It wasn’t so long ago that I had tried snorkeling for the first time, and I hated it! The goggles fogged up, I was inhaling salty water, and I was so claustrophobic I’d almost had a panic attack trying to breathe through the snorkel. Then one day I bought my own gear, gear that fit my face better. And I learned to relax and enjoy the scenery. Here are my simple tips for snorkeling for beginners.
I wouldn’t by any means call myself a master snorkeler, but I have snorkeled in many different places with different ocean conditions. Take my advice, try snorkeling once and I bet you’ll be addicted like me.
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Finding the Right Gear
I bought my current snorkel gear at a dive shop in Grand Cayman. If you do have the opportunity to go to a dive shop to get your snorkel gear, I highly recommend it. They tend to have all of the other accessories you might need all in one location. Most shops have employees who can help find the right gear for you. I was able to try on a few masks to see how they fit and suctioned to my face. It’s important that you have the right goggles for the best watertight fit.
Most beach destinations have dive shops or places you can rent snorkel gear. However, if you want to buy your gear ahead of time to be sure you have what you need, I will include some links at the end with my recommendations.
There are many different types of snorkels, so it’s good to know what you are looking for before you buy something. Personally, I do not dive below the surface when I am snorkeling, so my classic snorkel does the trick. However, there are dry snorkels that allow you to dive below the surface and they automatically block off the flow of water and air. There are also full-face snorkels that are great if you don’t like the idea of biting down on a snorkel. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of snorkel. I suggest doing your research and having an idea of what you’ll be doing while you’re snorkeling.
Snorkel Accessories
Other than the basic snorkel and goggles I like to have a few other accessories with me when I’m going on vacation. Water shoes are a must. I never know what to expect when adventuring to a new location, so I always pack my water shoes. Not all snorkeling adventures I’ve been on have been a walk into the water from a nice sandy beach. Some rocky areas introduce the possibility of stepping on a sea urchin. If you’ve read my Snorkeling in Grand Cayman post, then you’ve seen the shipwreck and Reef Balls that we got the opportunity to snorkel. This is where I learned my lesson about water shoes! I kicked one of the Reef Balls and tore up the top of my foot, as the Reef Balls are made of concrete. Now I wear my water shoes to avoid similar situations.
I take my GoPro with me on every vacation. You never know what cool things are going to be around where you’re staying. They are easy to use and can connect to your phone for easy viewing and sharing. I don’t just use the GoPro for underwater activities, I also use it as we’re out exploring major cities. My GoPro gives me the opportunity to remember the really neat things I’ve seen and share them with my loved ones. I use a GoPro Hero4 Session because it’s compact and I can easily throw it into my carry on for travel, link is below.
If you are not a strong swimmer, I recommend wearing a life vest. There is no shame in wearing a life vest, better safe than sorry. I don’t generally wear one, but they did have them available in our rooms in the Maldives and I decided to use one during a pretty windy and rough day. Snorkeling can take a lot out of you as you are breathing through a small tube, you can tire easily. Having a life vest will make it much easier to conserve your energy. They’re also great because most life vests are brightly colored or reflective, which makes you easier to spot if you need help.
Mind Over Matter
If you’re claustrophobic like me, you need to sike yourself up about snorkeling first. It can be really scary to put a mask over your face and breathe out of a tube when you’ve never done it before.
Start in shallow water where you can easily stand up and take your gear off if you need to. Making sure that your snorkel gear fits properly is very important before you start swimming further out. Remind yourself to breathe slowly, I like to pretend I’m meditating. Pretending like I’m meditating helps to relax my mind and focus on what’s in front of me and not what’s in my head. Once you get the hang of the mind over matter stuff, you’ll realize just how beautiful snorkeling can be.
Always Be Safe
If you are not a strong swimmer I would not recommend snorkeling in deep waters. The ocean can change very quickly, and you’ll need to be able to swim to safety if need be.
Observe the traffic in the area you are snorkeling. Make sure it’s not a boat or jetski trafficked area. Wearing a brightly colored life vest also signals to boaters where you are.
Find a snorkel partner, I never go snorkeling without my husband. If something were to happen to you it’s always important for someone else to know where you are. Even when I was in the water alone in the Maldives my husband was standing by on our deck and knew where I was at all times.
My last safety recommendation isn’t necessarily for you, but for our environment. We all want to be able to see beautiful animals and coral reef in our lifetime. It’s important that we don’t touch coral reef, and that we are wearing reef safe sunscreen. Some sunscreens have chemicals in them that can be harmful to the reef. A simple google search will show you what these chemicals are. It’s also not a great idea to chase or feed the marine animals while we’re snorkeling as we don’t always know which species can harm us.
Other Useful Tips
If you have long hair, I would suggest pulling it back into a high ponytail or a bun. The band of the googles should fit tight to keep water out of your eyes, but that also means it’ll easily catch on your hair.
If you are a strong swimmer and plan to swim a distance or you need to conserve your energy while snorkeling, I would recommend fins. They make more surface area when you’re propelling yourself forward and make it easier to swim. I usually only use them if they are provided by a tour or resort as they can be a little bulky to pack in a suitcase.
I love a good mesh sports bag, you’ll find it on the list below. It allows you to throw your snorkel gear in the bag but still allows it to all dry out at the same time. That way when you’re ready to pack up and head home after your trip your gear is dry.
Snorkel Gear Packing List:
- Goggles
- Snorkel
- Mask Defogger
- Water Shoes or Fins
- Reef Safe Sunscreen
- Life Vest
- Mesh Sports Bag
- GoPro
- Hair Ties