Snorkeling 101

You’re finally ready to go on your Maui vacation but you’ve never actually snorkeled before. Here’s a guide to help you prepare for your new favorite water activity.

Your Gear

This includes your mask, snorkel and flippers (and if you’re me, Speedo hand flippers which provide me with greater mobility in the water and allow me to swim faster). Your mask can be either be one large optical piece or the more common two eye piece divided by the nose cubby, which I think is more comfortable. At any rate, your mask should stick to your face when you breathe in gently through your nose and not cause pressure on the bridge of your nose or your forehead. Your snorkel should be attached to the head strap of your mask and can go on either side of your head (what side it is on only really matters for divers). When you put your mask on when you’re on dry land, the top opening of the snorkel should be behind your head. The bite guard goes fully in your mouth. It takes some getting used to the first time you try to breathe with this gear on since you cannot breathe through your nose, but most people adapt quite readily. If you get water in your snorkel while swimming, most snorkels have a purge valve that will clear the water if you forcefully breathe out. Next are you flippers which should be able to fit snuggly on your feet so that they feel like they will not fall off, but not so tight that they look like they are cutting off your circulation. If possible, it is best to get fins that have an adjustable heel strap to avoid sizing problems. You can snorkel without fins, but I don’t suggest this unless you are a naturally strong swimmer. You can go further, faster, with less fatigue wearing flippers than without. You may see some people with particularly large fins; these people are advanced snorkelers who are able to free dive; larger fins are not necessary for beginners. If you have any reservations about how well you’re going to float in the water, it is best to take a noodle, inner tube, boogie board, or some other floatation devise with you. These devises will also help keep you afloat if you have to make any adjustments to your gear while out in the water. Additional gear may include your mask de-fogger which prevents your mask from fogging up, especially when there is a significant difference between your body temperature and the water temperature. Spit is fine but needs to be re-applied often. I recommend a 10-1 solution of water to baby shampoo; the shampoo is bio-degradable and will not harm the coral or fish as much as other product such as sunscreen. I do not believe in wearing sunscreen into the water as this is very harmful to coral and other marine life. Instead, I prefer to wear a full length shirt and bike pants or a dive suit. I can only ask you do the same in order to protect Maui’s fragile ecosystem. When you finally do get in the water, keep your eyes faced down or just slightly ahead of you and try to keep your fins in the water while moving your legs. Keeping your flippers in the water minimizes slashing, which may potentially be misconstrued by a shark as a fish in distress. Last thing to know if you are a beginner, never go in the water alone. Hopefully, this is common sense.

Ocean Safety

When it comes to the ocean, the first rule is to keep your eyes on her. If the wind is kicking up and you see white caps, it is not a good idea to go in the water. Although you are level with the waterline, high winds can make it tough to swim, even with flippers on. Three to four foot waves are larger than normal for Maui’s beaches (not included well known surf locales such as Jaws) and generally indicate that the water near shore will probably be murky due to churning sand. Sharks tend to hunt in murky conditions, so it is not wise to swim or snorkel near shore when the surf is “up.” (Note: sharks also tend to hunt during the dawn and dusk hours; another time it in not wise to snorkel.) Sometimes, waves come in that are larger than normal during times the surf is otherwise calm. These are simply wave sets that come three to five a set. So, if it looks too rough to get in, try waiting a few waves and see if the surf calms down. Many beginners put their gear on while on the beach and “duck walk” or “moon walk” into the water which is fine. I say it is easier to wade into the water waist deep and then put your gear on, but this is a personal preference. Try it both ways. Once in the water, the second most important rule of the ocean is not to panic. This is easier said than done and you might have to literally tell yourself to calm down if you get in trouble. Panicking only makes bad situations worse. Fortunately, serious situations are few and far in between. If the wave action kicks up while you are away from shore and this bothers you, try turning your body perpendicular to the waves. This will minimize how much you get bounced around.

Other Ocean Rules

Please don’t touch anything! This applies mostly to turtles and coral. Countless times I have seen people try to touch turtle. Getting too close to turtles on your terms disturbs a turtle’s behavior and causes them stress. Many turtles are used to humans, though, and do not have a problem with you getting close, but let them do so on their terms. As a general rule, give them at least 10 feet and let them approach you, not the other way around. I might also mention that it is technically illegal to touch a turtle here in Hawaii, just so you know. People standing on coral is another huge problem. Visitors do not seem to realize that coral consists of live creatures and cannot withstand the slightest force of someone standing on them. This is probably the number two reason why the coral around Maui has been looking worse and worse over the last few years (the other reason being snorkel and fishing boats that come too close to shore and waste run-off from construction and hotels). And while we don’t get many jellyfish around Maui, you’ll certainly want to stay away from any kind of black sea urchins, which you will see as either a small ball or a fist-sized series of spikes. Don’t touch these either; their spikes carry mild neuro-toxins which cause their flesh wounds to heal very slowly.

Best Beaches for Snorkeling

Finally, which Maui beaches are best for snorkeling? That depends upon who you ask and the weather conditions, but most locals would agree that Honolua Bay (which doesn’t have a beach per se), Black Rock (too crowded for my taste), Poolenalena Beach, Makena Beach (the one in front of Makena Beach and Golf Resort), and Ulua Beach are certainly among the top-ranked.

Last Words

That’s the basics of snorkeling. Have fun and enjoy your stay but always be safe. We look forward to seeing you year after year.