Snorkelling

Hi all,

I've been reading all the FAQs with respect to snorkelling both in Rarotonga and Aitutaki, and I have a couple of questions - sorry if these seem a bit stupid, but I haven't done much snorkelling, although am a strong swimmer.

What exactly are "Reef shoes"? We have "Crocs" - are they the same thing? Would any kind of shoe which would protect your feet from cuts do the job?

I read somewhere that there was something you should do if you do get a coral cut, but now I can't find it anywhere... can anyone enlighten me?

Our hotels have snorkelling equipment we can use, does anyone have any experience with this? Or should we just bring/buy our own?

Hmmm..... I think that's all for now.....

Thank you in advance!

Not Crocs, lightweight water slippers that you can swim in. Like this (but I would get cheap ones).

I would assume that the resort snorkel quality is poor and wouldn't want to put something in my mouth that someone else has put in theirs. Bring your own.

Any lightweight footwear is good enough to protect your feet. I used a cheap pair of runners -- they fit tight to your feet and are flexible. Crocs don't sound like a good idea to me. By the way, if you could see what happened to those runners after a couple of months, you'll appreciate why they are needed.

I also wouldn't depend on hotel snorkeling equipment. A good dive shop could be trusted to have quality masks. Otherwise, if you have your own mask and snorkel, bring them. At least you'll know in advance what you can depend on. Flippers wouldn't be an problem -- I usually rented those.

I have not heard of anything special about treating coral cuts -- but don't put a lot of trust in my limited knowledge. I'd clean thoroughly and treat with antiseptic/antibiotic cream. But, I'd do that with any cut in the tropics.
Some corals are poisonous. Perhaps, as with jellyfish stings, etc, some vinegar (or urine) helps neutralize the poison. I assume the locals could tell you what to watch out for, and what to do in case of accident.

All corals are technically "poisonous" in that the coral bits that come off have a very mild toxin in them. But basicaly all you want to do with a coral cut is literally scrape out any bits of coral using your fingernails. Ouch! but it's not really that bad! The bits of coral that remain in the cut will cause an inflammation or infection, or both, so just make sure to scrape it two or three times over the first few hours. Don;t just clean it once and put on a band-aid and forget it, clean it every couple of hours. But aside pehaps from some antibiotic cream, we never did anything in the Cooks other than getting the coral bits out.

If it's a large scrape over a thigh, etc., you may feel a little fever overnight, but some Tylenol or paracetomol will stop most of the discomfort.

It's not really a big problem if you have your reef shoes on (lightweight nylon with a rubber or plastic bottom, as indicated above).

Wes upplied snorkeling gear at my Shangri-La. We did try to keep the masks clean with bleach, but many places probably do not do that, from what others have told me. Bring your own mask and snorkeli if you can. Flippers are not really needed in the Cooks, esp. on RAR, as it's walk-in snorkeling, not in the ocean, but they can be helpful if it's a windy day.

#3 I was warned in particular about a hard branching coral that had purplish tips ... ever hear anything special about that? Just curious ...

I find that good old cheap kung fu shoes (the ones with a strap) stay on better than cheap reef shoes. The reef shoes are usually pulled off my feet in strong surf but the strap on the kung fu shoes keeps them on securely.

Oldpro--haven't heard of purple-tipped ones, but there is something that is red, and is called "fire coral". Very painful, though not fatal. I have never heard of it in the Cooks, but it may be in warmer waters of the SP, or perhaps very hot places like the Red Sea, etc. It's described in the main books about coral.

OP---I used to wear sneakers (trainers) when I would visit the Cooks, but then I bought a US$5 pair of "reef shoes" after a few trips. The sneakers will basically be ruined by using them a number of times in the water, as the glue holding all the pieces together starts to fail.

Not sure what kung fu shoes are, but they seem to be a good idea. But be wary of using open-toed sandals when you snorkel, esp, on RAR. Since you are walking around in the lagoon, you can easily stub your big toe on coral bits, which do not always grow in normal patterns. So, if it's open-toed, make sure your toes are not sticking out as you walk.

Raro: Kung Fu shoes (don't know what else to call them) are little black canvas shoes sold in every shop in any Chinatown everywhere. They come in two styles, the ones with a strap (sort of like the slippers you see on Chinese cartoon characters) and the others are sort of like a canvas loafer.

Reef shoes. I swear by them. Inexpensive and effective. As for treating coral injuries, my partner - lovely Janice - swam backwards into a coral head while visiting Rarotonga. As with the previous postings, we found that treating with an antiseptic cream - with a reapplication after being in the water - worked just fine.

Regards,
Mark

Letterdude---Not to wish coral cuts on anybody during their vacation, but after seeing you and lovely Janice together, I'm sure you applied that antiseptic cream very liberally, and she was glad to accept it!
Hope you are still having a great time together!

Thanks for the smile, Elliot! Everything is very well with us. In fact, Janice & I are now officially engaged! We're toying with the idea of just telling our friends and family to meet us in the Cook Islands if they want to be part of a ceremony! If you're inclined, drop me an email. It'd be nice to touch base with you. Quite difficult now that you're a globe-trotting bazillionaire!

Warmest regards,
Mark

LD--Congratulations to you and Janice!

Great news, Letterdude. Congratulations to you and Janice.

Hi Mark,

Congrats to you and "the lovely Janice". I think a wedding in the Cooks is the perfect plan.

We are counting the days until November 18th. Our fourth trip to the Cooks.

Donna

For coral cuts/grazes - I was recommended to use a soft nailbrush to remove bits of coral - I guess a fingernail would do much the same job. Use an iodine based antiseptic cream/ointment - Betadine is the one we use.

I just tuned in - great news and congrats to you Letterdude and the soon-to-be Mrs. Letterdude.

More smiles, here! Thanks for the kind wishes. (It wasn't my intention to hijack the thread!)