How to Prevent Fogging in Your Snorkel Mask

It can be frustrating while diving here in Grand Cayman to be in the midst of amazing marine life with a foggy view. It is much easier to enjoy a snorkel dive with a clear mask! Fortunately, it is pretty easy to get your mask back to a crystal clear state.

From our friends at Tropical Snorkeling, here are some easy steps to follow that will keep your snorkel mask from fogging:

• Clean your mask often, and then don’t touch it inside. Clean it with toothpaste, and a toothbrush, not your finger. Apply a small amount of toothpaste, and scrub it in hot water. Rinse it completely in hot water. Do this often. (If your lens is not glass, use dish soap and a very soft brush or wash cloth so you don't scratch the plastic.)
• Use anti-fog every time you snorkel. The cheapest and easiest is a very mild solution of baby shampoo and water, or you can buy an anti-fog product. Spray it in your mask and swish it around thoroughly so it touches every surface of the glass. DO NOT RUB IT AROUND WITH YOUR FINGERS! Your fingers are oily and dirty. Then rinse your mask ONCE quickly with either fresh or salt water. (We use 10-12 drops of baby shampoo mixed with water in a 2 ounce spray bottle.)
• Then, put it on your face quickly. Shake out any water drops before putting it on. Try to have a relatively dry face. Once the mask is on with a good seal, try to keep from removing it and allowing moisture to enter. Try not to clear the mask by breathing inside of it unless you must (that adds moisture). We enter the water with a dry mask, over a dry face, and do not take that mask off at all during the snorkel, if possible. And it works.
• If all else fails and you are out on the water with a foggy mask, remove it, spit in it, shake the mask around to coat the glass (don’t rub it with your fingers), dump it out, and put it back on, this will generally fix the problem. If you don't have a lot of spit, dilute it with a small amount of salt water to coat the glass.
• If this process does not work for you, then you may need to have your mask burned at a dive shop. Sometimes new masks come with a coating on the glass that must be removed with fire. After that, this process should work great for you.

If you are not yet comfortable with your snorkel gear, but you really want to try it - take advantage of the heated swimming pool here at Harbour Heights. You can start off in the shallow area of the pool and adjust your mask and tube. Try a few laps around the pool with your gear on before heading out to try it in the sea. Getting comfortable with your gear will give you confidence for your first snorkel dive here in Grand Cayman. It is fun for all ages!

Trip Planning Advice - Harbour Heights, Cayman Islands

Are you planning your first trip to visit us here at Harbour Heights? Here are some things to keep in mind before you arrive.

Directions. Familiarize yourself with the directions on how to get to Harbour Heights from the airport. Many visitors keep their phones in airplane mode to avoid any overseas charges on accessing data. If that is the case, you will be unable to use the GPS function of your smartphone.

Rental Cars. We are a British Territory, and as such, we drive on the left side of the street. Cayman Island rental agencies offer cars that are set up with the driver side on the right. You can ask for a driver side left. To obtain a driver’s license here in the Cayman Islands, you will pay a small fee at the rental agency for a temporary license. Please check with your personal car insurance to understand if you are covered while driving here. If not, our rental agencies can offer insurance to cover you.

Driving. If you are unsure of which side of the road to drive on - watch for traffic to go by first, then follow the cars in the direction you are going. We have many roundabouts here in Grand Cayman instead of traffic lights, you will go clockwise in these roundabouts. Most entrance and exit access into parking lots are also reversed. It is helpful to have your passengers help watch for driving cues as well.

Currency. Most businesses here accept US dollars. When dining, most receipts show the cost of your purchase in both US dollars and Cayman Islands dollars. If you pay a bill with US money, you will receive your change in Cayman Islands currency.

Groceries. Grocery shopping on Grand Cayman Island is just like shopping anywhere else - except our grocery stores are not open on Sundays. Here you will find Foster’s Food Fair IGA, Kirks, and Hurley’s in Grand Harbor. If you are flying in on Saturday, you may want to make sure to visit one of these supermarkets and stock up for the weekend or the week. Beer and wine are not sold in our grocery stores.

Liquor. We are uniquely set up here at Harbour Heights to be able to sell liquor to our guests from our property office. You may buy liquor during our business hours only.

Dining Out. We have a wonderful range of restaurants here on Grand Cayman Island. Take a look online at the restaurants we have. You may want to make dinner reservations ahead of time, especially if you are visiting during our high season. One thing to make sure to notice - is the gratuity already included in your bill? Take a look at the bottom of the check before you finalize any payments. Again, you can pay with Cayman Islands currency or in US dollars.

Beach Access. The beaches around the entire island are public. Private beaches start at the high water line. Look for “Beach Access” signs along the road - park your car and follow the footpaths to our beautiful beaches. Along Seven Mile beach you will find Governor’s Beach, Public Beach, Cemetery Beach and West Bay Public Beach.

Snorkeling. Even if you do not consider yourself a diver, you may want to invest in a snorkel, mask, and fins. The Cayman Islands are surrounded by the crystal clear Caribbean Sea and is a premiere diving destination. We have wonderful marine life off our private beach and all around the island to enjoy. The dive shops here can help you with gear if you are not able to bring these things with you. You can also find fish identification guides to help figure out what you have seen while diving!

When Coral Spawns - an amazing night dive opportunity!

We have many coral reefs here in the Cayman Islands. They are a large part of the aquatic life here in our sea - providing protection and food for sea creatures, and beauty in just being themselves.

Once a year in the month of September, the corals here in Cayman spawn. The timing of this spawn is cued by the phase of the moon and it always happens at night. The window of the spawn is only 20 to 30 minutes long. During that time, the corals here release large numbers eggs and sperm into the the water simultaneously. This blizzard release increases the chances of fertilization. Once the coral egg and sperm unite, they create an embryo which will float in the sea for days or weeks before dropping to the sea floor. If the conditions are correct, the coral will start to grow - about 4 inches a year.

Is this something you would like to see? Think about planning your next dive vacation here in Cayman. (We would love to have you stay here at Harbour Heights!) There are dive shops/boats on the island that organize trips for divers interested in seeing this spectacular event.

Check out the video below by Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop - you get an idea of how amazing this time of year is for our coral!