What Is Snorkeling?

Snorkeling is an easy and fun swimming activity that can be done at just about any beach or coastal area in the world. The equipment is inexpensive and portable, the skills required minimal, and the activity very safe. Furthermore, snorkeling serves as a good gateway activity for SCUBA diving.

  1. Identification

    • Snorkeling is a popular recreational activity that allows a swimmer to observe sea life with a minimum of equipment and training, and the same degree of safety as regular open sea swimming.

    Equipment

    • The minimum basic equipment for snorkeling is a dive mask, swimming fins, and a snorkel (breathing tube). Some snorkelers also wear a flotation device, and in colder water, a wetsuit may be worn.

    Significance

    • Snorkeling basically consists of swimming on the surface, using the mask to look down and see what is going on in the waters below while breathing through the snorkel. An intrepid snorkeler can combine this with skin diving, quickly kicking down to depths of up to 5 meters for a brief closer look.

    Warning

    • The main risk in snorkeling is sunburn on the back and shoulders. Most snorkeling goes on in tropical waters, and people not wearing t-shirts, wet suits, or a thick coat of sunblock tend to come away with badly burned shoulders, upper backs, and necks.

    Location

    • The best places for snorkeling are reefs and rocks that attract fish but have low currents and high visibility. Most popular beach areas will have a decent snorkeling spot in the vicinity, although they may not be marked as such.