• Minimal equipment required - mask, snorkel and fins.
• Shared experience - friends and family can snorkel together
• Gets kids to put their heads in the water, overcoming the main obstacle in learning to swim
• Inexpensive, or free if you have the gear
• Low impact on the environment

• To fit, hold against face and gently breathe through nose. The mask should adhere to face.
• Masks are available in PVC or Silicone. Both do the job, with silicone being more flexible, comfortable and expensive.
• Masks may have one or two "windows". One-window masks give a clear, wide unobstructed view. Two-window masks are joined in the center by a nosepiece. They can be more comfortable and fit better to the face. (Many people, especially children, have hard-to-fit faces.)
• Masks should have a double-edged face skirt for a good seal. The face skirt is the part which touches your face.
• Corrective vision: Masks are available with "drop-in" lenses or custom-ground lenses. The custom lenses are ground more accurately to specific vision needs. They are more expensive and there is a wait for the service.
• Mast defogger goop is available online or at dive shops. Children often have mask fogging problems.

• Two styles are made: standard and purge-valve. The purge-valve offers easy clearing, and costs a little more.
• Kids' snorkels are available with smaller mouthpieces and narrow-bore tubes.
• Check for angle - the snorkel should stick straight up when head is facing down and forward a bit. Have your partner help check.
• There should be enough looseness at the bottom end for the mouthpiece to be easily spit out.

• There are two common styles of swim fins - heelstrap and fullfoot. Heelstrap fins are adjustable, and good for children. Get quality heelstrap fins or the strap will break. Fullfoot fins have built-in heels which are more comfortable and more efficient.
• Fins should be lightweight.
• Small-blade fins are best for children and beginners. Moderate size fins are good for the more experienced snorkeler. With fins, bigger is not necessarily better.

• Bend knees slightly, naturally, as you kick.
• Try different style kicks - some do better with shorter stroke kicks.
• Remember when looking through a mask, underwater objects look 25% bigger and 25% closer than they actually are.
• Swim fins don't swim by themselves. They sink. Take off equipment, especially kids', on shore.
• Store your gear: rinse with fresh water and store out of the sun. Store where mice can't get to them - mice like to chew the rubber!
• Loose fins don't work well and cause blisters. Wear socks if you have to. Also, a common problem is the back of the heel tearing, rendering the fin useless. This can be repaired with duct tape and a few stitches with heavy thread. On the inside of the heel, cover the stitches with another piece of tape for comfort.

• Always snorkel with at least one other person.
• Tie a whistle to your PFD. (More experienced snorkelers will need to remove their PFD for diving deeper.)
• Return to shore if anyone is getting tired.
• Use brightly colored snorkels.
• Don't use inflatable flotation devices. Use a PFD and, for kids, one with a crotch strap.
• Stay together! It's safer, and the shared experience makes shared memories.

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