Snorkelling

Intro to snorkelling To swim underwater and experience marine life first hand is a unique experience You experience: Water pressure Changes in light intensity Marine topography (landscape) & marine life

Comparing Sea & Land On land, cows eat grass and humans eat cows. However in the sea, the grass is microscopic and is eaten by microscopic animals called zooplankton. At the top of the food chain are the predators – humans are not on the top of the food chain!!! On land humans have a massive impact and have altered the environment. When you snorkel under the sea, you quickly learn that the seascape is largely unaltered by humans

What will you learn How to enter the water, float, duck dive, clear your mask, equalising the pressure in your ears and be comfortable underwater Best place to learn is in a swimming pool Once the basics are competent then we will venture out to the sea Snorkelling in a rock pool is a great way to gain your confidence

Equipment Basic equipment for snorkelling includes: A mask Snorkel Fins Wet suit Stinger suit (tropical climates) Booties Weight belt

Equipment In general, the choice of equipment is based on 3 things: 1. Comfort: Any piece of equipment must be properly fitted. Firm but comfortable without causing discomfort after long periods of time. 2. Financial status of the snorkeller: Look for quality when purchasing equipment. Cheap inferior equipment does not last long and may be a threat to safety. 3. Suitability: Different localities or activities may require specialised types of equipment. Eg cold climates need thicker wetsuit, lycra stinger suits for tropical climates.

Masks These place a layer of air between the eyes and the water, allowing clearer vision beneath the surface Types of masks: Silicone masks One lens masks Split lens masks Masks with corrective lenses – allow people who wear spectacles to see better underwater Tailored masks – preset focal length.

Safety, hygiene & comfort Use your own equipment When not in use equipment should be stored away from light and not with pool maintenance materials Standards markings Leaders should carry a knife Vests should conform with Aust. Standards Goggles should never be worn – no way of equalising pressure around the eyes or clearing water Wash clean after use Never leave near heat source

Snorkels Should have a smooth contoured “J” shape without any sharp bends – this reduces drag & allows for smoother breathing Mouthpiece should be comfortable fit& firmly attached to the tube An average length of 30-40cm and diameter of 2cm is recommended When selecting a snorkel, it should be attached to the mask straps on the left side of the head, placed in a position & checked for comfort (this can be done with a snorkel keeper or rubber band)

Safety Younger children or people with small lung capacities require a snorkel with a small bore. Try to avoid snorkels with valve devices or table tennis balls on top. These can create dangerous situations as the ball may block the top of the snorkel on the surface cutting off air supply.

Fins These propel the snorkeller through the water and fall into 2 categories Open heeled Full booted

Open heeled fins Require wet suit booties which are worn inside open heeled fins They should be light, naturally buoyant with a semi- rigid blade Booties are particularly useful use when snorkelling in rocky or coral areas as you are able to walk to your snorkelling site

Full booted fins Less expensive and should be sized slightly larger than shoe size to reduce cramps & incorporate the features of the open heel fin Full booted fins come off quite easily & are very good when snorkelling entries are to be made from vessels at sea

Materials used in fins Rubber and silicone Advantage of silicone – less likely to deteriorate with time if washed in fresh water after use and stored in dry place Rubber fins will deteriorate with time and last about 3-4 yrs. All materials are subject to abrasion from rocks or coral and the more they come in contact with sharp substrata, the more they will wear.

Problems with fins Don’t fit properly Cramps and blisters occur if fins are too tight Lose a fin if they are too big Using booties can also overcome many problems but increases cost A good fitting fin should feel like a good fitting shoe

Hypothermia Hypothermia is caused when the body temp. drops to the point it cannot recover At sea, when the body is continually wet, this cooling extends to the blood vessels below the skin lowering the temp. of the blood Continued cooling of the blood will affect the organs to which it flows and their normal functioning Death occurs when core body temp drops below 26 degrees To help marine divers charts are drawn of the life expectancy survival times at sea