A Selfie with a Ten-meter Whale Shark Without Sacrificing Your Cell Phone!

You will swim with the whale shark in the Mexican Caribbean, you will immerse yourself in the transparent waters of Cozumel or in those of Isla Mujeres and you will frolic next to a fish of more than ten meters in length. And how will you immortalize that moment? How will your selfies be?

This experience presents a dilemma: on the one hand, you want to have all the mobility possible to follow the giant fish; On the other hand, you do not want to miss the opportunity to take underwater photos from all angles. Fortunately, today’s camera phones allow you to achieve both goals.

The team
The latest high-end phones on the market do not fail to include in their advertising the quality of their cameras and their resistance to water. Both the Iphone 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 boast of their water resistance with certifications that support the ability of their assemblies to protect circuits and internal components from dust and water. Thus, the Iphone 7 offers the IP67, so it should withstand a 30-minute dive to a depth of one meter without suffering damage; For its part, the S7 has the IP68, which also corresponds to a 30-minute dive, but 1.5 meters deep.
Can you snorkel next to the whale shark with your high-end cell phone in your hand? Before doing so, consider other factors:
1. The certifications correspond to dives in fresh water, salt water presents other risks for your equipment.
2. If your equipment has suffered a fall or other maltreatment, it is possible that its sealing is not as efficient as that of the new equipment in which the certifications were verified.
3. There is some testing of cell phones in marine water that verify the strength of the cell phones, but it has also been proven that both the iPhone 7 and the Samsung S7 can be damaged.
4. The good news is that these phones will be able to withstand, without problems, accidental plunges. The general recommendation is, after the immersion, to clean them with fresh water and to dry them with a towel.

Protection
In the market there are two very viable options to protect your device:
1. Waterproof cases. They are rigid and transparent boxes that protect the cell phone and are sealed to prevent the entry of water even to depths of up to ten meters. They also protect your phone from dust, particles that may be in sea water and from impacts. They are probably the safest option, although it can also be the most expensive. They have transparent areas that allow you to take photos and see the screen.
2. Waterproof covers. They are transparent plastic bags made of sturdy materials that protect your phone. They are considerably cheaper than rigid cases and allow more manipulation of your phone; They are probably a comfortable option to maneuver while looking for the best position next to the whale shark. On the other hand, they are also more susceptible to deterioration than the cases, so perhaps it is a good idea to check it frequently and replace the case as soon as it has the slightest runoff.
Finally, it will be a good idea to use a strap to hold your cell phone and allow you to swim freely with both hands.