Snorkel Away: How to Prepare for Your Greatest Underwater Adventure

Dive into the unknown and create your best summer adventure yet with Garmin.

This summer, don’t miss the opportunity to try out new things—both the relaxing and the thrilling, the frightening and the tranquilizing.

If you’re not sure which activity to try out, consider snorkeling. Snorkeling is one of the best things you can do this summer and the best way to wander through the underwater and see the wonders it offers. Despite being a simple activity, because of the small things it requires you to do, snorkeling offers a long list of health benefits.

Before you dive into action, make sure you have everything you need to make the most of the experience. If you don’t know how to swim or are still a newbie when it comes to underwater activities, learning how to swim and stay afloat will help a lot. Working on your swimming skills and mastering the art of swimming can be a bit daunting or tiring, but this will help improve both your strength and endurance, which you will need when you’re snorkeling. Being able to navigate the waters easily lessens the effort you need to exert while doing the activity and you can enjoy the breathtaking underwater view more. 

Aside from improving your strength and endurance, your breathing is another thing you will need to work on. Snorkeling will require you to hold your breath at times, and you need this skill to conserve energy and air while you’re underwater.

It is also crucial that you have the right equipment. Fins, rashguard, and diving mask are three of the most important gears you should have on you before you dive in. Take the time to practice swimming with those three on so it’s easier for you when it’s time to do the actual activity.

Now that you know what skills to master and the equipment to bring, let us share with you some tips so you can make your first attempt at snorkeling as perfect as it can be.

Test your equipment. If you’re planning to rent some stuff, then checking the things you’re going to use first is a must. A lot of these pieces of equipment will feel unfamiliar once you’re underwater, so make sure to try them beforehand.

Breathe and calm down. You will need to stay afloat for the most part of the activity, and considering that you are in the middle of a vast body of water, it is normal for panic to set in as you wander further into the ocean. To beat this, it would help to practice mindfulness and master some breathing techniques. Learning to breathe slowly and deeply does the trick, so take the time to work on that.

Float, not flail. Don’t use your hands that much because it would only tire you out. Snorkeling is an exercise where you’d learn to float, glide, and direct yourself using your fins, which is one of the main reasons why it’s considered a relaxing activity. Know how to float and control your swim. 

Choose a good location. Where you choose to snorkel is something that needs thorough deliberation. The location should make you feel relaxed, calm, and safe. Do not go someplace where the waves and currents are strong regardless of the time of day.

And last but definitely not the least, enjoy the experience. 

After those tips, the next important thing to have is a device that will help you maximize the activity.

With Garmin’s Descent G1, you can be a diver and a trendsetter. This dive computer and smartwatch comes in a sleek design and a QuickFit band that you can remove easily and change according to your style. Enjoy your underwater experience with its six dive modes such as apnea, apnea hunt, single gas, multi-gas, gauge, and CCR—all of which will help you learn more and get accustomed to diving, snorkeling, and other watersports. The Descent G1 also guarantees your safety by sending tone and vibration alerts for numerous variables including depth, dive time, ascent speed, and decompression / safety stop completion. 

The Descent G1 boasts a display that is easily visible underwater and under the bright sun. It also utilizes satellite positioning for GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo networks so you have a record of your entrance and exit points every time you dive. When you’re underwater, the Descent G1 has the right features to keep track of important health stats so you know how your body is doing.

When you’re onshore, the Descent G1 can still be your fitness buddy as it is loaded with features that support activities like hiking, bouldering, skiing, strength training, indoor/trail running, yoga, aerobics, and a whole lot more. Plus you can use it for overall fitness check 24/7 as it can give you information on your stress levels, sleep score, heart rate, blood oxygen, and more.

With Garmin,  stepping into the unknown has never been easier and safer. Snorkeling or hiking, underwater or atop the mountain, any activity is possible when you have a device that you can rely on. So this summer, dive deep into unfamiliar depths or trek toward uncharted territories with the maker of the best fitness partners you can ever get, Garmin.