Snorkeling has become a passion for many adventurists looking for an experience of a lifetime. It provides an excellent opportunity to come face-to-face with the marine world, for everyone who finds traditional scuba diving more risky.
Nevertheless, even though snorkeling is a perfect fit for both swimmers and non-swimmers, adults and children; it still requires a certain level of preparation before heading to the chosen destination.
Fortunately, our planet is abundant with magnificent snorkeling spots, waiting for you to visit. There’re numerous agencies, such as https://mauritiusdiscoverytours.com/snorkeling, which will help you to choose the best destination and plan your journey to the last detail.
However, the following tips are essential for your personal preparation.
Get some practice
Make sure you rent or purchase a suitable mask and snorkel, as these are the essentials when it comes to snorkeling. Try the mask on, by adjusting its strap just enough to be comfortable, but not extremely tight. Afterwards, place the snorkel by finding a good angle which doesn’t feel awkward in your mouth. Lastly, remember to put your fins on, in order to check if they fit.
Once you’re done with adjusting your snorkeling gear, it’s very important to take a snorkeling test prior to trying out the real deal. Visit the nearest swimming pool to train your breathing through a snorkel and check whether the mask leaks water as you don’t want any obstructions during your original experience. In case your mask has a fogging effect, make sure you purchase a defogger in a form of a spray and use it for improving its visibility.
Avoid burn out
Snorkeling requires slow pace when swimming as a way of ensuring your safety as well as getting the most out of your underwater experience. The faster you swim, the sooner you will get exhausted and feel shortness of breath, as the snorkel only provides limited breathing abilities.
Make sure you float instead of swimming as it’s the only way to keep your breath and truly enjoy the magnificent aquatic world. Having a rest in intervals of half an hour is highly advisable.
Furthermore, in order to ensure your safety, you have to know how the ocean works and abide by its rules. Respect the safe area, keep close to your companions and don’t wader off the shore. Keep a safe distance so that you find your way back more easily. Visit this page for more safety tips.
Pick a good location
Your first snorkeling experience should be from a beach, not from a boat as the latter one would take you far from the shore where you’re supposed to jump from it and dive into the marine world. Although this seems more thrilling than entering the shallow waters, save it for some of your future trips when you’ll be more prepared.
In addition, make a wise choice of location, one with abundance of fish and colorful corals to see. The most popular locations are usually the ones which offer the least snorkeling excitement, due to the overcrowdings of swimmers who gradually diminished the beauty of the coral reefs.
Another thing to bear in mind are the waves. You aren’t advised to snorkel in wild waters, as it’ll have a huge impact on your movements, the usage of your gear as well as your energy. The best time to snorkel is early in the morning, when the ocean is calm and you’ll just have it for yourself. However, don’t forget to take a companion with you, as snorkeling by yourself the first time can be intimidating.
Prepare your body
In order to get the full benefit of your snorkeling adventure, you have to get a good night’s sleep the previous night, as being in water requires plenty of energy. Moreover, don’t exaggerate with the food at dinner so as to avoid feeling bloated. Last but not least, staying hydrated is extremely important as the hot tropical temperatures will dehydrate you for sure. Use every break to take a sip.
Conclusion
Taking a snorkeling trip for the very first time means more than just choosing a nice destination.
Get some practice, keep calm, stay hydrated and most importantly be safe!