Everything about Snorkeling totally explained
Snorkeling (
British spelling:
snorkelling) is the practice of
swimming at the surface of a body of water while equipped with a
diving mask, a shaped tube called a
snorkel, and usually
swimfins. In cooler waters, a
wetsuit may also be worn. Combining these tools allows the snorkeler to observe underwater attractions for extended periods of time with relatively little effort.
Snorkeling is a popular recreational activity, particularly at
tropical resort destinations and at accessible
scuba diving locations. Snorkeling is also employed by scuba divers when near the surface, and
search and rescue teams may snorkel as part of a water-based search.
The primary attraction of snorkeling is the opportunity to observe
underwater life in a natural setting. This may include
coral reefs and their denizens, such as
fish,
cephalopods,
starfish,
sea urchins, and
mollusks. Snorkeling in sandy areas may allow sighting of
rays and various
flatfish. Other organisms that can be seen while snorkeling include various forms of
seaweed,
jellyfish,
shrimp,
sea turtles, various types of sea cactus and occasionally anything else which may be found in the
ocean.
Getting started
Snorkeling requires no special training, only the ability to swim and to breathe through the snorkel. However, it's considered advisable that one get some instruction from a tour guide, dive shop, or equipment rental shop, any of which often can be found around popular snorkeling locations. Instruction generally covers equipment usage, basic safety, what to look for, and what to look out for, including how not to damage fragile organisms such as
coral. As with scuba diving, it's always recommended that one not snorkel alone, but rather with a "
buddy", a
guide, or a
tour group.
The mask and snorkel are similar to those used in scuba diving, but since they're not subjected to the pressures of deep water, they can be more lightweight and comfortable. Swimfins used in snorkeling are usually longer than those used in diving.
Experienced snorkelers often start to investigate amateur
free-diving, which should be preceded by at least some training from a dive instructor or experienced free-diver.
Swimmer's snorkel
A swimmer's snorkel is a tube about thirty centimeters (twelve inches) long, usually J-shaped, fitted with a
mouthpiece, and constructed of rubber or plastic. It is used for breathing air from above the water surface when the mouth and nose are submerged, either when snorkeling or during a surface swim before or after scuba diving. The snorkel usually has a piece of rubber that attaches the snorkel to the outside of the strap of the
diving mask, as sticking the snorkel in between the strap and the mask could cause the mask to leak, or risk losing the snorkel should the diver choose to switch to scuba.
Typically, the diving mask also serves to prevent breathing through the nose, so that one is forced to breathe through the snorkel. This also provides some negative pressure which helps keep the mask sealed against the face, though attempting to breathe out through the nose can break this seal and/or fog the mask.
The most common type of snorkel is a simple tube that's allowed to flood when
underwater. The snorkeller expels water from the snorkel either with a sharp exhalation on return to the surface or by tilting the head backwards once the head is above water.
Some modern snorkels have a
sump in the mouthpiece to allow a small volume of water to remain in the snorkel without being inhaled when the diver breathes. Some also have a one-way output valve in the sump, which automatically drains the sump as it fills with water. Some snorkels have float-operated valves attached to the surface end of the tube to keep water out when the snorkeller submerges. Snorkels used to be sold with
ping pong balls at the end of the tube. They are no longer sold or used, as they're considered hazardous to the snorkeler, as is the obsolete snorkel built into the
diving mask.
The maximum usable length of the snorkel tube is around forty centimetres (about fifteen inches). A longer tube would place the
lungs in deeper water where the surrounding water
pressure is higher and the lungs would be unable to inflate when the diver inhales, because the
muscles that expand the lungs are not strong enough to operate against the higher pressure. Snorkels also create what is called "dead air space." When the user takes in a fresh breath, some of the previously exhaled air remains in the snorkel and is recycled into the lungs, reducing breathing efficiency and causing
CO₂ retention. The greater the volume in the device, the more this problem is magnified.
Snorkeling locations
Snorkeling is possible in almost any body of water, but snorkelers are most likely to be found in locations where there are minimal waves, warm water, and something particularly interesting to see near the surface. Some of the most popular locations are warm,
coral-rich seas such as the
Caribbean Sea, the
Coral Sea and the
Red Sea.
Variants and related activities
Further Information
Get more info on 'Snorkeling'.
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