If you think that snorkeling is an adventure sport that was invented in the 20th
century, think again. It has a long history, stretching back over 5,000
years. From its primitive and dangerous beginnings, snorkeling has now
evolved into a safe and highly enjoyable adventure sport.
The Beginnings
There
is evidence that the earliest known divers, the sponge farmers on the
island of Crete, used a basic form of snorkeling as far back as 3,000
BCE. With no manufactured tubes or pipes available, they used hollow
reeds to allow them to breathe while underwater. The next evidence of
attempts to prolong the time man could spend under the surface is from
about 2,000 years later, circa 900BCE. A bas relief of this period shows
that Assyrian divers filled animal skins with air and carried these
down with them to provide a supply of air while they were underwater.
Deep Sea Inventions
The
ancient Greeks were the first to actually fabricate equipment that
allowed people to extend the time spent underwater. In the 3rd
century BCE, Alexander the Great was known to have supported the
development of a diving bell, a massive device that trapped a pocket of
air within it as it was lowered into the water. Divers could go below
the surface in the bell, swim out of it and return to get more air
before venturing out again. By removing the need to return to the
surface to breathe, the overall time spent underwater increased
dramatically.
Although diving
bells allowed people to spend more time underwear, they did not
actually allow people to breathe while swimming. That was still limited
to a tube connected to the surface. The main drawbacks were that the
range of movement was limited to the length of the tube and the
increased pressure underwater made sucking in air difficult.
Snorkeling Today
The
invention of the self-contained underwater, pressurized air pump in
1771, by John Smeaton, an engineer and an inventor, enabled the divers
to stay underwater, for extended periods of time. Between 1912 and 1930,
the modern day fins and waterproof goggles were invented. Materials
like rubber and plastic were then used in the making of the masks, which
were manufactured to give a proper fit and prevent any leaking of
water.
Snorkeling
equipment continue to be upgraded constantly making the gear, resistant
to ocean waters and enabling better vision underwater.
From
being a specialized and dangerous exercise that required special
training, snorkeling today is something that needs only the ability to
swim and the availability of simple snorkeling equipment. Consequently,
Snorkeling is an adventure sport enjoyed all over the world.
The Best Snorkeling Spots
The
best snorkeling locations in the world have 3 things in common –
crystal clear waters, a wide variety of indigenous marine life, corals
and temperate climates. Some of the most popular snorkeling spots
include the Bimini Islands in the Bahamas, Salt Cay in the Turks and
Caicos Islands, Bunaken National Marine Park in Indonesia, Rurutu in
French Polynesia, the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and Fiji. To the
west the beautiful islands of Hawaii are a popular destination for
snorkeling adventure sports.The abundantnatural beauty, rainforests,
volcanoes and island life, draws multitudes to this spot. Hawaii is full
of great snorkeling locations. Among the best known are:
- Hanauma Bay, Oahu
- Makaha Beach Park, Oahu
- Molokini Crater, Maui
- Kealakekua Bay, Big Island
- Ke'e Beach Park, Kauai
- Kapalua Bay, Maui
- Anini Beach, Kauai
- Kapiolani Park Beach, Oahu
- Poipu Beach, Kauai
- Kahaluu Beach Park, Big Island
Well-equipped Charter Boats, with trained and experienced crews, ply between all the snorkeling spots on the Islands of Hawaii, every day.
