The Health Benefits of Snorkeling

Are you looking for a way to exercise that is fun, effective and inexpensive? If so, snorkeling may be exactly what you are looking for. Swimming is among the best forms of aerobic exercise and with a snorkel, a pair of flippers and a mask, a whole new dimension is added. The experience of swimming under the water instead of just in it is completely different. It makes the time you spend in the pool much more enjoyable. And when you incorporate snorkeling into your vacation plans, your trips become something very special.

Every form of exercise has its benefits and proponents. So what makes snorkeling so special?

Breathe Better

One of the ways to measure aerobic fitness is by measuring maximal oxygen intake. Using a snorkel increases lung capacity in proportion to the oxygen intake. Breathing through a tube like a snorkel requires more (but not uncomfortable) effort than normal free breathing. Drawing a breath requires more inhalation effort and expelling any water that may enter the snorkel needs blowing with some force. The resistance causes the chest muscles and lungs to exert more. This in turn increases lung capacity. Many competitive swimmers and triathletes add snorkeling to their fitness regimen as a way to greater overall fitness, stamina and endurance. Many doctors believe that when a snorkeler holds his breath to dive below the depths that the snorkel allows, the effort and the exertion of the descent and ascent work to enhance cardiovascular fitness.

Improved Performance

The use of a snorkel can result in significant improvements in your swimming ability and skills as well as your performance in aquatic sports. With a front mounted snorkel you can perfect your body, arm and leg motions in the water, without the need to turn or raise your head to breathe. This allows you to focus on your balance and positions and improve your swimming abilities. At a more advanced level, the use of a snorkel will allow you to breathe smoothly and evenly while going through workouts and drills in the pool, which again will improve your performance.

Better Movement and Flexibility

If you have joint problems or other conditions which restricts your range of motion, exercise in the water with a snorkel is a great way to work out. The buoyancy of being in the water eases the pressure on the joints and reduces the pain. A snorkel reduces the need to keep turning and moving the head to breathe. This not only allows you to focus on the parts of your body that need the workout, it is especially beneficial for those who have neck and spine conditions which could be exacerbated by constant movement of the neck.

If you are already a snorkeler, add some variety and adventure to your life by swimming in the Hawaiian waters. The warmth, sunshine, incredible marine life and spectacular underwater scenery are breathtaking. If you want to start snorkeling, Hawaii is an ideal place to begin. There are charter boats with experienced crews that will take you to the best snorkeling spots, provide you with the gear you need and show you how to stay safe while experiencing something unique, addictive and, of course, very healthy.

Buying or Renting Snorkeling Gear – The Pros and Cons

Buy or rent the gear? This is a question that everyone entering the world of snorkeling asks. Here are a few factors to think about when making your decision.

Renting – The Pros
     

• If you are unsure that snorkeling may not be right for you, so then renting the gear would be a good place to start. Renting the gear means that you don’t have to commit to an investment until you are sure that you want to continue to snorkel.
• Half the fun of snorkeling is in exploring the waters in new places. The gear, especially the fins, can be difficult to pack and carry with you. By renting the equipment, it leaves you free to travel lightly, and you can pick up what you need at your destination.
• As you continue to rent you can try out various styles and makes of gear and find what suits you best. If you do decide to buy later on, you will know exactly what you want.

Renting – The Cons

• The quality of fit of rental gear may not be the best and this could lead to some amount of discomfort when it is being used.
• Some equipment renters may not pay enough attention to sanitation. Using gear that has not been properly cleaned or sanitized after the last use, could lead to infections.
• Rental gear may be hard to find at your destination. Not being able to snorkel could ruin your trip.
• The cost of renting the gear, will have to be added to your travel budget.

Buying – The Pros

• You can always be sure of the quality and fit of the gear you will be using. That peace of mind is worth a lot.
• You know that the gear is clean and safe to use. More peace of mind.
• You never know when you may hit the beach again. With your own gear, you can leave at a moment’s notice.
• You won’t have to waste time looking for gear when you arrive. You can hit the water right away instead of wasting time looking for rental shops.

Buying – The Cons

• If you are buying, you need gear that will last. That could mean a significant expenditure. If you decide not to snorkel again, selling your equipment, may  entaila loss.
• Hauling your gear along when traveling can be a pain. With airlines now making you pay for almost everything you carry,taking your gear along with you on a trip, means that is also an added expense. If you do any shopping on your trip, your return flight will cost you even more. One way out would be to carry your mask and snorkel (which do not take up too much space) and rent only the fins at your destination.

So What Should You Do?

If you are travelling to a place like Hawaii, with its well-developed snorkeling infrastructure, renting is the best option. There are well equipped charter boats available which offer rental gear along with experienced crews who will take you to the best snorkeling locations. The really good boats will offer you food and all the other creature comforts you need to make the experience a memorable one. Once you know how enjoyable snorkeling is, you will want to continue with it and that is when buying your own gear would be practical.

Are You Fit Enough to Snorkel?

A good question! Nevertheless, fear not, for Snorkeling is not as strenuous or as demanding a sport as scuba diving is and even more better you don’t need any special certification to snorkel. Nonetheless, to ensure that you are safe and able to enjoy the excitement that snorkeling offers, there are a few basic abilities that you should have. These are generally referred to as Open Water Swimming Skills. 

If you can accomplish the following tasks, you should be fit enough to snorkel: 

• Can you float for 10 minutes in deep water? Most people float naturally and can easily do this by simply lying on their backs and limit their movements as much as possible. Not everyone can do this and if you have problems, you can try to gently tread water for the same time period. Either option is good enough.
• Can you swim about 200 yards without using any equipment? In other words, can you swim this distance non-stop, wearing just your swimsuit? There is no time limit that you need to adhere to, so you can swim, as fast or slow, as you are comfortable with. Just complete the distance. Alternatively, you should be able to swim about 300 yards wearing a mask, snorkel and fins. This is often easier for those who are not very strong swimmers or who have not developed their stamina by swimming regularly. Again, either option is fine. Any swimming style is acceptable, so do whatever you are comfortable with.

For the Beginner 

• Before snorkeling in choppy waters with small swells, practice snorkeling in a swimming pool
• Get used to using the snorkeling equipment
• Swimming in choppy waters can be a little disorienting and may result in water entering the snorkel. This is not dangerous at all, just a little uncomfortable. So practicing in a pool will help you get used to breathing through it, will help you to clear it out easily and continue
• Take your time getting used to the mask, snorkel and fins. There is no rush and the longer you spend getting used to the equipment, the more comfortable you will feel
• Generally about 20 minutes is enough, but take more time if you feel you need it
• Practicing in the swimming pool, will help you improve your snorkeling proficiency and you won’t have a problem keeping up with more proficient snorkelers

Nothing Is Set In Stone

These are only general guidelines. The safest and most enjoyable way to start snorkeling is to go out on a charter boat with an experienced crew who can take you to the best spots. Equipment may be available for hire and an experienced swimmer will usually accompany you to show you the ropes, ensure that you face no discomfort and will help you with the finer points of open water snorkeling. Hawaii with its temperate, warm waters and sunny climes has the perfect waters where the marine life is incredible, and where you can have the best snorkeling experience, ever.

A Brief History of Snorkeling

If you think that snorkeling is an adventure sport that was invented in the 20^th 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 3^rd 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.

Best Turtle Sighting Sites in Hawaii

The gentle and slow moving turtle is also a graceful and dignified animal. Turtle watching can offer hours of undiluted enjoyment, even for those who do not think of themselves as animal lovers or wildlife enthusiasts.  Observing them in their natural habitat is among the most popular of snorkeling activities in Hawaii. Despite weighing 400 pounds, these huge amphibians, known locally as the Honu, arestrong swimmers and can sneak up on you without being noticed. Do not fear, as these gentle and ancient mariners, willcause you no harm, as they are merely vetting their curiosity, as we are when we snorkel to observe them. 

Sea turtles are plentiful all along the shorelines of the Big Island of Hawaii, but as always, there are some places that are known to be among the best places to see them.

Kiholo Bay

Although not an easy place to reach, this bay, located in Kohala at the north of the Waikoloa Resort, is a great place to get up close and personal with the turtles. The lagoon, which is filled with brackish water, was previously an old fishpond. It runs along the shoreline and has a rocky beach which is great for snorkeling and is known for its calm surf. It is a great place to spend a day snorkeling and watching the exotic marine life of the islands.

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach

The black sands of the Punalu'u Beach Resort offers a special background against which to watch the turtles. For those who are not interested in getting into the water, turtles can be seen pulling themselves out of the ocean to sun themselves on the sand.

Waialea Bay/Beach 69

“Beach 69” is a small beach located in Kohala and attracts less crowds than the more popular Hapuna. Along with turtles, there are a huge variety of reef fish to be seen in the crystal clear waters. You need to get there at the right time because when the tide is high, the beach can, at times, almost disappear.

Pu'uhonua O Honaunau

Pu'uhonua O Honaunau, which is situated 20 miles south of Kona, is a designated national historic park. Long ago, Hawaiians who had broken a local law (or Kapu) where able to get protection from the death penalty by seeking sanctuary here. There are many snorkeling sites on the western side of the Big Island, but this is reputed to be among the best. It is a great place to get into the water and swim alongside the turtles as well the dozens of fish species that live in these waters.

Kahalu'u Beach Park

Like Pu'uhonua O Honaunau, Kahalu’u is located near Kona. Here you will find a shallow lagoon that makes it an ideal place for rookies to enjoy the pleasures of snorkeling and to swim with a variety of colorful marine life,includingsea turtles.

Sea Turtles of Hawaii

There are five species of sea turtles in Hawaii. The most common are the Green Sea Turtles, the other four in order of their numbers being the Hawksbill, the Loggerheads, the Leatherbacks and the Olive Ridley. Among sea turtles the Green Sea Turtles have one peculiar behavior. Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, crawl ashore to bask in the warm sun. They normally swim ashore to isolated spots, located mostly on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Adult Greens as the Green Sea Turtles are normally called are herbivorous but the young hatchlings have been observed to be omnivorous. The adult diet comprises of sea-grass and algae, while the hatchlings enthusiastically feed on cuttlefish, jelly fish, other invertebrates and seaweed. The Green Sea Turtle is called so because of the color of the body fat. 

When you snorkel or dive, you will chance upon the Green Sea Turtles, most often. Charter boats with experienced crews, ply every day, to all the spots where the turtles, nest, feed, bask or can be found.

Snorkeling For Beginners Part 2

Relax and Take It Easy

One of the biggest mistakes that novice snorkelers make is to overdo things. It’s easy to get excited by the wonders that you see for the first time. The adrenalin rush can cause you to overextend yourself and swim more and faster than your body can handle. This applies to even strong swimmers who are snorkeling for the first time. Swim slowly and stay as relaxed as possible. This will allow your body to know when it is getting tired so you can return to the surface and rest for a while, before entering the water again. Another factor to keep in mind, is that a snorkel does, to some extent, limit your breathing, so excess physical activity can leave you feeling out of breath. As you become familiar with the underwater environment and your body gets used to snorkeling, you will learn to pace yourself and increase your enjoyment.

Understand the Ocean

The ocean is alive. It has moods, its appearance can be deceptive and it has unseen forces that can affect you. Understanding how to judge snorkeling conditions, the weather and how to read the currents will all contribute to your safety and enjoyment of the experience. These are skills that you will develop over time. In the early stages of your snorkeling life, it is important to venture into the water only in the company of a trained professional who will be able to teach you the essentials and keep you safe while you learn them. A snorkeling instructor can at times appear to be a killjoy who takes you out of the water when you are having fun. But he is doing it for a reason that may not be apparent to you and it is important that you listen to him.

Find the Right Location

The world is full of wonderful snorkeling locations. Some can be difficult and even dangerous for the rookie. Always start out at a safe location where the conditions are going to be those that you can handle with ease. The waters off Big Island of Hawaii are an ideal place to start. The ocean conditions are ideal for beginners. There are great snorkeling spots where you can find coral reefs and marine life that are unique to this part of the world. Charter boats with experienced crews are available and they will take care of you, charter you to the best spots, look after your safety and ensure that you are comfortable and well fed during the trip. A bad experience can put you off snorkeling but a good one can open up a world of underwater fun and adventure that will be an unforgettable adventure.

Enjoy Yourself

Snorkeling is not a race. Or a way to show off physical prowess or swimming skills. It is an experience to be savored and enjoyed. When snorkeling, you do not have to prove anything to anyone. Do only what you are comfortable with. If someone can swim faster than you or go deeper, that’s fine. There will be others who cannot do, what you do. Snorkeling is for fun, so enjoy it without worrying about the abilities of others.

Treat the Underwater World With Respect

You are a visitor. And like all guests, you need to mind your manners. Show courtesy and consideration for others. Do not touch the corals or try to touch or frighten the fish or turtles you come across. Leave the world below the surface as pristine as you found it so that other can enjoy it too.

Come enjoy Hawaii, taste the pleasures of the ocean, dance by the firelight and to the rhythm of out music, make merry and spend carefree days here.

Snorkeling For Beginners Part 1

The underwater world of our planet holds wonders, mysteries and beauty that can never be experienced on land. You may enjoy being in the water and participating in all kinds of water sports. But if you have not seen what lies beneath the surface, you are missing out on an incomparable experience. Exploring the oceans does not require scuba diving certification or investing in expensive diving equipment. Snorkeling will allow you to explore the underwater world in a safe manner that is open to almost anyone. All that is required is the ability to swim, an understanding of the basics of snorkeling and a desire for experiences that can be found nowhere else. What follows is an explanation of how simple it can be.

Starting Out Right

 

If your first experience is bad or uncomfortable, it can put you off snorkeling and deprive you of continued wonderful experiences. Among the many common problems beginners encounter are:

• Water entering the face mask
• Water flooding into the snorkel tube
• A feeling of insecurity
• Minor injury
• Exhaustion

These are all minor issues but if they happen during the first few times underwater, the resulting fear can put you off snorkeling for good. That is why the following tips are so important. Follow them and your snorkeling experience will be one that you will want to keep repeating.

Find The Right Equipment

 

When it comes to snorkeling equipment, there is no such thing as “one size fits all.” Do not be taken in by advertisements that make these claims. It makes sense to visit a reputed sporting goods store and spend a little time finding the mask, snorkel and fins that are right for you. The shape of your face, the size of your nose and whether you are clean shaven or have a beard are a few of the factors that affect the fit of a mask. Try on different sizes and types to find the one that fits you best. Ensure that when the mask is on tightly (it has to keep water out) there is no discomfort or pinching. The salespeople in the store will be able to help you.

Having water flooding into your snorkel can be a very disconcerting experience. A “dry snorkel” is the best way to prevent this from happening. These snorkels have a valve on the top that seals the tube shut when you go underwater. And in case some water does enter, there is a purge valve that allows you to easily blow the water out.

Fins are like shoes. Too tight and they can be very uncomfortable after being on for any length of time. Sores and blisters can ruin the snorkeling experience. On the other hand, fins that are too lose can fall off, reducing your ability to move in the water. When trying on fins, it is important to keep in mind that your feet will be wet and in cool water, they can shrink a little bit. Look for fins that fit snugly without being so tight that they are uncomfortable.

Practice in A Pool

 

Before venturing into the ocean, spend some time in a swimming pool getting used to your new snorkeling equipment. Practice putting on the mask and adjusting it so that it sits comfortably. Try different strengths of inhaling to find the suction that keeps your mask snug and watertight on your face without being uncomfortable. Adjust the angle and height of the snorkel and where it attaches to the face mask strap to find the most comfortable position. Try out the fins at different degrees to tightness to find where they feel most secure on your feet without any discomfort.

It is always best for a beginner to go snorkeling with someone experienced. One of the best places to get started is in the incredible waters off Hawaii where charter boats with experienced crews can help you to make the most of your first experiences.