Snorkeling is a water activity in which a diver swims using a diving mask, and the diver uses a breathing tube with a specific shape which is known as a snorkel.
And the diver usually makes use of swimming fins, swimming goggles for better vision underwater, and a wetsuit if he or she chooses.
Equipped with all that, a diver can easily experience activities of sea life underwater, he or she can do this for a long period without much stress and can easily breathe while face-down in the water at the surface part.
The art of snorkeling is very popular, it is a recreational activity mostly at tropical resorts.
It aims at allowing people to observe life underwater in its natural form without having to use so many diving tools and it doesn’t require to have scuba diving training or experience.
It isn’t age-limited because of how little effort it takes to achieve it, it also covers the basics of the underwater sport’s two surface disciplines.
There are a few underwater activities that scuba divers engage in with snorkeling on the water’s surface such as underwater rugby and underwater hockey. Snorkeling is also useful for search and rescue teams conducting water-based searches.
Snorkeling has been known to have significant benefits for divers and even non-divers, it is a workout that requires movement of your whole body.
If you move your arms, legs, or your back while snorkeling it forces your muscles to push against the normal resistance of the water strengthens your muscles.
When you snorkel with fins, it allows for a leg workout that is effective thanks to the increased resistance of the fins against your legs.
Snorkeling helps to keep you in shape, by burning away calories.
A lot of people who snorkel end up burning about 250 to 300 calories per hour and that is healthy.
It also improves and strengthens your heart, while snorkeling your heart rate increases allowing your heart to pump harder and letting it grow stronger.
Snorkeling also helps to relieve stress and anxiety, it also helps with joint mobility for those who have problem exercising due to restrictions of movement.
It is highly advisable to start snorkeling as a way to start up your exercise routine, after getting a significant amount of exercise mobility then you can move on to other exercises or you could increase how frequently you snorkel.
Can You Snorkel Without Fins?
People sometimes wonder when they intend to go on a snorkeling trip if they should go along with or without fins.
It is easy to grasp how significant it is to have fins while swimming, but a lot don’t know what significance fins hold while snorkeling.
The short answer is yes. You can snorkel without fins, but it isn’t advisable to do so simply put it is unsafe to snorkel without fins.
Fins allow you to get through the water better, you get to handle any current or wind that you may suddenly experience while deep within the activity.
Every shop that sells snorkeling equipment would always recommend fins because fins allow an enjoyable and safe water experience.
If you insist on snorkeling without fins go for it, it is possible to enjoy your underwater activity without snorkeling fins, and here are some easy ways to go about it:
1# Snorkel in shallow waters
If your snorkeling activity does not entail going deep into the ocean, then you can go ahead and snorkel without fins.
This means that your feet alone can adequately provide enough propulsion to enable you to navigate the shallow waters.
2# Go for calmer waters
If you are certain that the conditions of the water on that day are favorable and calm, with no heavy waves or anything then you can go ahead and snorkel without fins.
Remember to always check out the conditions of the water before doing this.
3# Marine life at shallow ends
This one is not common as marine life is rarely seen in shallow ends of the water. But if you can spot marine life in shallow ends then snorkeling fins are not necessary.
However, this is not common you might have to swim deeper to start witnessing marine life within the ocean.
Conclusion
Snorkeling with fins allows you to move much faster in water, this lets you cover a large space within a short period and allows you to explore more, larger fins require more energy but it allows you to travel faster than smaller fins which require less energy would.
Snorkeling fins also protect your feet when diving in deep waters. It especially protects your feet when you intend to dive deeper to explore corals.
However, you can snorkel without fins if you want to, but this is not advisable because of some of the reasons explained in this article.