Snorkel Safety - 22nd March 2011
Snorkel Safety Guide - Essential tips to prevent injuries and other hazards during your snorkeling activities
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The most important rule when starting snorkeling is you should at least have the basic skills of knowing how to use your snorkeling equipment. Swallowing a small amount of water through the snorkel can result in drowning so it is essential to know how to use your equipment. Like scuba diving, it is important to never go snorkeling on your own. It is essential for the snorkeler to go down with a buddy so if you find yourself in danger there is always someone to help you or call out for help. Having a buddy not only makes it safe for you but also makes is the more pleasurable. The weather should also be taken into consideration. It is wise to watch for weather reports for the area you are about to snorkel. Rough waters do not facilitate snorkeling and can be dangerous since water can easily enter the snorkel. Do not snorkel immediately after a meal. Your body takes time to digest the food. Eat a meal about an hour before your event, have a small snack. Do not eat a large amount in the last hour! If you do do just try not to overexert yourself. An important rule in snorkel safety is to never snorkel after drinking alcohol, this can be downright deadly. In addition to the slowed reaction times and general lack of coordination it causes, consuming alcohol before swimming/snorkeling can also increase the chance that a spasm of the vocal chords will occur if water enters the windpipe, locking the airway closed.
Snorkeling can be one of the most pleasurable and safest ways to enjoy the sea. Although your supply of air is constant and you can keep a look out on your surroundings with proper a proper fitter mask, many things can go wrong if you misjudge your own limits. How long can you hold your breath underwater? How far out can you go? If there is an underwater cave or tunnel are you will to risk holding your breath until you surface. These several factors should be taken into consideration. However I do have one rule in snorkel safety. If you are ever in doubt then don't do it. It is just not worth the risk. It is essential for the snorkeler to stay close to shore what ever the level of skill. Newbie snorkelers tend to often misjudge their own capabilities and stamina may often find themselves exhausted. It is important for the snorkeler to have additional reserve of energy to get back safely. Should you ever find yourself in a situation where you are exhausted or must return through strong currents worn out, move onto your back and tread water for a few minutes. In addition you can prepare yourself for such situations by gearing yourself up through the appropriate snorkeling equipment. A flotation device can be an important snorkel safety piece of gear. such as a simple waist belt or snorkeling vest can help you in retaining your energy and allow you to enjoy your excursion significantly more rather than focusing on your fatigue. Should you frequently dive below the surface, consider leaving several intervals before each dive or make several shorter dives instead of a long dive. Floatation devices can help in this case to rest and regain your necessary energy between each dive. Cramps are commonly experiences by snorkelers during their excursions. Should you experience these effects it is important that you position yourself with your head above water. Relax your muscles by resting on your back to regain your energy. Also since cramps are normally experienced on the legs you should position yourself in a sitting position and Simply stretch your foot of the affecting area and with both arms reach for the tip of your foot or fins and gently pull towards you. This should relieve you from the cramp affecting your foot.
Knowing the area you are about to snorkel is essential to ensure your safety. Be aware of signs/postings of the area you wish to dive in, they may prove extremely useful. If you are about to snorkel in an unknown areas having no signs/postings, it is wise to be informed before hand either from locals or the local police station. You will be surprised by the amount of useful information you may gather regarding hazardous areas. Be very careful around rocky shores and pounding surf. Both are ingredients which may lead to severe injury or even death. an important consideration in snorkel safety is to always use extra caution when swimming in shallow reef areas. Should coral become embedded deeply, see a doctor as soon as possible to have it removed. Deep gashes resulting from coral or reefs, should also be attended to immediately to avoid the risk of infection. As a preventive measure, try to avoid snorkeling in shallow rocky areas which are subjected to pounding surf. If you're reef walking wear protective foot gear. Although snorkeling is considered to be a safe sport, the environment may sometimes be a cause of concern. most of the times this is due to misjudging the conditions you may find yourself in. Sometimes the snorkeler is so immersed within his/her experience that they forget their surroundings. Protective equipment is an important aspect in snorkel safety. In cold waters, divers can easily loose their bodily heat and sap their strength and risk hypothermia. If you are snorkeling in cold water, consider wearing a wetsuit or other protective equipment. Besides their use in cold waters, It is also wise to wear the necessary exposure gear to protect you from the harmful UV rays. One of the most common occurrences of snorkeling hazards faced by snorkelers is the risk of getting sunburned. Since most of the time you will have your back exposed to the sun and because you will be partly submerged underwater you will not feel the heat of the sun but yet the risk of getting sunburned is extremely high. You should therefore have to keep in mind to cover up the areas like your back and the back of your head so investing in a dive skin and hoodie is not a bad idea.
How to treat a snorkeling injury A pounding wave can easily harm you if it pushes you towards a rock shore or reef. You could also easily injure yourself if you hit a reef whilst fining through the water. Remember reef and rock shores can easily cut though flesh This is the greatest potential danger that a snorkeler may find themselves in. If you or a buddy of yours has suffered a soft tissue injury (such as muscle rather than a bone fracture) you could use the following treatment:
Snorkel safety starts with you. You should be aware of the conditions you are about to snorkel in. Should you intend to snorkel in open water, be informed of the tides as these could pull you out to sea. Certain areas are also the breeding ground for underwater currents. Such currents are also known to have sucked swimmers underneath. It is therefore important that you be informed of whether such hazards exists within the area you are about to dive in.
An important snorkel safety issue is that you need to keep in mind that you are a guest in an alien environment. Keep your distance from marine life: It is important to remember that when you swim in the ocean, you are a guest in a wild habitat and as such, you should respect that habitat and its creatures. Most underwater creatures will avoid contact with you, however several other creatures may have some form of defense mechanism should they feel that they are in danger. Because jellyfish blend so well and are virtually invisible the probability of a snorkeler being stung by a jellyfish is quite high. If you want to learn how to treat jellyfish stings, be sure to read our jellyfish sting treatment guide. This guide will definitely help you should you be unfortunate enough to experience a jellyfish sting. You should also be cautious about not going too close to the seabed. I once experienced an incident during one of my snorkeling outings where whilst skimming the seabed, I came face to face with a large moray eel. All puffed up ready to attack, I must have startled it. You can't blame her, I was perceived as a threat. Luckily enough I came out of the potential danger unscathed. You can easily prevent such incidents by maintaining a safe distance from sea bed.
Most
injuries from sea creatures result from a lack of knowledge of these
underwater creatures. Naturally such creatures like eels and other fish
may feel intimidated by us humans. Follow the below guidelines to avoid
potential harm with sea creatures:
Hope you have enjoyed this article on snorkel safety. By adhering to the rules mentioned within the above article and using common sense you can be rest assured that you are in for a great snorkeling experience.
Related Links on snorkeling safety:
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