SNORKELLING
By Destiny Fares
What is snorkelling?
snorkelling is when you go swimming on or through water while wearing a diving mask, a snorkel, and usually fins, sometimes a wetsuit is worn in cooler waters.
eqipment and care
Hose's and gauges - clips and other attachments can be used to keep them close to your body this also prevents them from dragging across sharp rocks and coral and even keep them from getting snagged or dirty.
Scuba tank's - scuba tank's should be handled carefully andshouldnt be left standing up without somone attending it because they could fall and damge the valve and also hurt nearby toes.
mask's, fins and snorkels - always check your mask straps, fin straps and your snorkel mouth piece and hoses incase of a tear or a wear, sunlight, teeth and stretching easily damage these items so they might be needing to be replaced sooner then expected.
wetsuit - after using your wetsuit rinse it under fresh water and hang it up to dry inside on a wide hanger.
buoyancy control device - the inside and the outside should be rinsed making sure to drain the water then storing it partially inflated.
underwater science
The ear and equalising - by letting air enter through the eustachian tubes this helps to euqalise the pressure in the middle ear with the outside pressure.
buoyancy - buoyancy is when fluid pressure increases with depth and when the increased pressure is exerted in all directions there is a unbalanced upward force on the bottom of a submerged object.
Skills
Getting in the water
- Put all your scuba equipment on in the boat itself
- Sit at the edge of the gunwale of the boat facing inwards with your tank facing the water
- Make sure no one or nothing is behind you in the water
- Then with your legs together bent at the knees, chin tucked in and one hand holding the mask and regulator in place, lean back and let gravity do the rest
- With the weight of the tank and gravity doing it’s thing you’ll be pulled into a full somersault and hit the water
Getting out of the water-
boats are equipped with an exit ladder or platform. When exiting from a shore, you can usually walk straight out of the water, but presence of surf may require you to crawl out on your hands and knees.
Finning
Many spearfishermen get into the habit of looking ahead or down to see where they are going which is fine as long as it is not for the duration of the entire dive. Your head should be tilted down by tucking your chin in to your chest. You will find your descent is faster because you are now streamlined. Water will flow over your head and down your back rather than you having to fin harder and more frequently as you try to push through the water. You will also avoid finning extra metres on descent to get to your destination – another definite bonus.
Planning
instructing and evaluating instructional snorkelling sessions to enable participants to achieve the skills and knowledge required to participate independently, or with minimal supervision, in a snorkelling activity in confined and or open water conditions.
Duck diving
Duck Diving is a water entry method while swimming on the surface, that allows the snorkeler to submerge beneath the surface and experience his/her surroundings not just from the surface alone. Duck Diving is great when you come across some interesting creature like a turtle, or some stunning coral formations that you’d like to take a closer look at.
Clearing your snorkel
The blast clear is the most popular method. This involves blowing out through the snorkel to force the water out through the top. If your snorkel has a purge valve, water will also exit through the purge valve below the mouthpiece.
clearing your mask
To clear your mask it out, lift your head out of the water and tilt the bottom of the mask away from your face and allow the water to drain out.
basic snorkelling first aid
Divers need to know CPR, First Aid and Oxygen Administration because our work often takes place in remote locations (Belize, research ships) with minimal medical facilities, that can be hours away. Therefore, you may be the divers only chance of survival.
Dangers
scuba diving is an extreme sport with its own peculiar injuries and potentially life-threatening hazards. Most of these scuba diving dangers stem from the effects of the increased water pressure of the undersea environment, but there are also dangers posed by sea life and faulty equipment.