Excellent Tips for Snorkeling in the Florida Keys

Snorkeling has become increasingly popular in the United States, especially in the Florida Keys along vast underwater coral reefs. Although snorkeling is a reasonably priced, easy to learn hobby for all ages, there are many tips to remember for a fun and safe aquatic experience.

First of all, when traveling with a snorkeling charter, a friendly crew will usually provide you with all of the proper gear. A mask should fit tightly around your head with the strap connected to the snorkel, so that the mouthpiece fits comfortably in your mouth. All of your hair should be swept or pulled back so that it does not obstruct your sight. Women or men with long hair should pull it back into a pony tail.

Fins should also fit snugly on you feet so that you are unable to kick them off and lose them in the water. A wet suit may be provided during cooler months and also protects against scratches and cuts from sharp coral.

Finally, a lightweight life jacket will be provided. You can slightly inflate or deflate your flotation device via a small connected tube. Also attached to your jacket is a safety feature that when pulled, will fully inflate the jacket in case of drowning. Speaking of drowning, if you do run into trouble, the universal snorkeling sign for "help" is waving both of your arms over your head. So while snorkeling, refrain from waving to your friends or you may falsely alarm the crew.

Upon entering the water, remember to breath. It sounds crazy, but your first inclination, especially as a beginner, is to hold your breath. It's best to just focus on breathing in and out through your snorkel, listen to your breaths and relax. Soon everything will feel natural. If you do take in water, resurface, regroup and blow through your snorkel to shoot out any additional water. Your mask may also fog up at times. You can usually clear it with a few fingers or borrow a fog prevention product from your crew.