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How to snorkel and learn snorkeling charters on Oahu Hawaii snorkle near Ko Olina Resorts |
Learn to Snorkel? What you need to know about snorkeling gear
Dancing Dolphins on sale by Laura Knight Talented metal artist, Laura Knight - Iron Rapsody, donated this specialy designed and crafted one of kind work of art for the Wild Dolphin Foundation. "Dancing Dolphins" is six feet long (!) and is hand crafted from steel and malachite. |
Learn to Snorkel - or Improve Your Snorkeling Technique6 Easy Tips on How to SnorkelSnorkeling is a tool used to access one of nature's most marvelous realms, and the ocean remains one of the best arenas for exercising our sense of discovery, as well as our bodies. The key to successful snorkeling is relaxation in the water. Try not to overanalyze. Practice will improve your skills and comfort in the water. The tips below assume you already have well fitting equipment. If not: a. Be
sure the mask fits your face. Hold the The strap should only fit snugly at the widest part of your head, towards the top of the back of your head. If it's at the base of your skull, water may seep in. If water does start seeping in while snorkeling, reach back and see if your strap has slipped down. Don't tighten the strap beyond "snug," being too tight causes leaking, as the seal can be broken. The pressure of the water will help seal the mask to your face. The snorkel should rest in front of your ear. b.
Choose fins that are snug but not too tight. If they hurt or
curl your toes especially, you may develop cramps while snorkeling.
If they slip off your heels, they're too big. Better a little big than
too small. Remember they will slip on easier when your feet are
wet.
2. Practice breathing through the snorkel with your head out of the water before the real thing. Put the mask on your head (wear your strap slightly high on the back of your head and not too tight!), suck it into your face, breathe through the tube (put the mouthpiece all the way in your mouth, like a football players mouthpiece and close your lips around it). Dont't bite, just rest your teeth on the bite thingies - or your jaw will get really sore. When ready, practice calm floating in the face down and horizontal position. Having something (scenery, coral, fish, dolphins!,
or even your finger tips waving) to focus on helps by distracting
you from overanalyzing (worse as we get older). The
same applies to snorkels. A burst of air (similar to a dolphin blow, or saying the word "two")
should clear a flooded snorkel, but breathe in cautiously afterwards
just to make sure. If you're out of air, then simply remove
the snorkel from the mouth to breath. It's helpful to practice deliberately flooding
and clearing both mask and snorkel to calmly learn these techniques. 5. Once you have mastered using your equipment, practice controlling your movements in the water. You will increase your comfort level as you improve maneuvering abilities and you will also minimize accidental bump-ins with objects in the water such as other snorkelers, reef elements, buoys, etc. It's easy to lose track of your location with your face in the water, and loss of peripheral vision. Don't forget to look around for your exit spot or boat every couple of minutes. 6. Knowing your personal limitations is a vital skill often overlooked. Recognize them and remain alert to them. There is no good reason to push your limits. They will change with each snorkeling opportunity presented. Factors to consider are water temperature, surge, currents, and visibility. A relaxed snorkeler gets more pleasure out of snorkeling and a greater appreciation of the environment. You are also less threatening (and less of a target). When the aquatic wildlife realizes you are not a threat, they resume their normal routine, allowing you to experience their world (great video!). Don’t spread invasive seaweeds.When you snorkel, dive, or anchor, always clean your gear and boat before moving to a new spot. Seaweeds can spread when small pieces of it break off and are carried to a new location. Part II - Getting in the Water
How and where to Buy a Snorkel Dolphin Swim l Whale Watching l Swimming with Turtles l Night Sail Boat Tours l Hawaii Snorkeling l Massage etc. l Rates, Prices l Online Booking l Whale and Dolphin Hawaii Internships l Site Map
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snorkel mask up to your
face clearing the strap from your face. Breath
in through your nose. The mask should seal perfectly and stay on, without
holding it, for as long as you breath in. If any air leaks in, water
will also. Keep all hair out of the seal, if you have a moustache, use
a good glob of vaseline, sunscreen or chapstick below your nose to act
as a "gasket," or consider shaving the area right below the nose. 
Products
made for defogging seem to work OK (we like the gel products) but
anything from spit (or dog drool, which we've heard is THEE
best), to crushed leaves
from particular plants growing near the shore (naupaka in Hawaii), help. We use a small drop of Johnson's Baby Shampoo, rinsed with ocean water (must use salt water to work well). 
ankles relaxed to prevent your leg muscles from cramping. Fins remain
below the water line, always. AVOID using a bicycling type kick,
but instead think of your fin (especially the tip) as a beautiful
flowing mermaid tail. Once you are proficient in this skill, you will
notice that your fins propel you through the water. You will hardly
need to use your arms and can let them rest easily at your side, or
fold your hands over your lower back. Point your toes in the opposite direction from where you want to travel. 