Will be snorkeling for my very first time in the Fl. Keys. Any tips ? (Cuba, best)

[RVlover]

Snorkeling looks pretty straight forwards, but, are there any tips you have when snorkeling , using the gear, or whatever ? Ill be doing alot of it in the Florida keys soon. Thanks. (I hope this was the correct forum to post this in, cause i didnt see a more appropriate one).

[MissLariss]

I guess just the trickiest part is remembering you have a tube attached to your head. Remember that you can't look too far behind you or you will dip the snorkel underwater and inhale the ocean. Also, if you decide that you want to dive down to get a close look at something, when you come back up, breath out really hard before taking a breath. Seems like a no-brainer but....

Also, if you dive down to look closer at something and your ears start to hurt, you need to clear the pressure in your ears. To do that, clamp your teeth and lips, plug your nose and blow. That should relieve the pressure. Have fun!

[Huckleberry3911948]

take a lesson you can do it here get educated on safety, it could save your life.

[Franurse1]

The best advice I got before my first snorkeling trip came from a Miami native who told me to wear a long sleeved cotton shirt. You think you won't get burned but this one tip saved my family and I alot of discomfort and enabled us to enjoy more time in the water.

[RVlover]

Thanks for the tips. I read some have actually drowned snorkeling ; that seems pretty amazing to me. BUt, ill be careful.

[slim04]

Get a proper fit on your mask. An ill-fitting mask can make your snorkeling experience miserable. I would stop by a scuba shop, try on a few masks, and get advice from the people there. Make sure they know your budget. If you tell them you only want to spend $25, they'll find you a $25 mask that fits well.

Also, most people put their mask on way too tight. They experience leaks from ill-fitting masks and think they need to tighten the mask really tight to prevent leaks. The mask shouldn't be very tight at all and a tight mask actually causes leaks.

Also, put the back side of the strap on the rear of the crown of your head, not the backside of the head. This will prevent leaks also. A scuba or snorkel shop employee should be able to adjust your straps and show you how to where the mask. I'd say the vast majority of snorkelers don't do this right.

Most beginning snorkelers also have bad problems with fogging. The reason for this is that you will inituitively breathe out of your nose, causing your mask to fog. I like to practice in a pool breathing through the snorkel without ever breathing out my nose. After you get a hang of it, the amount of fog you get will decrease. I also like to use a spray out of a $6 bottle of defogger spray. Worth the weight in gold.

Even with a good fitting mask, your mask will probably leak. It's common, so you should learn how to clear it without having to take your mask off. All you do is put pressure on the top part of the mask, open a small gap from the bottom part of your mask, and blow hard from your nose for a few seconds. This should force the water out of your mask. I do this about 3 times during an hour snorkel.

Breathing out of a snorkel will probably cause you to get a really dry throat. Most people stop, get vertical, put their heads out of the water, and then swallow. Just remember don't breath out of your nose when you do this. Also, if you practice in a pool, you can train yourself to last a long time without having to swallow.

[jhlcomp]

I echo Huckleberry - years ago I took some lessons at the local Y - best thing I ever did. I think learning how not to panic when a wave comes along and fills the snorkel - just little things that you can easily recover from and continue to enjoy your snorkeling. Have fun!!!

[nwcountrygal]

Slim04 great advice. Yes find a good fit on mask otherwise it will be miserable. I found if I could have mask fit face and stay on without strap is best while trying on. Don't make it too tight. Get the defogger - learn to just float. Swim with your arms at sides this will not scare fish and wildlife around you. And remember not to step on the coral. Have a blast! I found myself uncomfortable to begin with because side vison is limited.. just breath deep and slow when/if you panic.

[sarahkate_m]

OP: if you've never snorkeled before, maybe you should try it in a pool...

The first & last time I went snorkeling... I'd never done it before. I didn't know what a panic attack was. I'm afraid of water. I went into whatever ocean it is off the coast of Sydney Australia & I thought I was going to massivley croak.

The best part was getting out of the water.

I have a friend who is also afraid of the water... or was. Now she's an avid deep sea diver. She said she got over her panic attacks by practicing in a pool, taking baby steps.

I saw a photo of her in her tiny bright hot pink wet suit with a huge gigantic (it was about as big as a small whale!) fish above her, under water...

She didn't know it was above her when the pic was taken. When she showed me the photo, she told me the story about how she overcame her fear. If she had known the fish was right over her, she may have panicked then, she admitted.

I think if I were in just wading water I could handle snorkeling. I really need to see the bottom & not be afraid of anything touching me.

Kate

[Tek_Freek]

Shave off your mustache if you have one. I tried a few "tricks" with waxy substances and all I got was a mask full of water. When we go to the Caribbean in November my wife of 37 years is going to see me w/o a stache for the first time.