Snorkelling for the sheer fun of it

Reading the description of this section of the ScubaMagazine Forum, I thought I'd start a thread dedicated to "Snorkelling For The Sheer Fun of It" as I wonder whether there are others like me who simply enjoy surface, and occasional underwater, swimming in open water with a mask, a snorkel and a pair of fins without spending large amounts of time and money acquiring must-have overengineered equipment or completing rigorous exercise and training régimes.

For me, snorkelling is an inexpensive, liberating experience which I can enjoy anywhere with a minimum of gear. It can be a social activity, which I really appreciated when I once had the opportunity to snorkel with many others at the La Jolla Cove in Southern California. It can also be a solo activity, when I snorkel in the early morning in the North Sea. All I need is my trusty oval mask, "J" shaped snorkel and pair of full-foot fins. I always return refreshed from my seaside foray, looking forward to the rest of my day, even though I have broken no new records in the process.

I get all the competition and performance adrenaline I need in my working life. Snorkelling represents an opportunity for tranquil reflection and harmony with nature. Modern freediving and scuba gear seems designed to make swimmers go faster and faster, deeper and deeper, which may be a popular option, but shouldn't be an obligation. Although the speedometer in my car can indicate up to 140 miles an hour, I have never been tempted to test my car to such limits. I have long preferred the classic simplicity of 1950s and 1960s equipment to the harlequinesque colour combinations in modern wetsuits and the multi-material concoctions that are modern fins.

Does anybody else hanker after simpler times when snorkelling was an unhurried activity done with inexpensive gear in a variety of settings, from swimming pools through lakes to the open sea, usually in one's own neighbourhood and not in exotic locations? Snorkelling began for me in the early 1960s with a trip to Woolworths to buy a set of rubber snorkelling gear, which was far superior IMHO to its modern plastic and elastomer counterpart! I still recall the pleasure I had trying everything out in my local pool - nowadays snorkelling gear is banned there for "health and safety" reasons - and I became a better swimmer as I trained myself in relative safety.

Or am I alone in this view of the simple, uncompetitive joys of snorkelling? I wonder whether this thread will trigger any replies. Sadly, none of my other contributions to these forums seem to have provoked any written response.

DRW, no arguments here. While I don't have much in the way of local snorkeling sites around here, when I'm on holiday I can spend hours drifting around the shoreline seeing what's out there. Don't get me wrong, I love diving and will happily dive as often and for as long as my air supply, computer and conditions will allow. However, I am not one who can then just sit in the recliner on the beach and do nothing. There are few things for me that are more relaxing than just slipping on my fins, mask and snorkel and joining the other marine creatures in a little R&R.

I enjoy snorkeling as well, but I would rather take my gear and training and go SCUBA diving. Both of these activities are greatly relaxing for me, but SCUBA wins there as well. I usually have plenty of time to explore with SCUBA while I feel like I only have a few seconds to look at something while snorkeling before I have to surface to breathe again. There is really no place around where I live to snorkel either, so that makes it kind of tough therefore most of my snorkeling takes place on my last day of vacation when I am unable to dive 24 hours prior to flying.

Thanks for the prompt responses, guys. I think I've been reading too many forum messages written by Tim Allen sound-alikes who can't bear to be without the latest gear and who still end up grunting "more power" as he frequently does on his Home Improvement show. I'm glad you agree that there's room for those who just want to relax and observe sea life when they're swimming with a mask and fins.

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Originally Posted by DRW

I'm glad you agree that there's room for those who just want to relax and observe sea life when they're swimming with a mask and fins.

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As far as I am concerned there is room for all of us as long as we respect the environment.

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Originally Posted by acelockco

I enjoy snorkeling as well, but I would rather take my gear and training and go SCUBA diving. Both of these activities are greatly relaxing for me, but SCUBA wins there as well. I usually have plenty of time to explore with SCUBA while I feel like I only have a few seconds to look at something while snorkeling before I have to surface to breathe again. There is really no place around where I live to snorkel either, so that makes it kind of tough therefore most of my snorkeling takes place on my last day of vacation when I am unable to dive 24 hours prior to flying.

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I agree with Ace as well - the decision between scuba or snorkelling, scuba wins hands down.

Although saying that, considering where I live, I have done a few snorkels (is that the right verb??) and did one snorkel in this gorgeous hidden beach in Anguilla and it's the only place where i've seen an Juvenile French Angelfish.

I love to snorkel. I have been snorkeling a lot longer than I have been scuba div ing, that's for sure. I do scuba now a lot more than I snorkel, but sometimes I will go for an easy snorkel during my surface interval. I just love the water that much! :o) I love the idea of freediving though. I'm not that good at it, but I love holding my breath and getting a little depth and just floating in the silence. As a kid, I started swimming distances underwater long before I could swim on the surface. Snorkelling rocks! .......... er, or "floats"??

My better half doesn't dive but loves to snorkle so I frequently take her to various local spots where I have spotted interesting stuff in shallow water so that she can see the sort of things that I get all excited about. At the moment she is nagging me to take her Seadragon hunting!:)