Featured Story

Universal Orlando Resort: Where to Stay & Play for a Few Days

By

My recent stay at Universal Orlando Resort was so much fun and I’m going to share and highlight my favorite moments with you. First and foremost, I stayed at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort on the property which allowed me early access (one hour) to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™. It was my first time experiencing Diagon Alley™. I took advantage of the complimentary shuttle service to Universal Studios Florida and was able to … [Read More...]

Life & Style

Navigating Disney World During a Pandemic

By

I recently had an opportunity to visit Walt Disney World as part of my Goofy Getaways FAM Training. It was exciting and I was a bit anxious because even though some restrictions are being lifted, guidelines are more relaxed, and travel is starting to … [Read More...]

Strike a pose at Pose Selfie Studio

By

I recently had an opportunity to visit the NEW Pose Selfie Studio in Raleigh, NC with my daughter and it was so much fun. The great thing about this studio is that you have all the tools you need to capture your perfect photos alone or you can go … [Read More...]

Taste the Flavors of St. Thomas USVI

By

I am excited to be collaborating with my fellow foodie lover Hannah Victoria on this listing of places to eat in St. Thomas USVI whether you are visiting or local to the island. We are giving you our personal opinions based on our dining experiences … [Read More...]

More Top Stories

Tech

Travel

Navigating Disney World During a Pandemic

By

I recently had an opportunity to visit Walt Disney World as part of my Goofy Getaways FAM Training. It was exciting and I was a bit anxious because even though some restrictions are being lifted, guidelines are more relaxed, and travel is starting to … [Read More...]

Taste the Flavors of St. Thomas USVI

By

I am excited to be collaborating with my fellow foodie lover Hannah Victoria on this listing of places to eat in St. Thomas USVI whether you are visiting or local to the island. We are giving you our personal opinions based on our dining experiences … [Read More...]

Food

Rosé All Day at Seasons 52

By

I recently had the opportunity to experience the Seasons 52 Summer Menu paired perfectly with Rose cocktails. The menu changes with the season and I can really appreciate that. My reservation was for 7:00pm and it … [Read More...]

A Floating Phone Lanyard Adventure at Coki Beach

My experience using a floating phone lanyard while snorkeling at Coki Beach began with a small travel worry. I wanted pictures of the reef and bright fish, but a loose phone near a boat dock and wet rocks felt risky. The float let me keep my phone close without leaving it in a beach bag.

I paired the lanyard with a separate waterproof pouch and kept the phone above water throughout the actual snorkelling. That distinction mattered: the lanyard improved access and recovery, but it did not replace a properly rated case or sound swimming judgement.

Why I packed a phone for snorkelling

Coki Beach sits on the eastern side of St Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and its offshore reef gives snorkellers something to see even when waves make a longer swim impractical. Before this visit, I checked my notes in JenOni travel stories and asked the water-sports crew which area looked calmer that morning. Their advice shaped where I entered.

I also considered a compact action camera, but I did not want to manage two devices on holiday. Instead, I tested the lanyard and pouch on dry land, checked the clip under load, and confirmed that I could reach the phone without letting the float strike my chin. That preparation made the first entry feel much calmer.

How the lanyard felt in use

I adjusted the strap until the foam section rested above my chest and the phone sat firmly inside its clear pouch. The buoyancy worked: when I stopped swimming, the assembly stayed at the surface instead of sinking toward my feet. It also stayed visible whenever I surfaced for air.

In current, though, the lanyard became a swinging weight. I turned it away from my body, kept one hand free, and unclipped it before crossing a rocky entry or moving near a boat lane. I never trusted the float to make a dangerous swim safer.

Keeping salt and sun away

After each outing, I powered off the phone, wiped away salt with a damp microfibre cloth, and rinsed the pouch in fresh water according to its maker’s instructions. I left everything open to air-dry before touching the seals again. That routine prevented grains of sand and dried salt from scratching the screen or catching a fold.

Sun was another issue because the clear pouch can show fingerprints and fine salt marks almost as clearly as the fish. I kept the phone in shade, used the clip to stop it knocking against the float, and followed the local guidance for reef-conscious sunscreen. The screen stayed readable, and I avoided accidental touch shots with a firm two-finger grip.

Photos at the surface, not underwater

I kept the phone in the pouch while I snorkelled and raised it only when I was standing still in shallow, calm water. From there, the bright surface colour looked strong, and a quick tap produced better results than trying to frame fish while breathing through a mask.

Video was less forgiving. Waves crossed the lens, my thumb often covered a corner, and storage settled faster than I could change settings. I switched to still photos, used short clips only when I was waist-deep, and saved the clearest shots to memory card space rather than filling the camera roll with duplicates.

Which images were actually worth keeping

The keepers from Coki were simple: turquoise water, striped fish near the reef, and a friend turning towards me before we pointed back to shore. The lanyard let me show the screen after each stop, so we could decide whether another image was worth making. It also discouraged me from racing through the shallows just to collect content.

When I think about travel photography beyond water sports, I enjoy pieces built around patient landscape work, such as Hathi Parvat photography. Its layered mountain views reminded me that a good travel image includes scale and place, not only whatever happened directly in front of the lens. That approach reduced the pressure to photograph every fish passing my mask.

Australian details I had to rethink

My usual Australian beach routine, shaped by summers in Melbourne and trips to Sydney, still travelled with me: SPF 50, a rash vest, a hat, and a phone bumper. Coki’s tropical heat made that habit more than cosmetic. I applied sunscreen before entering the water, kept the pouch under a towel between swims, and added a small UV-resistant clip for the strap.

Before leaving Melbourne, I compared phone-protection ranges at Australian retailers such as JB Hi-Fi and Officeworks with marketplace listings. The local shops made returns straightforward, while the wider online range offered more lanyard styles. I bought mine before departure so I could test its clip and pouch fit with my own phone rather than gamble at the airport.

I also exchanged some Australian dollars for US dollars, because St Thomas uses American currency. Cards worked at larger businesses, but I kept small notes for taxis, market stalls, and small water-sports operators. This avoided carrying an unfamiliar mix and made shared rides simpler when everyone could settle the fare in the same currency.

My verdict and better alternatives

I would use the lanyard again on a calm Coki morning, but only for surface shots, quick check-ins, and short pauses in shallow water. It worked because it stayed visible and stopped me from juggling a phone, towel, and mask bag. It was not the right tool for currents, boat traffic, or genuine underwater images.

The biggest buying checks are pouch rating, seal compatibility, strap length, and a quick-release point that can be operated one-handed. Fit matters more than colour: the phone should not bounce, and the foam should not sit so low that every step sends it into your knees. Used with sensible limits, it turned an anxious habit into a controlled one.

Setup Best use at Coki Phone protection Trade-off
Floating lanyard and rated pouch Standing in calm, shallow water High when properly sealed Swings in current and adds neck bulk
Waterproof pouch with wrist strap Brief shoreline or wading shots High when properly sealed Can tire the wrist and sit lower
Phone left in a dry beach bag Snorkelling without photos Excellent No photos while swimming
Mask camera or rental camera Real underwater images Excellent for the camera itself Extra cost or another item to carry