Snorkeling 101: How To Use Your Gear
Aloha snorkel friends! Since the holiday season is upon us and you may have snorkel gear on your wish list, we wanted to make sure you know what to ask for and how to use it all. Join us for snorkel gear 101 and learn how to use your snorkeling gear!
Snorkel Fins
Snorkel gear consists of 3 main pieces: mask, snorkel and fins. Many people like to wear a wetsuit as well to stay warm and enjoy their snorkel experience longer. The mask is your snorkel lens, it enables you to peer into the ocean’s magnificence and take in a whole new world with your eyes. The snorkel is the long tube that is attached to your mask, and allows you to breathe while viewing the underwater world. The fins turn your feet into flippers and help propel you through the water to move around with ease. Now that you have all of the snorkel gear components, it is important to make sure you know how to effectively use all of those pieces. The seal of your mask is very important in your snorkel experience. When you put your mask on, make sure there is no hair in the way of the seal. If the seal is broken, your mask can fill with water. The snorkel goes on the left side of the mask. Seal your lips firmly around the mouth piece just before you enter the water and keep the top of the snorkel above the surface in order to keep water from coming in. Your fins go on your feet. You can walk down the beach into the water with them on or the other way is to enter into the shallow water and then put your flippers on. Once in the water and you get your fins on let them do the work and keep your arms behind you at the small of your back or directly out front. This is important to keep you from fatiguing quickly, as well as to prevent you from scaring away any marine life by flailing your arms. Here are a few equipment troubleshooting tips, should you need them:
Use de-fog to view the underwater world through a clear mask.
A good quality mask which is properly fitted is important to prevent leaking.
For fins that might not fit correctly, you can bring an extra pair of socks to wear which can sometimes help the skin from chafing or blistering.
Wearing a wetsuit not only helps you stay warm, it helps protect you from the sun while also helping you float in the water.
You are now ready to enjoy your new snorkel gear! Happy Holidays, and remember to book your snorkel tour on your Maui stay with Maui Snorkel Tours! We look forward to snorkeling with you…
Much Aloha,
Maui Snorkel Tours Team
*Snorkel Safely – as with any physical activity there is a risk of injury associated with snorkeling. This blog has been provided for informational purposes only; it is not intended to take the place of practical instruction.
