Whether you are diving into the Lagos harbour looking for the Canadian Sunken Ship, or you wish to swim with the fishes, there is no reason why
snorkelling should be removed from your bucket list because you are in Nigeria.
Snorkelling is one of the best ways to see the beauty of the underwater world and being a first-timer shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this experience.
Here are 10 snorkelling tips for beginners:
- Check Your Surroundings – Choose areas with shallow waters and lots of marine life, mixed with coral reefs. That way you won’t need a boat ride to get to it or dive deep into the water to see its beauty. Watch out for the waves if you are at a beach or inland waterways so you don’t get washed ashore.
- Have a Floatation Device On – If you can swim, great, but you could still add a floatation device like a float belt to help out when you get tired. If you can’t swim, you definitely need a life jacket to keep you afloat.
- Have a Swimming Buddy – Make sure you don’t go in alone. Get someone who can swim or has done this before by your side. Not only will having company make the experience enjoyable, but they can also help if you get stung by a jellyfish or stingray. Yes, we have those in some of our waters in Lagos state.
- Pay Attention To Instructions – Follow the breathing instructions to the letter. Be mindful of the hand signals, diving flags, diving safety rules, etc. Don’t be absent-minded when orientation on snorkelling is going on even if you can swim. If you have a question, ask, don’t be shy.
- Defog Your Mask Before Swimming – Whether you are using a swimming goggle, full face mask or a dive mask, make sure you defog it. By defogging we mean wet inside the lens with anti-fog spray or baby shampoo before wearing it. This prevents it from becoming cloudy when you swim because of the change in temperature from air to water.
- Make Sure Your Gear Fits – This will help to prevent water from leaking into your face mask. You may need to inhale quickly through your nose when you put your mask, so it forms a tight seal around your nose. Exhale through your mouth to push out any dirt/water traces in your snorkel before you go swimming. If you use medicated glasses or contact lens, you can get prescription goggles for your underwater adventure.
- Swim With A Rhythm – Swimming with swim fins (footwear) propels you well in the water and creates a controlled rhythm for your body’s movement making it easy to move from one point to another in the water. Also, your breathing should be slow, not erratic so you don’t get water in your snorkel and end up chocking.
- Don’t Look Straight Down– The reason you are told to swim at an angle (45o to be exact) is so you don’t get water in your snorkel. The trick is to look ahead not below when you are in the water. You will still be able to see the corals on the seabed and everything else around like schools of fishes if you swim at an angle.
- Avoid Taking a Flight After a Snorkelling Experience – Don’t dive deep when snorkelling if you plan to travel by air that day or in less 12 hours time. If you do, the pressure difference in the water and on the flight might pose a health hazard to you. Wait for up to 24 hours after your snorkelling experience before travelling.
- No Particular Dress Code For Snorkelling – You don’t have to buy a swimwear to go snorkelling. You can use your regular swimming suit, trunks, bathing suits, boxer shorts, t-shirts or even a bikini to go snorkelling. Just wear whatever is comfortable for you.
With these tips, there is no excuse for not snorkelling. If you are still timid or scared, you can stay in one spot near the boat/catamaran and bob around in the water with your floatation device.
When you go snorkelling, relax and enjoy yourself.
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This article was first published on 25th January 2019
ann
Ann Esievoadje is a freelance writer who is passionate about encouraging a reading culture and personal development. She has authored two books, The Quilt (fiction) and Being Mummy and Me (non-fiction). She manages Pulchra Publishing which offers a content creation/editing, transcription, different forms of writing (including Ghostwriting) service and her blog, Life Love and Anything Goes at annesievoadje.blogspot.com.ng. You can reach her at annesievoadje@gmail.com
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