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Snorkeling Bonaire: Open vs. Closed Fins
Bonaire Talk: Snorkeling Bonaire: Open vs. Closed Fins
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Gilhousen (BonaireTalker - Post #27) on Friday, February 25, 2011 - 11:16 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Two years ago, when I snorkeled Bonaire, I used booties and open, twin-jet scuba pro fins. I found that walking across the coral rubble was uncomfortable in the booties and that my calves would cramp after 45 minutes in the water because of the weight of the fins.

Last year, when I snorkeled Roatan, I used a closed fin (Aqua Lung, Caravelle) that fit perfectly and worked wonderfully (no cramps). Of course, there's little coral rubble in Roatan.

This year, I'm headed back to Bonaire (Roatan was too hot, too buggy, and too full of real estate developers) and am wondering what to bring. Galen and Nicole at tropicalsnorkeling.com suggest using sturdy flip-flops to cross the rubble and then slipping into the closed fins while in the water. You then tie the flip flops to your back while snorkeling. Has anyone tried this? Maybe a sturdier pair of booties would be better than flip flops?

My wife thinks that I should change at water's edge (easier to change there than in the water) and wear athletic socks under my closed fins to help cushion me the rest of the way as I walk in. Has anyone tried this?

Finally, maybe the answer is a lighter pair of closed fins?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By PatsyJones (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #10) on Friday, February 25, 2011 - 12:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

My husband and I adapted Galen & Nicole's advice this way: hard-soled swim "shoes" attached with a carbiner clip to our yellow vests after changing in the water to our cheap open-back/strap closure fins. This probably looked awkward to others but worked well for us. I can't imagine how we would have gotten into the water safely otherwise. Having the shoes bobbing behind us didn't bother us at all. We are in our late 60's and are novice but enthusiastic snorkelers, to give this some context. Good luck and report back on what worked best for you.

Patsy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By KOB (LBR32) (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #496) on Friday, February 25, 2011 - 12:16 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

With very rare exceptions, the shore is crushed coral and the entries are mostly coral with some sandy spots. You need shoes/boots with some sole to them for nearly all Bonaire shore entries.

If you choose full foot fins, do as Patsy suggests ... take off the shoes/boots after entering the water and carabiner them.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ppartlo (BonaireTalker - Post #17) on Friday, February 25, 2011 - 12:23 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We've tried everything over the years and especially in Bonaire, nothing works as well as a pair of surf shoes with a good sole and open back fins. Safety, convenience and ease of use. You can leave the shoes on for beachcombing, etc. and then just walk into the water, slip on the fins, buckle and away you go. You leave the shoes on throughout. Closed fins are great, but we've watched too many folks struggle with those and other systems and if you like to snorkel in some of the more advanced areas or where you can encounter swells/surf like the south sites, the concept of walking into the water without protection on your feet....wow. They're braver than me....

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Thorpe, (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #767) on Friday, February 25, 2011 - 12:51 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

After the first visit, when I went home with cut and bruised feet,I started using a pair of tennis shoes which fit in my fins.
I normally trash them before my departure? It's just one more thing I don't have to put on or take off when diving.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1541) on Friday, February 25, 2011 - 1:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I live here, and snorkel practically every weekend. Here's what works for me, depending upon entry & current.

Easy, like Windsock (the beach at the beginning of the runway)...bare feet in & either aqua sphere fins or closed-foot medium-sized fins. Mostly I use the aqua spheres because they don't cramp my ankles or legs and they're easy to maneuver in--just enough umph for snorkeling with little current. http://www.aquasphereswim.com/us/index.php/component/content/article/67-fins/175-zip-fins

Long walks/little rubble, like Sorobon: either hard sole dive booties or sand socks in & out, then switch to fins. I have a mesh bag I put the shoes/socks in, clip it to my bathing suit & put it on my back (I'm very buoyant, so this works for me). The sand socks can stay on with my zip fins, but I prefer to remove them. The sand socks will not work for entries like Tolo (Ole Blue) or 1,000 steps-there you must wear hard-soles out. http://www.sandsocks.net/

I never wear my booties & open sole dive fins for snorkeling-just too much drag on the surface.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Nic (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #137) on Saturday, February 26, 2011 - 3:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I couldn't do Bonaire without Booties - my poor feet would be screaming!

All booties are NOT created equal. Some are very soft, and perfect for boat diving but would be painful on a Bonaire sore dive and trashed very quickly. You need a good hard soled bootie - SeaSoft Sunrays have consistently been a great choice (and no, i'm not employed by SeaSoft!)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1542) on Saturday, February 26, 2011 - 7:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

There are definitely areas where nothing less than a good hard-soled bootie for entry/exit will do. In those situations, I don't like to wear 'sturdy flip flops' or even Teva's, because the sides of your feet are exposed. (But still, after I'm in the water & floating, I change to what I consider my snorkel/surface fins).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Gilhousen (BonaireTalker - Post #28) on Sunday, February 27, 2011 - 12:17 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for all of the advice. My booties do have a hard rubber bottom, but may not be as ideal for Bonaire as some. My strategy at this point will be to use those booties to get into the water past the rubble zone, then remove them, and change into my closed fins. I'll then place the booties into a mesh bag that will be tied to me much like Patsy or Ruth described above. I'll do a test run of this in a swimming pool and maybe even the Gulf of Mexico with some wave action before my vacation (I live near New Orleans and my Bonaire trip isn't until late May).

If this doesn't work, I may bite the bullet and buy another pair of open fins, but this time it will be less weighty, so I can just slip into the fins, click them in, and tighten with the booties still on. I also may want to buy better booties when I get to Bonaire.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mickey McCarthy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #922) on Sunday, February 27, 2011 - 10:31 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

One thing that I never see mentioned is the inconvenience of dragging something along while free diving. Bringing stuff along on the surface is one thing, but if you free dive I can't see it.
I'm a hard sole booties and open back fins fan myself. With your mask and snorkel in place, walk in waist deep, flop down and pull your fins on. Done.
Mick

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1545) on Sunday, February 27, 2011 - 10:31 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sounds good David-you may be able to find a pair of the Aqua-Sphere Zip Fins that'll fit w/your booties. They're really made for swimmers who want to get more out of their work-out, but I find them great for no-pain snorkeling. I got my first pair at a Sports Authority. Worth a look.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Barbara "CB" Gibson (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6302) on Sunday, February 27, 2011 - 4:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I was so stubborn about my good old Mares slipper fins for several trips to Bonaire. Finally gave up and switched to my hard sole boots and cold water fins. But I do use a lighter pair than I use with the drysuit...those are overkill.

 


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