken grab.

10. Stay out of boat channels and other high traffic areas.

It’s hard for boaters to see snorkelers in the water, so it’s important to stick to designated snorkeling areas and close to shore. Also, maintain your awareness of your surroundings while you’re snorkeling, being careful not to drift into spaces that aren’t as protected.

We can’t wait for you to experience the amazing marine life and reefs of the US Virgin Islands!

Check out our snorkel tours and join us for some fun under the sea.