Whether snorkelling on holiday, at your local beach at home or anywhere in between, you will want to make the most of your time in the water. Let’s assume you have covered yourself in sunblock or gotten into a nice warm wetsuit, depending on the weather and are ready to dive into snorkelling.
When ready to hit the water, ensure your body can handle it. If not, take precautions by applying sunblock and getting into warm clothes before diving in! Once there, snorkelling will be all about exploring what lives under this beautiful blue sea – so don’t forget those underwater cameras or masks just because they might seem scary at first glance, but once tried, taste sweet indeed 🙂
So, without further ado, here are some tips for snorkelling like a pro when travelling into the tropics. Enjoy.
6 Tips On How To Snorkel Like A Pro – Snorkelling Tips
So, without further ado, here are some snorkelling tips to glide like a pro when travelling into the tropics. Enjoy!
Pick A Quiet Area to snorkel
What you don’t want when you decide to go snorkelling is a lot of people. They will scare away the fish, get in your way, and splashing will cause water to go down your breathing tube. Instead, pick a place with fewer people and try not to make too many movements for the best snorkelling results.
Patience is vital in snorkelling; sometimes, you might succeed more than others, but this is normal. If you struggle to find somewhere quiet, consider doing something else until fewer people are around.
Get The Right Gear
The right gear is where your snorkelling experience is going to begin. You want to ensure that you have high-quality equipment to enjoy snorkelling to its fullest. This means that when choosing a mask, you want one that fits comfortably and is the correct size. If you don’t, you will suffer from leaks, or it will start hurting when wearing.
Visiting a specialized store such as Ninja Shark Snorkelling will provide the best results. Buying fins, a mask, and a breathing tub would be best. These, too, should fit comfortably, and you must ensure that you wash away any sand before wearing them, as this will cause painful blisters otherwise. Closed-heel fins are the best as they stick to your feet better, so you must get one in your specific size.
Defog Your Mask
One of the most annoying things about wearing a mask is having to keep taking it off to wipe away the fogging. One tactic is to wet your face and hair before putting the show on. This makes your face closer to the same temperature as the seawater before placing the mask on, reducing the risk of fogging.
Ensure you don’t get any hair caught in the mask, which will cause leakage. Another thing you can do to defog your mask might sound strange. Applying some toothpaste to the inside of your new cover and rubbing it all over the lenses before giving it a good rinse will help stop the fogging. Your spit can also work, but toothpaste works best. Just rinse it thoroughly, as you don’t want it to get into your eyes.
Practice Breathing
It might sound odd telling a person to practice breathing as you do it all day, every day, without a thought, but it is essential when it comes to snorkelling. Using a snorkel allows you to feel the little airflow resistance created. It would help if you got used to breathing through the snorkel before trying it in the water.
When you are in the water, practising shooting water out the end of the snorkel with a large puff of air will help you be prepared when it happens unexpectedly. Some snorkels have a purge valve or other way to remove the water, so see your specific instructions for what to do with these.
You should also be aware that water will cover your snorkel at certain times, causing you to push it all out. Breaking slowly stops you from inhaling water and lets you know when you have water in your mouth and when the snorkel needs clearing.
Snorkelling Positions
The best way to snorkel is to have your hands cross your chest and gently kick with your fins. Ensure that you don’t use your knees but move from your ankles when kicking. This will produce a far-small splash and prevent any fish from being startled. Crossing your arms is also great for keeping you warm if the temperature starts to dip, too.
If you calm down and breathe regularly, you will naturally float across the water’s surface, so you shouldn’t worry about sinking. Snorkelling takes patience, so you need to be ready to relax in your arms-crossed position for a while and enjoy the experience of snorkelling.
If your arms feel stiff, you could always try laying them before you or leaving them by your side. Feel free to experiment and find a comfortable position for you.
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Know Your Limits
Knowing your limits is one of the best snorkelling tips you can be given. Knowing your ability applies to knowing when you are tired and your power to swim back to shore. You don’t want to get stranded or let yourself float out to sea, so you need to be aware of your position in the water relative to the beach. There is no point pushing yourself too far and for a relaxing snorkelling session to turn into something dangerous.
Knowing your limits also applies to understanding places you might not be allowed to go or things you can’t do. For example, your beach might have an area where swimmers cannot enter for one reason or another. Another example could be around touching the coral.
Firstly, you don’t want to damage the natural habitat here (as a snorkelled, you are only there to observe), but you also don’t want to get yourself stabbed by a sea urchin, as this can be extremely painful. Other than that, relax and enjoy yourself.
Hopefully, the above has prepared you for a unique and unforgettable snorkelling experience in the tropics! When heading off on a tropical adventure, remember the four golden snorkelling rules to ensure you stay safe. Don’t forget your camera to capture all the sea life before it dissolves into the blue, and most importantly, have fun – that is what snorkelling is all about, after all!
Snorkelling may be a challenge at first if you are new to it, but soon enough, with time and practice, you’ll be gliding across the waves like a professional. There’s no better feeling than feeling like “The King of the Sea”, so whether this is your first time, happy snorkelling!
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