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Hawaii Snorkeling Tips
 1. Be Prepared
Rent
high quality snorkel gear from your favorite beach gear rental
shop. Properly fitted fins and mask, de-fogger, sun screen
and fish ID card will make snorkeling much safer and more
enjoyable. Also, it is recommended that you check out booties
to protect your feet especially when entering and exiting the
water. Check the weather
to find out surf, tide, and wind information.
2. Be Careful
Never snorkel in high surf
conditions! Also, never snorkel alone, check your equipment
fit and
function with your buddy. Keep your hair out of your mask. Position
the snorkel
correctly. Make sure you are comfortable. Now, ease
yourself into the water and practice in the shallows. Try to
pick an area with easy ocean access, and little waves. Snorkeling
at a beach park where there is a lifeguard is the safest option. Once you feel relaxed and
confident, venture into deeper waters, but never beyond the
capabilities of your buddy. Snorkel equipment will not make
you a better swimmer, so go no further than you would have without the
gear. If either you or your buddy begins to feel
tired, cold,
or anxious, return to
shore. A relaxed
snorkeler gets more pleasure out of snorkeling and a greater
appreciation of the environment. A calm snorkeler seems less
threatening and when the aquatic wildlife realizes you are not a
threat, they resume their normal routine, allowing you to experience
their world. 3. Use your Gear
Properly
 To clear your snorkel, exhale a burst of air
through your mouth to blast the water out. Then take a cautious first
breath to make sure all the water is gone. In the water, objects look
25% larger (or closer) than they really are. You can practice judging
distance by floating in
very shallow water and reaching down to touch the bottom. This will help you learn how far
an “arm’s length” is underwater. Walking
with fins on can be uncertain on dry land or on a boat. If you are
snorkeling from shore, try putting your fins on and removing them in
waist deep water. If you are snorkeling from a boat, don’t
put your fins on until it is time to enter the water and take them off
at the boat ladder before getting back on the boat.
4. Search
for ideal snorkeling conditions
 The best time to snorkel or dive in Hawaii is in
the morning. Fish are generally more active and you stand a
greater chance to see other marine life such as the Hawaiian Spinner
Dolphins. Also, the water conditions are generally more
favorable, the winds usually pick up in the afternoon. If
there is a sandy beach or sandy bottom near you, chances are the
underwater visibility will not be so good. This is especially
true if there is any wind or current, as this will stir up the sand
from the ocean floor. Snorkeling away from the sandy shore
and over a vast reef is much more pleasurable - you can usually see
where the sandy bottom ends and the reef begins when standing on shore
and looking out over the water. 5. Be Respectful and Have
Fun
 The reef is a living
animal. What may look like merely rocks and plants are most
likely thousands of tiny organisms trying to build a home.
Therefore, enter, exit, and rest only on sandy bottoms and bare
lava. Just touching coral can destroy it. Also,
never stand
on a any coral because it can be very fragile. Never dive
in! To view the hawaiian fish best, approach slowly, you'll
find they respond best to the passive viewer. The Hawaiian
green sea turtles (Honu) are protected by law, so do not touch them or
disturb them, and they will probably swim to you. Enjoy your
snorkeling in Hawaii, we recommend buying or renting an underwater
camera to film our splendid sea life. |
