Snorkelling is the most popular water sport in the world. This activity is generally safe and enjoyable, especially for underwater sightseeing. It also has another popular name, called ‘free diving‘ or ‘surface diving’. It allows tourists and divers to observe marine life and explore underwater formations. You may also have to try this type of ocean activity for holiday plans.
Even though freediving is relatively safe, there are still many important things you need to be aware of before going for it. Surface diving might be exciting, but it requires proper learning to avoid any injuries from the surrounding environment. In some cases, you need to learn about the surroundings due to environmental conditions or a lack of knowledge.
This article is helpful for anyone who wants to start snorkelling safely. There are many steps and also preparation before you can enjoy these refreshing attractions. Understanding water conditions and marine life helps improve your snorkel experience. There, you will have an awesome experience after you get these helpful tips!
What is snorkelling?
Snorkelling is one activity of diving under the surface of the ocean using a breathing tube or oxygen tanks. It is often a light recreation to observe the view of ocean life and the coral reef structure. In some cases, snorkelling is also diving deeper into the ocean to gain a view of other marine creatures. It could serve the purpose of scientific research to have more insight below the water.
Doing it usually requires professional gear to help make diving much longer. This also works for the divers to enjoy the view of marine life slowly without any rush. This is one of the activities you could try with the family or friends, as it is less dangerous and could be performed in calm and safe water. For the expert one, a snorkeller usually takes a deep dive about 7 to 10 metres below the surface.
3 Tips to start snorkelling for beginners
Going snorkelling, in fact, doesn’t have any real difficulties like scuba diving or cave diving. It is much easier than other forms of diving, and beginners can feel comfortable while doing it. Doing surface diving is also quite a cheap option if you are thinking about affordable holidays. While scuba or cave diving needs expensive gear, a snorkel is much cheaper than that. You don’t have to have many lifetime experiences to snorkel.
In addition to that, these are pretty clean and useful tips for you who want to start enjoying freediving. You may want to try diving with your partner before going solo. This will help you build confidence and also help your knowledge grow faster after you read the explanation below. Here are three tips for doing surface diving for beginners!
Choose the right gear.
Having the right snorkelling gear is essential for comfort and a safe experience under the water. You at least need a fitting mask, snorkel, and fins to breathe or move efficiently below the ocean. Testing the gear is always important to do first, in case you want to enter deeper water to enjoy other marine life activities. Here are the top 3 important gears you need to have:
- Mask: Choose one that seals well and prevents leaks.
- Snorkel: Dry-top snorkel to keep water out.
- Fins: The right size for comfort and smooth swimming.
Practice the diving technique
One of the important things is that you need to learn how to dive properly first. Breathing while snorkelling is pretty much different from normal swimming. Learn to hold your breath in shallow water until it feels natural. Learning to breathe slowly and steadily helps prevent panic and maintain energy stability. You also need to learn water-clearing techniques from small splashes or waves. Here are a few steps:
- Take slow, deep breaths through the snorkel
- Practise clearing water using purge or blast methods
- Keep your face in the water and stay calm
Learn the basic swimming technique.
Learning how to swim is a basic, crucial thing before you can jump into snorkelling. While it serves safety purposes, you also need to feel comfortable first inside or underwater. It will let you do longer snorkel sessions and make them more enjoyable. Beginners should train fin techniques and maintain a relaxed posture, such as:
- Float on stomach and back comfortably.
- Use slow, steady fin kicks for better movement.
- Relax your body to conserve energy while deep diving in the ocean.
Conclusions
Snorkelling is a wonderful and relatively cheap activity compared to scuba diving. You could easily try it with your friends or family, as it is also the best way to exercise your body and mind, excitingly. Another benefit you could get from it is that it will train your swimming underwater. This is also the best way to try to enjoy nature safely.
But don’t worry, our team at Discovery Komodo Adventure will be ready to become your snorkel partner, exploring the ocean. Komodo Island offers a lot of underwater heaven you could visit while snorkelling. Enjoy our tour and trip packages full of excitement and spectacular entertainment with our team, fulfilling your incredible journey.
