Snorkeling - Floating Through An Underwater World!

By Basil C. Hill
Snorkeling is a fancy word for breathing underwater while floating. It is the heavenly experience of weightlessness, when the human body relinquishes all fear, all negativity, and your eyes take your mind through an inverted bubble as you wade through tunnels of friendly fish, lurking lobsters, flowering sea fans, colorful corals, sea sponges, silent and slothful sea cucumbers, sleeping sea rays, and gigantic green and huge hawksbill sea turtles.

Imagine you just received a personal invitation from an animated sea creature to go on a tour through a giant fish tank the size of a football field. That is what a snorkeling experience is to those who never experienced the natural high that snorkeling provides.
Years ago as I lay on the aft deck of a sail boat anchored off Bird Island--situated approximately half mile due east of Jumby Bay Island and hotel Antigua-- I watched a blue wrasse circle the boat a few times. I held a piece of bread in my hand and dared the fish to take it. The first day, its patience got the better of me and my big heart.

The second day it came closer. By the third day, it felt confident enough to take the bread out of my hand. By day five, it is either my imagination got the better of me, or I was flipping out because my little fishy friend actually beckoned me to follow it. So I took a snorkel and mask from the boat and after a few practice sessions, I was on my way following my little friend.
My first reaction was "Wow!" Purple sea sponges, yellow, white and brown corals, giant squid, and sea horses that swam upside down---I saw them all as my little friend introduced me to its world--a sort of thank you for sharing my lunch daily. Naturally I got hooked.
Learn to Snorkel: 10 Simple Keys:
After teaching so many people to snorkel, many who first told me "I cannot swim," I have decided to pass the information on to millions more. A whole new world of relaxation in liquid colour awaits you.
Never say you cannot swim or you cannot snorkel. Assuming that physically you are able to, the only reason you cannot swim is that perhaps you were never taught; the only reason you cannot snorkel is that perhaps you never tried. So begin to watch the Discovery Channel and observe the beauty and ease through which the human body will glide through water when it is at its most relaxed state.
Key number 1... Go to a Dive shop, sporting goods store or Google Amazon or Target stores. Click on snorkel equipment within their outdoors departments. Look at the different types of equipment you will need. For just about $100.00, you can learn one of the safest, healthiest and most rewarding sports available. You will need a mask, a pair of fins, and the vest is optional. If the vest is buoyant and you are nervous about swimming, then buy the vest.
Key number 2... Snorkeling is a fancy word for being able to breathe comfortably under water. So a proper fitting mask is necessary for ensuring that water doesn't seep through. A tube fits under the strap of the mask and protrudes above the water's surface to enable you to breathe in air through your mouth, because the mask is built in such a way that your nose fits inside the mask.

You first objective is to make sure that the open tip of the snorkel does not go under water while you are taking in air. So before you put on a mask, in the comfort of your home hold your nose and, learn to breathe through your mouth while holding your nose. Try listening to music or even reading a book while you are doing it. That simulates the type of pleasant distraction you will have while snorkeling.
Key number 3... When shopping for, or renting a mask, make sure your mask fits. Most Caribbean hotels--especially those known for beaches with reefs--have their own snorkel equipment available for guests.

Before you book your next Caribbean vacation, ask your travel agent: "Does the hotel have crystal clear water, and snorkeling off the beach?"
Not all Caribbean hotels have good snorkeling from their adjacent beach. Some arrange boat trips to reefs; others do not have the type of clear visibility necessary for snorkeling. Do your own research; read the guests comments on their web sites.

As a person who has snorkeled in the Caribbean, Pacific Isles, and the Mediterranean, my favourite places are: Barbuda, Bequia, and Antigua with its almost 400 beaches, including dozens of uninhabited and ecologically undisturbed offshore islands. Most people will tell you that Antigua has some of the world's best beaches and that is hard to dispute; however, what few people know is that even though Antigua boasts more Top Ten-rated beaches than most destinations, its sister island Barbuda has--in my opinion and the opinion of many professional dive persons--at least two of the world's finest: both are uninhabited beaches over 10 miles in length each.

One beach stretches for 17 miles, has pink sand and the other stretches for over 12 miles, is reef-fringed, loaded with lobsters, shipwrecks half mile off, and has all sorts of beautiful fish and marine life. The latter I would recommend for experienced swimmers because even if you had one week to explore the last beach mentioned, there would not be sufficient time to explore all the reefs and their beauty.
How do you test your mask? Put on your mask by pulling the mask over your face and securing the straps behind your head comfortably and snugly. Make sure that you do not have hairs under the rubber of the mask. If hairs can get under, then water will get under. You want your mask secure enough so that no water gets under.

If water gets under it will get into your mask. As you practice, you will discover that the easiest way to get water out of your mask is to press the mask against your face, push in the top and as you blow hard against the mask, the water will seep out. In the beginning, since you will be snorkeling where you can stand, simply stop, stand up, lean your head back and drain out the water. To get water out of your tube, either remove your mouth and drain the tube or if face is below the waterline, simply wrap your lips over the snorkel rubber tightly and blow out all the water.

Initially you will want to stand to drain out the water. However, as you grow in confidence, just use your mouth to blow out the water. If you have ever played a flute or a blowing instrument, the same principles apply-behave as if you are spitting out a grape seed and make sure you blow out all water.
Key number 4... Practical practice test... This simple technique I call the practical practice test. Put on your mask, making sure that no hairs are under the side of your mask; put the tube in your mouth. For this test, you need your bath tub, your swimming pool, your hotel beach, or a lake. Stand in about 4 feet of water, and after making sure that your mask and snorkel (tube) are properly fitted; press the rubber at the front sides of your mask: that seals the mask to your face. Next, put your entire face below the waterline to make sure that no water leaks in.

If water leaks in, check to make sure your straps are tight enough and that no hairs from beards, moustaches or hairlines allow water to seep under the rubber of the mask; then go over the steps again. Do not breathe out into the mask as that will fog it up. If you are a beginner, ask the snorkel shops for anti-fogging sprays.
Key number 5... As soon as you have waterproofed your mask, slip the snorkel (tube) under your head strap, brace it against your face, blow hard to make sure that no water got into the tube and then begin to breathe through the tube while your head is under water. As soon as you have a waterproof mask and tube, and you can breathe through the tube without water entering, you are 90% on the way to snorkeling. The rest is academic and natural physics.
Key number 6... Make sure your fins fit comfortably, not too tightly to cause discomfort or cramps--tight enough so that they do not fall of when you paddle. You must know your shoe size. Your shoe size is your fin size. Put on your fins, making sure they are secure and comfortable.

Try walking backwards. If you can wade in the water comfortably, you are now 99% ready. Before putting on your mask, try swimming around with your fins using what we call snake crawls or mermaid movements. Do not bend your knees as if doing hop, skip and jump, or exercise bike movements. The more relaxed and fluid your movements are, the less likely you are to get cramps.
Key number 7... Lock down your mind and get into automatic mode. The reason: the body is naturally buoyant when in a relaxed state. Imagine you are about to stretch out on a giant water bed. As your mask is strapped to the back of your head and fit snugly, make sure the hose or snorkel is above the water line.

 Gently push forward with arms extended like a cross, and imagine you are jumping in your bed. With the same motion, you will feel like you are in a giant water bed with one exception: you can see and breathe under water. Just use your arms to steer. When you push both arms backwards slowly, you will go forward. When you push them forward slowly, you will go backward. If you want to turn right, just push with your left hand; if you want to go left, push with your right hand--in other words, where you want to go, use the other hand to push you there.
Key number 8... Make sure when you try your first snorkeling on a beach that at least one helper is around. It is so easy to get addicted and forget to come up to see where you are or where you are going. If it is very windy or very choppy forget it unless you are seasoned. The visibility will not be good and chances are that you will swallow a lot of water.
Key number 9... Try to be as natural and fluid with your movements as possible. Remember fins and snorkels are designed to let you look and swim like one of the natives. Try to blend in and do not behave like an obnoxious party crasher.
Key number 10... NEVER GO SNORKELING IN THE OCEAN ALONE, AND STAY OUT OF BOAT WATERWAYS!
With these simple keys, worlds of wonder, relaxation and beauty await you.