Strong swimmer to non-swimmer, we love them all!
Rachel Carrier, Operations Director
Each year MarineLab hosts students who cannot swim, but we have a system to ensure that every participant gets the attention required to thrive in our program. Swim levels are assessed during the swim test and ski vests issued to any student that needs the extra flotation. While other facilities are satisfied knowing the students will stay afloat, we realize the vest does not take all worries away; many are afraid of the water, the depth, and the creatures that live there. If students are worried, how will they enjoy the experience? That’s where our instructors excel!
Our staff are experts at helping participants overcome their fear of the ocean. Going from never swimming to snorkeling is quite a feat, but our instructors break that leap into baby steps. First, we get them comfortable with the mask and snorkel by having them sit on the lagoon stairs, gradually putting their face in the water as they gain confidence with the gear, progressing to floating on the water at the steps. We want them to be comfortable clearing their mask and snorkel of water, since that is often the source of panic while snorkeling. When they are ready, we take them out to the highlight of the lagoon, the underwater hotel, while giving them tips on how to kick efficiently. Our instructors stick close by for comfort but give them more space as they gain confidence.
Operations Director Rachel Carrier helps a young snorkeler gain confidence
The first snorkel off the boat is the next step to conquer. Just like the lagoon snorkel, our instructors are skilled at breaking this leap into small steps and know how to provide appropriate comfort when necessary. We have found that if the student, even in a ski vest, has something to grab onto they feel more comfortable, so instructors are never without their lifeguard tubes for students to grasp. Instructors stick close initially to help with any equipment issues but, slowly, we take the training wheels off (or in this case, the lifeguard tube out of their grasp) until they realize they are snorkeling on their own!
While the process takes patience on behalf of the instructor, the reward of seeing the student’s reaction to the life in the water is priceless. Nothing is better than seeing a student who started the MarineLab journey hesitant to do the swim test and now kicking around the coral reef excitedly shouting through their snorkel: “Stingray! Eel! Turtle!”
Here you can see that some students have partially inflated their snorkel vests for a little added buoyancy (and confidence!)
Our step-by-step process has proven very successful. I have personally seen students start their MarineLab experience at the lagoon steps with fear in their eyes only to leave a day or two later with a sense of accomplishment, newfound confidence, a camera full of pictures, a mind full of exciting memories, and a deep appreciation for the habitat they explored.
However, the reality is snorkeling is not for everyone - and that is OK! Ultimately, we want to change a non-swimmer’s perspective of the ocean. If it is not thru snorkeling, we have other tools that have proven effective in inspiring appreciation of our waters. Budding chemists stay on the boat, collect samples and measure water quality; bird watchers use our ID sheets and connect the food chain to our oceans; future policy makers chat with our captains about the various zones of the sanctuary in which their classmates are swimming. Check out our non-snorkeling programs, too!
Ultimately, our hope is that students who come to MarineLab learn to appreciate, respect, and conserve our oceans so it is there for many future generations. Learning to have confidence on and in the water is a huge first step.
A student uses a refractometer to check salinity at the reef.