NB I talking strictly snorkelling only – not diving,
I can't find a company that will take me (62 F) and my partner (72 M) snorkelling.
I've snorkelled 50+ years I'm a competent swimmer who is used to swimming in the sea and has snorkelled coral reefs from Australia to Mexico. We will have travel insurance that covers all medical expenses, death, liability etc etc. Snorkelling is not even a declared activity for travel insurance in my country ie it's not dangerous like skiing or diving.
Yet the same companies that will take non-swimmers (!) and 3yos – won't take us – because we're old! Do they actually check your age when you turn up – I'm truly tempted just to book and ignore it .
Looking for both Ishigaki and Okinawa honto – happy to support any non-discrimatory companies you can recommend.
by Present-Carob-7366
11 comments
I took my Dad, 65, to this Blue Cave tour. Neither of us had any experience and he is an XXL t-shirt for size reference. Went GREAT! Highly recommended https://www.bokenjima.jp/
I doubt they check your age, but if something were to happen, your insurance would be void. Not worth the risk, and might even be breaking the law (I ain’t no lawyer though!).
Destiny Charters will take you, and they speak English, look them up on FB
It prob has to do with their insurance policy.
Yeah Okinawa is super strict. 😠the age thing is so silly, but a lot of them won’t bend. Im pregnant and no one will take me either, even though there is zero risk. ðŸ˜
It’s most likely set by the insurance company and the snorkeling company for YOUR safety.
Insurance works solely based on statistics, age and weight correlate with physical fitness and those stats drive rates and if policies are available. Older and heavier people drown more often and are more likely to suffer from sudden cardiac arrest while doing exercise. Just because you have insurance doesn’t mean your insurance won’t try to sue the snorkeling company’s insurance because of negligence.
From the company’s point of view, if you are over a certain weight they may not be able to pull you up on a boat or rescue you if you start to drown. The snorkeling equipment they have available has a weight and size limit.
Just because you have insurance and don’t mind dying, doesn’t mean if the 50kg female snorkeling instructor who can’t pull you up ladder because you have sudden cardiac arrest and they need to get you on a boat to give you assistance would want to live with that for the rest of her life because she had to cater to someone who might be too heavy and at a higher rist of something going wrong.
Tour? Just buy some snorkeling gear and jump in the water.
My goal is 50 days in the water here this year.
You can easily pickup some decent enough gear at don quixote and have it for your visit, and it’s probably cheaper to just do that and then throw it away or give it away than it would have been to go on a tour.
to be fair 62 feet and 74 meters tall becomes long in the water and that’s a lot of diver to take care of.
You say weight restricted but don’t mention your weight?
If you have all that experience, go snorkeling on your own.
We are having the same issues. I am 65 and my husband will be 70 at time of our cruise. Coming into ports in both Ishigaki and Okinawa, we cannot book tours for snorkeling and/or discover scuba. We have participated in these activities in many parts of the world, most recently in Bonaire in the Caribbean. Most of the descriptions in Viator, trip advisor, get your guide, etc say things like 10-99 years. Then I get an email saying we are outside their age restrictions. And no one is replying back when I try to get more clarification. Traveling half way around the world and not being able to do these things is extremely disappointing. a couple of sites are mentioned here in some of the comments and I have tried with the same outcome. Any help? My trip is in September 2024.