Previous
Snorkelling in a blue heaven
WHAT-TO-DO - NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND - JULY 2005
Snorkelling in a blue heaven
Over-the-rainbow sights
The Bahamas is one of the premier vacation spots in the world, famous for its warm sun, colourful seas and beautiful beaches. But here's a tip: if you want to see the real beauty of The Bahamas, look beneath the surface of the crystal clear waters that surround you.
There are reefs and coral heads down there so colourful and other-worldly that the sight of them may be the longest lasting impression you take home.
One of the great things about snorkelling is it's so easy. Unlike scuba diving, there?s no bulky equipment to wear, no heavy weights to weigh you down. Just slip on fins, a mask with a snorkel attached and you're ready to go. Extensive training is not required: get used to breathing through the snorkel with your face in the water and you're ready. To glide over a reef thus attired is to enter an over-the-rainbow world that makes the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz look positively drab.
There, on the ocean floor, you'll observe an ageless but ever-changing scene of brilliantly coloured coral and fanciful sea creatures. They'll be going about their daily business as they have for millions of years, as though you didn't exist.
Snorkelling is an added attraction on almost all boating excursions out of New Providence and Paradise Island. You can find the best companies listed in the Activities section, starting on page 99. These listings will give you points and times of departure along with other information. Virtually all of these excursions offer the free use of snorkelling gear, including mask, snorkel, fins and a flotation vest. Captains and their crews know all the best sites, as well as how to assure your safety, comfort and enjoyment.
Old as civilization
Snorkelling may be as old as civilization. There's evidence that divers began using snorkels made of hollow reeds at least as early as 100 AD. And masks are nothing new either. Historians say Persian divers were using goggles made of polished tortoise shells by the year 1300. The fact is, though, there is no consensus on the origins of the snorkel.
Leonardo Da Vinci is thought to have invented one at the turn of the 16th century, but - so the story goes - Da Vinci refused to release details because he thought the device might be used for evil military purposes. A modern assessment is that Da Vinci's snorkel wouldn?t have worked anyway because the tube was too long and could not have been cleared by the user's breath.
Another account says the snorkel was invented during the US Civil War, ending in 1865. (See www.geocities.com/baja/outback/5091/invent.htm.)
The word comes from the German schnorchel, which was the name applied to a long metal tube, invented by Dutch engineers, that drew air into early diesel-powered submarines. German sub makers adopted the schnorchel and used it on their prototypes just before the Second World War.
Swimmer's snorkels
Modern swimmer's snorkels operate on the same principle but are much different. Usually made of plastic, they are 12 to 18 inches long,
J-shaped and fitted with a mouthpiece. Snorkelling became popular in the 1940s and '50s and snorkelling gear is now ubiquitous, found at lakeside cottages and oceanfront resorts around the world.
There have been refinements over the years. For example, some advanced snorkels have one-way output valves that automatically drain the snorkel when you return to the surface after a dive. (Traditional ones require you to clear the tube with a sharp exhalation.) The newest advancement (not yet arrived in The Bahamas to our knowledge) is an attachment that allows you to listen to FM radio as you snorkel. (www.aquasphereusa.com).
Bountiful reefs galore
Even if you have only a few hours to spare, there are plenty of nearby reefs to investigate. A beautiful spot, tailor-made for snorkelling, is the Sea Gardens Marine Park, which lies under 10 to 20 feet of water off the eastern tip of Paradise Island near Athol island and includes lots of coral and a shallow wreck teeming with fish. Many snorkelling excursions leaving from the north side of New Providence or from Paradise Island will include this spot.
You'll see lots of tropical fish, including yellowtails (pale blue with a yellow stripe), tangs (bright blue), grunts (silver and red) along with triggerfish and angelfish, which display a kaleidoscope of colours.
If you are not up for snorkelling, you can still see the Sea Gardens Marine Park through a portal in the semi-submersible Seaworld Explorer. This is a great opportunity to learn about the delicate ecosystem as you watch colourful fish glide by your window.
The 57-ft Flying Cloud, offers two half-day snorkelling and beach-time trips to Rose Island where you can see yellowtails, parrot fish, sergeant majors and, occasionally, a sea turtle. On Sunday, there?s a full day excursion to a private beach that includes a delicious Bahamian lunch, among other things.
A trip to Rose Island with Sea Island Adventures incudes a day of eating, drinking, beach games and snorkelling over shallow coral reefs very close to shore. Despite their close proximity to shore, these reefs are teeming with tropical fish. Snorkelling equipment is included in the cost of the trip as well as lunch and non-motorized watersports.
As a snorkeller, you can hitch a ride with scuba divers who travel to the "schoolhouse," a reef in shallow water about half an hour from Nassau Scuba Centre's headquarters at Coral Harbour in south western New Providence.
This is a popular trip to an interesting reef, says Patsy Rahming of Nassau Scuba Centre. Snorkellers will see a wide variety of healthy coral and marine life. Look carefully and you might see a small but colourful flamingo tongue. Along with snorkelling, Nassau Scuba Centre offers reef, wall, shark and wreck diving to first-time or experienced divers.
Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas, the largest dive company in The Bahamas, has dedicated one of its 11 boats exclusively to snorkelling, all equipment provided, of course. You can choose to snorkel over a reef, a movie location, a shipwreck or even take part in an exciting shark snorkel, watching Caribbean reef sharks feeding on bait placed on the ocean floor as you swim on the surface.
Snorkelling is also part of a full-day excursion with Island World to the stunning Exuma Cays. The trip begins and ends with a high-speed boat ride, and also includes a light breakfast, a delicious Bahamian lunch and much else. The snorkelling portion is over a reef that only visiting yachters see. The trip also includes a stop to explore a sandbar set in gin-clear water, and a visit with endangered Bahamian iguanas, looking like miniature dinosaurs, scurrying out of the bush to accept gifts of grapes.
Getting started
If you don't want to use equipment supplied by the excursion company, you can buy a basic snorkelling outfit for as little as $30 or as much as $300. You can also find a kit that includes a mask, snorkel, fins, gear bag, underwater fish identification booklet, and a disposable underwater camera. Accessories might include a first aid kit in a watertight case, mask defoggers and so on.
The more relaxed you are, the more you will enjoy snorkelling. That's easily accomplished with a little practice. For example, deliberately flood your mask and snorkel a couple of times and learn to calmly clear them, readjust your equipment and start again.
Make sure the mask fits properly, with the strap around the widest part of your head, just above your ears. It should be snug but not too tight. A properly fitting mask will stick to your face when you inhale, without use of the strap.
The heat from your face may fog up your mask. To prevent this, use defogging products made for the purpose. Defoggers are usually supplied by excursion operators.
Keep your fins below the water and paddle them rhythmically, using your lower legs. Don't use a bicycle-type kick. You'll find you do not need to use your arms while snorkelling.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-Mail: Click here
Internet: https://
Disclaimer:
Information in editorial and listings is subject to change at any time.