Here are 20 top tips for your snorkeling bliss

1. Snorkel with a buddy. Keep an eye on your buddy.

2. Sunblock, especially back of legs and shoulder.

3. Beat heat exhaustion and dehydration by avoiding snorkeling in the fiercest mid-day hours.

4. Water, both to drink and to snorkel in. It helps.

5. Skin dive in good conditions of visibilityand try snorkel when the waters are not too rough.

6. Do a weather check - bad weather makes for bad snorkeling.

7. Don’t forget flippers, goggles and snorkel. Helps.

8. Wear goggles that fit you and don’t fasten them too tightly as this restricts blood flow to the brain and leaves a stupid looking mask ring around your eyes for hours afterwards. Similarly, apply sunscreen before you put on that mask - the tan can be an eye-sore.

9. Avoid schools of jellyfish.

10. Don’t tilt your head forward too far- you’ll get lungs full of water (usually salt water).

11. Don’t swim to deeply below the surface whilst breathing, unless you want to swallow water (salt water).

12. Be aware of your limitations and levels of fatigue.

13. Make tidal fluctuations and currents into consideration when snorkeling offshore.

14. Ensure that you have an easily accessible point of entry and exit for your snorkel in case of emergencies and for added ease and enjoyment- less scrambling = more relaxation.

15. Don’t kill the fish or stand on the coral, this makes for boring diving next time and for others. Not to mention the damage it does to the health and condition of the sea creatures and ecosystems themselves. Dive eco friendly.

16. Wear a wetsuit in chilly waters to prevent hypothermia (never pretty and potentially lethal). It’s worse if you are skinny, so take heed if you don’t want to start shaking and have to bail out

17. If you value your limbs and digits, don’t touch the sea creatures, particularly the big ones with sharp teeth, razor sharp edges or spines and aggressive fish. Don’t tease Puffers.

18. Don’t dive down too deeply too quickly or hold your breath for too long, as this may result in light-headedness and disorientation- an experience which most people don’t enjoy.

19. Lastly trash in the water is still trash, so don’t litter. It doesn’t hurt to pick up a piece or two of litter if you encounter any.

20. More about trash -avoid swimming into plastic packets, that can cause suffocation, and fishing gut, that is a nasty trap often with hooks attached.

And… Here are the top ten sites for snorkeling in South Africa - Happy snorkeling!

Or go deeper, go scuba diving in South Africa or Mozambique. Ask one of our experts for any advice you should want.

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