Snorkels

Top brand Snorkel Gear?

admin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:30:25 +0000

Looking to get a Snorkel set for my husband but I don't know good brands and what to look for in a good set. I'm trying to stay within $100. Any suggestions?

get a gift card at your local dive shop

because masks should be tried on do to differnt face shapes

Where is the best places to snorkel at?

admin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 11:50:33 +0000

I recently went to Cancun and went Snorkeling and I loved it. Now I want to go to the Great Barrier Reef in Austrailia but first I need to save up. What are some other great places to snorkel?

Also, I would like to learn to Scuba dive. Does anyone know a cheap place in florida or cancun where I could learn how to scuba and what is the cost and length of the class.

Cape Hatteras North Carolina has over 1800 charted shipwrecks, many are in less than 30 feet of water, just perfect for SCUBA diving many on them are in the shallows where it would be nice to snorkel over them. And some of them are literally sticking up out of the beach. While you are there be sure to visit Kitty Hawk and climb to the top of the Hatteras lighthouse.

When snorkeling in Bermuda, do we need flippers?

admin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 11:50:12 +0000

My husband and I are taking a cruise to Bermuda and we want to go Snorkeling at a few of the beaches that they say is best for seeing the fish. (Elbow Beach and a few others)
We are trying to cut down on the luggage we take and the equipment we need to carry around the island with us for our water sports. Do the beaches for snorkeling go very deep or have strong waves that would need us to bring flippers? Or can we get away with just the mask and snorkel?

I think you could get away with just a mask and snorkel. There are some nice areas to snorkel in Bermuda, and when we went we didn’t use any flippers and saw a bunch of fish and other ocean life. They have some gorgeous beaches, and if I remember correctly it’s either Tobacco Bay or Horseshoe Bay that has some caves you can go into on the side area of the beach. Have fun!!!

How do you breath underwater without a snorkel or scuba gear?

admin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 11:50:05 +0000

I would really like to know how to swim without a Snorkel or scuba gear?I mean how do I do that in my neighbor hood swimming pool.If that can’t be figured out how do I hold my breath longer?I would really like to now because swimming is one of my favorite sports and I have been swimming since I first got in the water.

You can’t breathe underwater.

You *can* practice breathing exercises and expand your lung capacity so you can stay under longer. Take long deep breathes for several minutes then go under and trying to stay down longer each time. DO NOT take short shallow breathes and hyperventilate before going under because it can cause you to become unconscious and drown from Shallow Water Blackout. Also, it’s best to practice breath holding in a pool with a certified lifeguard on duty.

Free-diving is a very interesting sport where one discipline is static apnea - timed breath holding in a pool (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-diving). If you watched the movie Blue Crush then you know that Hawaiian surfers sometimes practice by diving down and carrying large lava rocks back and forth underwater. Breath holds are important for them because large breaking waves can hold a surfer down for several minutes before they have a chance to come up for air.

Okay this might be a dumb question but do you have to know how to swim to snorkel?

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:32:41 +0000

I want to try it but I can’t swim. any info?
my mother has snorkled and said i should be fine with the jacket and instructor i was just looking for more info and I can’t swim at all so theres no way id do it alone

you could do it as long as you wear a life vest or some sort of flotation device on your body. you will also need a mask or goggles. practice in a baby pool or in the bath tub to get used to how the water feels on your face.

How soon can I snorkel after ACL reconstruction surgery?

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:33:42 +0000

Had surgery Feb/07 to repair detached lateral meniscus and still on crutches due to severe atrophy after being in wheelchair in months. Currently in physio and ACL reconstruction scheduled Oct 30/07. Am also quite overweight (not morbidly but enough to hamper my progress), Do exercises daily but progress is slow. want to plan vacation for spring next year…

knee recon and recovery is a long process - a time frame my doc quoted was 2 years to be back to 100%. 9 months to 80% of previous strength, ability and knee goodness. don’t rush this sort of thing and don’t book either. i’ve just done my medial meniscus.

there will be time for Snorkelling - but not if your back in surgery. best of luck with rehab and physio

Going to Belize (Ambergris Kaye).Can spouse and I snorkel easily and safely by ourselves or do we need a tour?

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:27:11 +0000

Staying at Banana Beach. Can we just get in the water and go? We don’t want to spend money we don’t need to. Is it safe to go alone? I am a little bit worried about sharks and stingrays. Any tips on how NOT to disturb them as well as barracudas? Mid June travel.

Other tips? Food, crafts, other ideas? Thanks!

We just got back from Ambergris Caye and stayed at Banana Beach as well. It is a great place to stay and the restaurant is good as well. The easiest way to get around is just by renting a golf cart (that can be done right at Banana Beach as well) and seeing the sites. In terms of recommendations - just ask the people at the front desk about the best places to eat. The recommendations that they gave us were great.

On the Snorkeling end, I would recommend a tour as well. As mentioned in one of the previous responses, you have to go a ways out before things get interesting and the tours can take you to the best spots.

Take care and have a great trip.

Is alright for me to ditch my snorkel? It is the most worthless piece of SCUBA gear I own!?

admin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 10:41:43 +0000

It seems that scuba divers are divided on this issue. On one hand, they say (I can’t speak from experience) that it’s necessary to have one in order to do a surface swim in rough waters, or to conserve airwhile surface swimming in calm waters.
On the other hand, I’ve met some instructors who never wear it except when teaching class because they claim that they’ve never used it, apart from certification dives, not even in the conditions described above.
My person feeling is that I hate the thing; it’s uncomfortable, no matter how much I try to adjust it or what type of holder I use to hold to my mask, it whacks me in the head or gets in my way. Plus, the quarries here in the midwest are not exactly rough waters, and if I have to surface swim, I can do it easier by swimming on my back.
So, fellow divers, what’s your take on this?
Thanks!
If you’re not a SCUBA diver, then please don’t respond… you don’t know what I’m talking about.
Thanks, bob, that’s the kind of info I need… from somebody who knows what they’re talking about!

As you get more and more into the sport, you’ll actually find that there are pros and cons to having one with you.
For example, most of my dives for fun are wreck penetrations. A snorkel can get you killed, if you’re actually wearing it. Some of the spaces you need to wiggle through just don’t allow having gear sticking out at all angles and a Snorkel smacking something can dislodge it, leaving you in a bad situation in a hurry, not to mention the silt out.
On the flip side, snorkels are VERY handy for a long surface swim to the descent line. It saves on your gas consumption and allows you to swim on your front rather than the old lay back, cran your neck around to see where you are and fin style of getting to where you need to be on the surface. This is especially true if you use a back inflation type of BC. They are forever trying to put you face down.
What you may find useful and it’s what I carry, is a folding snorkel. The tube is flexible enough to fold in half and I have many pockets on either my drysuit or on my rig to store it, out of the way unless I need it. I can use it to surface swim to the line, pop it in a pocket and get down and dirty under a triple expansion engine amongst the debris in the room with no worries. Alternatively, a pal of mine uses surgical tubing to secure his to his rig on his chest. The possibilities are endless. Just make sure that it’s in a spot that won’t interfere with anything else if you go that route. Always think of the unthinkable…’cause it’s bound to happen.

Split or non-spit fins for snorkeling and regular swimming, not scuba diving?

admin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 10:41:40 +0000

Trying to figure out which fins to buy. thank you!

Non-split. I’m on a swim team (CSP) and we use non-split fins during our regular practices. I have also gone Snorkeling multiple times, and have always worn non-split fins.

Kiunga Marine National Park

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 20:55:22 +0000

An enchanted underwater world

A Pristine string of rugged coral isles, ringed by rainbow coral reefs the reserve offers living coral gardens, sculpted coves, wheeling seabirds, rare turtles, magical dugongs and an underwater world of unbelievable color, discovery and vibrancy. The Reserve is part of Lamu archipelago, a cluster of hot low-lying desert islands that run for some 60km parallel to the coastline of Northern Kenya. The last survivor of one thousand year-old civilization, Lamu was founded by the Arabs in the seventh century and traded for centuries thereafter in ivory, rhino horn and slaves. Today it offers a unique showcase for traditional Swahili culture, a bustling historical town with some of the most pristine beaches in Africa.

The Kiunga Marine National Reserve is made up of a chain of 51 coral islands lying some 2 km offshore of the fringing reef. They run adjacent to the mainland Dodori and Boni National Reserves. Varying in size, the islands are composed of old, eroded coral and shelter lesser kudu, bushbuck, monkey, porcupine and wild pig.

Reefs, the rainforest of the sea

Coral reefs are one of the most fascinating ecosystems on earth, sheltering nearly one million different types of marine life. Forming only in warm seas, corals are made by battalions of tiny polyps, miniscule sea anemone-like creatures that live together in colonies, some create a hard skeleton outside their bodies which eventually forms into stony coral. Corals come in many shapes, sizes and colours including the open-branched stag shorn coral, the pincushion-like acropora coral, the wavy-branched plate-like pavona coral, the massively solid favia coral and the convoluted brain coral.

Activity Options

Diving and Snorkeling paradise

Thw best time for snorkeling over the reefs is two hours either side of low tide, which is the time when the greatest amount of marine life is revealed. Kenyas coastal waters are warm all year round so diving without a wet suit is also rewarding.

What To See

A shifting rainbow of small fish, worms, shrimps, octopus and clams hide in the gaps while blue and yellow parrot fish use their hard beaks to chew off lumps of coral. Snappers, zebra fish, butterfly fish and scorpion-fish shimmer in the clear waters while sharks, rays, turtles and starfish prowl the reef in search of prey. Fierce moray eels hide in holes, while small crabs, wrasses(long, spiny-finned fish) and sharks lurk in the caves, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, brittle stars and numerous species of mollusk feed on algae and transparent prawns dance through the waters alongside shifting clouds of tiny demoiselle fish. The Reserves creeks and inlets also serve as a substantial breeding ground for the rare mermaid-like creature called the dugong. A completely aquatic, warm-blooded mammal, the dugong is thought to share a common ancestry with the elephant, dugong have an average length of 2.5-3.2 meters, may weigh anything from 140-170kg, and live on the marine grasses growing in the shallower waters of the Reserve.

The outer islands of the Reserve host many seabirds. Species nesting here include roseate tern, sooty gull, white-cheeked tern, bridled tern and brown node. Crab plovers are also plentiful while other migrant waders frequent the more sheltered flats and creeks.

Where To Stay

Kiwayu Island is the only inhabited island to be included in the Kiunga Marine National Reserve.

What To Take With You

Footwear(to protect your feet from the reef), T-shirt, snorkel, mask, fins, camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent, guidebooks and plenty of drinking water.

When To Go

The Reserve is open all year round.

Jerry Wanga