Roth Regatta

Taking care of your snorkeling equipment

If you snorkel in salt water, you can prolong the life of your snorkelling equipment by soaking it in fresh water afterwards; this will remove the salt that can harden into granules and damage the material that snorkels and masks are made of. You should rinse out any grains of sand at the same time.

To help prevent your snorkelling mask fogging up while you are underwater, clean it regularly, inside and out, with soap and water.

Taking

taking care of your snorkelling equipment and snorkelling safety

Make sure you’re familiar with the do’s and don’ts for snorkelling safely. These include:

›› Don’t snorkel alone in case you get into difficulties

›› Don’t snorkel unless you are a competent and strong swimmer

›› If you haven’t used it in a while, always check your snorkel for leaks or damage before use.

›› Don’t overdo it – tiredness can lead to accidents

›› Don’t

touch the underwater creatures – there’s nothing like a trip to the hospital to ruin your first snorkelling experience.

›› Do stay comfortably close to the shore –  make sure you keep enough energy in reserve to get back safely

›› Do keep an eye on your surroundings. One can become easily disorientated when under water – be aware of the tides, and of dangers such as rocky outcrops, sharp coral and rough surfaces

›› Do learn how to perform mouth-

to-mouth resuscitation

›› Do use a Swim Vest to help with buoyancy. This will let you concentrate on enjoying the experience.

A qualified snorkeling instructor should provide you with complete and in-depth safety