| How to Improve Your Snorkeling Technique The key to successful snorkeling is relaxation. Overcoming the tendency to tense is equal parts psychological and physical. You will improve your skills and become comfortable in the water with practice. Here are eight easy tips. 1. Put all your equipment on and practice floating face-down, in a horizontal position. Don't swim. Just relax and float. You can do this in any shallow body of water, including a swimming pool. 2. Prepare for a mask flood and, if you break the mouth seal on your Aquamax Advantage, intrusion of water into the snorkel. If a flood happens in open water, it can be distressing to someone who is not ready to handle the situation. To ready yourself, practice floating in shallow water and deliberately flooding and clearing your equipment. a. To flood your mask, gently pull it away from your face and allow water to enter the mask. Clear it out by lifting your head out of the water and tilting the bottom of the mask away from your face, which will allow the water to drain out. b. To allow water into the Aquamax, take a deep breath and hold it, lower your head into the water, and move the mouthpiece to break the seal. Then rise to a point where the snorkel tube is above water and exhale a burst of air through your mouth to blast the water out. Cautiously take a breath to make sure all the water is gone. If it isn’t, blow again. 3. When you are underwater, objects appear 25 percent larger (or closer) than they really are. You can practice judging distance by floating in very shallow water and reaching down to touch the bottom. This will help you learn how far an arm's length is underwater. 4. Here is a picture of a Diver-Down Flag.  Be sure to use this flag when diving in open water. 5. Walking on land or on a boat while wearing fins can be clumsy. If you are snorkeling from shore, try putting your fins on, and removing them when you are finished, in waist deep water. If you are snorkeling from a boat, don't put your fins on until just before entering the water, and remove take them at the boat ladder before getting back on the boat. 6. To use your fins correctly, you must kick efficiently. You can do this with a slow, flutter kick motion. Try to keep your knees and ankles relaxed to prevent your leg muscles from cramping. Once you are proficient in this skill, you will notice that your fins propel you through the water. You will hardly need to use your arms and can let them rest easily at your side, or keep one arm floating in front of your head to act as a bumper. 7. Once you have mastered use of your equipment, practice controlling your movements in the water. You will feel more comfortable and calm in the water as you improve your maneuvering abilities, and will less frequently bump into objects in the water such as other snorkelers, reef elements, buoys, etc. 8. Knowing your personal limitations is vital to good snorkeling, yet is often overlooked. Recognize them and remain alert to them. There is no good reason to push your limits. They will change with each snorkeling opportunity presented. Factors to consider are water temperature, surge, currents and visibility. Your personal limitations also will change with experience, age, and change in health. A relaxed snorkeler derives more p1easure out of snorkeling and a greater appreciation of the environment. Further, a calm snorkeler seems less threatening to various forms of aquatic wildlife, whose normal behavior will be minimally and temporarily disrupted, allowing you to experience their world. |
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