Super excited to have a guest post from my mom, Karen, on her experience snorkeling in Ketchikan, Alaska!
When we started planning our Disney Alaskan Cruise, my daughter (the most informed traveler I know) shared her research on excursions with us. “Snorkeling Adventure” was an option. In Alaska? What? My husband was sold. Me not so much, I really wanted to do it but was kind of afraid. I am in my late 50’s, not a great swimmer and a big baby when it comes to cold temperatures. Ok, I really wanted the bragging rights. How many people can say they snorkeled in Alaska?
Snorkel Alaska Mountain Point Snorkeling Adventure in Ketchikan was even better than I expected. From the ship they took us by bus to their shop. While on the bus we were given some basic instructions about putting on the wet suit, the most important thing to remember is the zipper goes in the back. I forgot that. Our group was probably about twenty people, when we arrived at the shop we received our wet suits (you must bring your own swimming suit and towel) and went to the changing rooms…men had one and women had one. We were all together like in gym class. The wet suits were snug and if you put that zipper in front, it had to come off and go back on with a lot of pulling and tugging! We also got a bag to put everything dry into; the bags were loaded onto a locked truck at the water for safe keeping while you are snorkeling. We got our gloves, masks and flippers before boarding another bus and heading to the snorkel spot where some more instructions were given out before we hiked down a steep, sometimes rocky trail to the water.
We had four certified guides with us; someone was always in the back watching the group. I really am a coward in the water and I felt very safe and comfortable. We snorkeled around a rocky edge and the guides gave us short nature talks, brought things to the surface to show us and pass around. We saw pink, purple and orange starfish, colorful jellyfish, sea urchins and a few fish. There was some deep water to cross and kelp beds to go through (which made me a little uncomfortable) but I survived.
At that point there was an opportunity to do a free dive with weights that my husband did and enjoyed. After about an hour we headed back to shore and the shop for some hot chocolate.
I can’t say enough good things about the guides and the excursion. Everyone was professional and kind. They made everyone feel comfortable and never pushed us, letting everyone move at their own pace. They were always helpful, like offering me assistance putting on and taking off my flippers in the water. They had floats to grab if you got tired and they were always nearby. They were a great team and made everything go very smooth and feel effortless.
I almost forgot the most important thing…even though the water was 50 degrees I was NOT cold. We walked thigh-deep into the water and then sat down which filled the space between your skin and your suit with water. It was immediately cold and then just as quickly warmed up from your body temperature. This layer of warm water served as insulation from the cold water. The only thing that was cold was the part of my face not covered by the mask and once that went numb, I was good to go.
Snorkeling in Alaska, my first thought was “they’re going to be freezing.” But that’s really cool how the wet suit works! Looks like they had an awesome trip!
They had a great time! Thanks for stopping by Chelsea.
That’s so cool! I’ve only ever been snorkeling and scuba diving in Florida, the Bahamas and Caribbean, so I have no experience with cold water. Even though I’m a huge baby when it comes to the cold, too, I would have jumped at this chance. What a great experience!! (And I’m with you–wetsuits are a really, really cool invention!)
It’s definently not something that a lot of people can say they have done! So awesome.
I bet it was beautiful… but freezing! Way to brave the cold!
xoxo
The Accidental Mama
http://theaccidentalmama.com
Beautiful and worth it 🙂
That trip looks amazing! I have always wanted to go to Alaska. It always looks so beautiful in pictures! Glad they had a great time 🙂
Alaska is beautiful! You should definitely plan a trip 🙂
Disney goes to Alaska!?!? This is awesome! Alaska is on my list of places to go and a snorkling adventure sounds like a must do in life 🙂 I think it’s really cool that the heat from the suit helped a bit with the cold… great post and great adventure!
Yes Disney sails to Alaska during the summer months, isn’t that awesome?
The starfish look so beautiful! What an enchanting adventure!
Thank you Gina! Definitely not something everyone can say they’ve done
Paris your mom is brave because I would be chicken to go snorkeling in cold water, well any temperature water since I can’t swim. I would love to take a Alaskan trip someday!
Alaska is so beautiful and there are so many different adventures to go on.
I have to say that I didn’t know you could snorkel in Alaska! I’ve snorkeled in the Caribbean, but I’m impressed and I learned something new today! That starfish is beautiful!
And your mom did an excellent job on the blog!
Thank you Alli! It’s so much fun to snorkel isn’t it?
Looks like so much fun! Thanks for sharing 🙂
They had lots of fun! Thank you for stopping by.
OMG!! First off, I had no idea you could snorkel in Alaska, secondly that looks like so much fun and the pictures are gorgeous!!
Thank you Jillian! Isn’t that so cool!
Let’s introduce our mothers. My sister took my mom on this adventure a few years ago. She didn’t snorkel though just whale watching and such. I’d love for my mom to do a guest post. This is the coolest and I will be showing my mom tonight for a little encouragement. 🙂
Hey Mama Paris!!!
I hope you can convince your mom to guest post! I’d love to see what she has to say 🙂
Snorkling is one of those things that I would love to do one day but simultaneously terrifies the life out of me. What if I’m eaten by a shark!? It looks like you had a great time though, so maybe I’ll keep it on my bucket list. 😉
xo
You should give snorkeling a try! Lots of fun and you get to something totally different.
WOW! that is amazing – would it be weird for me to say I did not expect that at all, I would have not expected it to be that beautiful! Need to add this to my bucket list for sure!
Isn’t it amazing how beautiful under the water is?
This is so cute, I would LOVE to do this one day!
Definitely an item for your bucket list.
hmm, this looks like so much fun.
Definitely lots of fun! 🙂
Thanks for sharing Karen. That does look awesome and my brother has a place down near there. I just might have to check it out. Thanks again
Ann