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A snorkeler amid corals on a coral reef near Fiji





Snorkeling is mentioned by Aristotle in his Parts of Animals. He refers to divers using "instruments for respiration" resembling the elephant's trunk.[2] Some evidence suggests that snorkeling may have originated in Crete some 5,000 years ago as sea sponge farmers used hollowed out reeds to submerge and retrieve natural sponge for use in trade and commerce.[3]


Swimmer's snorkel with splash guard on top, but with no sump valve.

The snorkel may be a separate item or may be integrated with a full-face snorkelling mask. The integrated system is only suitable for surface snorkelling,[4] but the separate snorkel may also be used for free-diving and for surface breathing with scuba equipment.[5]

A swimmer's snorkel is a tube typically about 30 centimeters (1 ft) long and with an inside diameter of between 1.5 and 2.5 centimeters (0.6 and 1 in), usually L- or J-shaped and fitted with a mouthpiece at the lower end, and constructed of rubber or plastic. It is used for breathing air from above the water surface when the wearer's mouth and nose are submerged, facing down. The snorkel may have a piece of rubber or a plastic clip that attaches the snorkel to the outside of the strap of the diving mask. An alternative technique is fitting the snorkel between the mask-strap and the head, but this practice may increase the chance that the mask leaks, and of losing the snorkel.[citation needed]

The optimum design length of the snorkel tube is at most 40 centimeters (about 16 inches).[citation needed] A longer tube would not allow breathing when snorkelling deeper, since it would place the lungs in deeper water where the surrounding water pressure is higher. The lungs would then be unable to inflate when the snorkeler inhales, because the muscles that expand the lungs are not strong enough to operate against the higher pressure.[6] The pressure difference across the tissues in the lungs, between the blood capillaries and air spaces would increase the risk of pulmonary edema.[citation needed]


Flooding and clearing[edit]


Snorkeler underwater, with snorkel's sump valve.




Snorkeling in Bonito, Brazil


Application of a grease to valve seats can aid in sealing, but it is mechanically washed away over time. A heavy application can cause valves to stick closed and trap grit (foul), which may cause the valve to leak.[citation needed]

Environmental fouling can be caused by beach sand or loose-floating plant or animal matter becoming lodged in the valve, preventing proper operation.[citation needed]

Although it may be easier to breathe through a snorkel while swimming or floating at the surface, clearing valves may fail, or the snorkel may be lost. If the snorkeler is competent at swimming without a snorkel, the risk of drowning in these circumstances is reduced.[citation needed]

Diving mask[edit]

Typical snorkeling equipment: snorkel, diving mask and swimfins.


Full-face snorkel mask[edit]

Full face snorkel masks use an integral snorkel with separate channels for intake and exhaled gases ensuring the user is always breathing untainted fresh air whatever the respiratory effort. The main difficulty or danger is that it must fit the whole face perfectly and since no two faces are the same shape, it should be used with great care and in safe water. In the event of accidental flooding, the whole mask must be removed to continue breathing. It can only be used on the surface, or a couple of feet below since there is no way to equalise the pressure at greater depth. Trained scuba divers are likely to avoid such devices[citation needed][clarification needed] however snorkel masks are a boon for those with medical conditions that preclude taking part in SCUBA diving.

Applications of snorkeling[edit]

Snorkeling is an activity in its own right, as well as an adjunct to other activities, such as breath-hold diving, spearfishing and scuba diving,[8] and several competitive underwater sports, such as underwater hockey and finswimming.

In all cases, the use of a snorkel facilitates breathing while swimming at the surface and observing what is going on under the water.

Scuba diving[edit]


Practice of snorkeling[edit]

Snorkeler with mask and snorkel

Although donning a mask and snorkel and swimming in any body of water would technically constitute "snorkeling," by and large it is generally accepted that a "snorkeler" would don such gear and practice such activity within the vicinity of a reef, wreck, or other submerged objects, either to observe aquatic organisms including fish, algae, etc. or to look at rock formations. Being non-competitive, snorkeling is considered more a leisure activity than a sport.[citation needed]

Snorkeling requires no special training, only the ability to swim and to breathe through the snorkel. However, for safety reasons, instruction and orientation from an experienced snorkeler, tour guide, dive shop, or equipment-rental shop is recommended. Instruction generally covers equipment usage, basic safety, what to look for, and what to look out for, and conservation instructions (fragile organisms such as coral are easily damaged by divers and snorkelers). Some organizations[by whom?] recommend that for snorkeling safety one should not snorkel alone,[9] but rather with a "buddy", a guide or a tour group.[citation needed]

Snorkel vest


Experienced snorkelers may progress to amateur free-diving, which should be preceded by at least some training from a dive instructor or experienced free-diver.[citation needed]

Safety precautions[edit]


Snorkelers' backs, ankles, and rear of their thighs can be exposed to the sun for extended periods, and can burn badly (even if slightly submerged), without being noticed in time. The wearing appropriate covering such as a "rash guard" with SPF (in warmer waters), a T-shirt, a wetsuit, and especially "waterproof" sunblock will mitigate this risk.[citation needed]



Contact with coral should always be avoided, because even boulder corals are fragile.


Snorkeling locations[edit]

Snorkelers observing fish in Cozumel, Mexico.

Snorkeling is possible in almost any body of water, but snorkelers are most likely to be found in locations where there are minimal waves, warm water, and something particularly interesting to see near the surface.[citation needed]


Variants and related activities[edit]

See also[edit]


  1. ^ FINSWIMMING - CMAS RULES VERSION 2012/03 In force as from January 1st 2013 (BoD179 - 22/11/2012). Rome: Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques. 2012. pp. 3–4. 
  3. ^ "Mediterranean commercial sponges: over 5000 years of natural history and cultural heritage" (PDF). Retrieved 2015-08-25. 
  4. ^ "Full Face Snorkel Mask Reviews: Tribord EasyBreathe Alternatives for a Lower Price, Lower Quality". 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2016. 
  5. ^ Busuttili, Mike; Holbrook, Mike; Ridley, Gordon; Todd, Mike, eds. (1985). "Using basic equipment". Sport diving - The British Sub-Aqua Club Diving Manual. Sranley Paul & Co. ISBN 0 09 163831 3. 
  6. ^ R. Stigler, "Die Taucherei" in Fortschritte der naturwissenschaftlichen Forschung, IX. Band, Berlin/Wien 1913
  7. ^ "Best Quality 2017 Full Face Snorkel Mask". 
  8. ^ a b NOAA Diving Program (U.S.) (December 1979). "4 - Diving equipment". In Miller, James W. NOAA Diving Manual, Diving for Science and Technology (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, Maryland: US Department of Commerce: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Ocean Engineering. p. 24. 
  9. ^ Staff. "Snorkeling Safety". Retrieved 5 January 2017. 
  10. ^ The 5 Commandments of Snorkeling Etiquette, 2015


External links[edit]