Wanna Go Snorkelling? 8 Tips for First-Time Snorkellers and Beginners
By Ninja Shark’s founder (and water enthusiast), Andrew Porter
Look, we’ve said it a million times and we’ll say it again – snorkelling is one of the most exciting, beautiful, relaxing, and breathtaking activities you can do. Whether you’re in the water for an hour or three hours, it doesn’t matter, you’ll always come out feeling great and alive. If you’re a first-time snorkeller, use these words as your mantra.
It’s not uncommon for beginners and first-timers to feel afraid, anxious, and worried in the water, and reminding yourself of the fact that loads of people around the world relish in this activity every day should help ease those feelings. That can only help so much, though, so we’ve created this handy little guide for first-time snorkellers and beginners.
8 tips that’ll have you tackling your first time snorkelling like you’ve been doing it your whole life
The most important thing, as with being a beginner at any activity, is to stay confident. Don’t take this as an opportunity to see yourself as a weak, unskilled beginner. Nuh-uh. This is all about you facing your fears head-on, being strong, powerful, and killin’ it. So let’s go.
1. Get gear that fits right
No point snorkelling with crappy gear. We wouldn’t advise it, nobody would advise it. Just like going for your first drive in a crappy old manual from the 70s, heading out snorkelling in less-than-brilliant gear isn’t a great idea.
Give yourself confidence while out at sea – and more importantly, make sure you stay comfortable – by investing in quality gear that’ll make snorkelling relaxing and not a pain in the arse. You want a mask and snorkels that aren’t too loose – so that water doesn’t seep in – and not too tight either, so you don’t get a crazy headache.
Plus, getting new gear is always an exciting way to approach a new activity. You’ve got your fancy new snorkelling mask and fins, maybe an underwater bag to keep your belongings too, why not go for a brand new towel as well… now you’re ready to snorkel!
2. Practice makes perfect
Before you get all confident and run into the ocean, take some time to practice with your new gear first. Do it close to the shore in case anything goes wrong, and with a buddy present if you’re able. Practice breathing in your new mask until you’re confident and comfortable doing it. Have a few kicks in your new fins and make sure you get a good handle on how to use them properly so your legs don’t ache. After a ten minute practice session close to shore, you should be well and ready to hit the sea!
2. Practice makes perfect
Before you get all confident and run into the ocean, take some time to practice with your new gear first. Do it close to the shore in case anything goes wrong, and with a buddy present if you’re able. Practice breathing in your new mask until you’re confident and comfortable doing it. Have a few kicks in your new fins and make sure you get a good handle on how to use them properly so your legs don’t ache. After a ten minute practice session close to shore, you should be well and ready to hit the sea!
3. Make sure you’re comfortable
Not super confident in your swimming skills? Make sure you head out snorkelling with a life jacket. You’ll feel safe in the knowledge that you’ll always stay above the surface of the water, letting your mind rest easy and enjoy your snorkelling experience.
end to get cold quickly, or scared of jellyfish? Invest in a good snorkelling suit that’ll keep you nice and warm in those cold open waters. It’s essential to keep yourself comfortable and your mind at ease on your first few snorkel trips, and being cold ain’t gonna help the cause. A snorkel suit will also keep your body safe from jellyfish and other sea critters, so you can stop being paranoid about stings and enjoy the sea life.
4. Stay calm, and breathe
Don’t let your thoughts get the best of you. The best thing about snorkelling is the fact that you’re removed from your reality and thrust into a whole new world, away from all the commotion and anxieties of life. Use this to your advantage. If you find your thoughts are getting stressful, your mind is racing, or you’re feeling generally uncomfortable and anxious, focus on your breathing.
Feel the expansion and contraction of your lungs, and stay calm. Feel the sun on your back, watch it reflecting in the water, and let yourself be at ease. Just like any other first-time, snorkelling can still be scary even with all the right gear. The best way to get yourself through the fears is by focusing on the breath and all the beautiful scenery around you. Mind off, senses engaged!
4. Stay calm, and breathe
Don’t let your thoughts get the best of you. The best thing about snorkelling is the fact that you’re removed from your reality and thrust into a whole new world, away from all the commotion and anxieties of life. Use this to your advantage. If you find your thoughts are getting stressful, your mind is racing, or you’re feeling generally uncomfortable and anxious, focus on your breathing.
Feel the expansion and contraction of your lungs, and stay calm. Feel the sun on your back, watch it reflecting in the water, and let yourself be at ease. Just like any other first-time, snorkelling can still be scary even with all the right gear. The best way to get yourself through the fears is by focusing on the breath and all the beautiful scenery around you. Mind off, senses engaged!
5. Take a buddy
Everything is way more fun when someone else is enjoying the ride with you. If you’re able to take a buddy snorkelling with you, then you’ll have the added confidence of knowing someone is looking out for you, as well as the bonus of companionship.
Whether your snorkel buddy is a professional or a first-timer like you, it doesn’t matter. If they’re a pro then they can help you out, ease your mind, and guide you, and if they’re a first-timer then you can egg each other on, help each other out, and just generally enjoy the exhilarating ride together.
6. Check yourself and your body
Most first-time snorkellers aren’t quite acquainted with reef life and don’t realise that damaging corals is bad form and can even be illegal in some places. A snorkelling adventure isn’t your average, day-to-day splashing about in a pool having a good time. You can’t just let your limbs thrust around and do what you like.
Rather, you have to be aware of your movements, where your arms and legs are going, being careful to avoid touching the reef life. You also don’t want to disturb the water around other snorkellers close to you, so it’s important to be mindful of your movements and their ensuing reactions.
6. Check yourself and your body
Most first-time snorkellers aren’t quite acquainted with reef life and don’t realise that damaging corals is bad form and can even be illegal in some places. A snorkelling adventure isn’t your average, day-to-day splashing about in a pool having a good time. You can’t just let your limbs thrust around and do what you like.
Rather, you have to be aware of your movements, where your arms and legs are going, being careful to avoid touching the reef life. You also don’t want to disturb the water around other snorkellers close to you, so it’s important to be mindful of your movements and their ensuing reactions.
7. Don’t overdo it
So, you’re super excited to head out on your first snorkelling adventure, but when you get to the beach the water is looking a little murky and the waves a little choppy. As disappointing as that is, don’t decide that you want to snorkel and just go for it anyway. Know when conditions are rough, and know your own limitations when it comes to snorkelling. As much as you’d love to head out there in those choppy waters, it’s probably not a good idea as a first-timer. Enjoy the beach from the shore, and go snorkelling another time.
8. Don’t undereat, overeat, or drink alcohol
Some people tend to get a seasick feeling when floating on the surface of the water as in snorkelling. For that reason, make sure to not head out snorkelling on an empty stomach or after eating massive amounts of food. You don’t want to feel sick, and you don’t want to upset your tummy. While we’re at it, avoid drinking alcohol or taking other substances beforehand. You want a clear mind, with good judgement. Have the beers when you’re back.
Remember: snorkelling is not hard. Kids are doing it, old people are doing it. People are feeling nervous and facing their fears head on and doing it. You can, too. The most important thing is to be relaxed, confident, comfortable, and well acquainted with the tips above. Happy snorkelling!
8. Don’t undereat, overeat, or drink alcohol
Some people tend to get a seasick feeling when floating on the surface of the water as in snorkelling. For that reason, make sure to not head out snorkelling on an empty stomach or after eating massive amounts of food. You don’t want to feel sick, and you don’t want to upset your tummy. While we’re at it, avoid drinking alcohol or taking other substances beforehand. You want a clear mind, with good judgement. Have the beers when you’re back.
Remember: snorkelling is not hard. Kids are doing it, old people are doing it. People are feeling nervous and facing their fears head on and doing it. You can, too. The most important thing is to be relaxed, confident, comfortable, and well acquainted with the tips above. Happy snorkelling!
How many people dream of snorkelling but don't feel comfortable wearing a snorkel mask?
The answer is: too many! Traditional snorkel masks can be uncomfortable and scary for many people, so the beauty of snorkelling goes undiscovered and unexperienced. Whether it's breathing difficulties, choking on sea water, or foggy goggles, there's a lot that prevents people from enjoying the wonderful sport of snorkelling. And that thought makes us sad.
We think everyone should be able to enjoy the underwater world - safely, comfortably, and easily. That's why we created Ninja Shark and our revolutionary line of full face snorkel masks. They're designed to be super comfy, easy-to-use, and make snorkelling accessible for all. Because nobody should miss out on discovering what's under the sea.
The Influencer @lud.around is a NINJASHARK lover!
NINJASHARK is the sound of a revolution in snorkeling. Whereas other water equipments companies are constantly adding poor quality products, we listen to your feedback and constantly improve our products to fit for all of your needs.
While other water equipments companies offer just a way to look under the water, NINJASHARK wants to create an amazing experience for water enthusiasts. That's why we listen to your feedbacks and we develop products based on them.
The Influencer @lud.around doesn’t believes just in snorkelling, but in the entire experience of it. When NinjaShark asked her what is in her beach bag everytime she goes on a vacation, she said, “Ninja Shark: I'm not leaving my room without the mask. The full face snorkeling mask from Australia is comfortable and fit me perfectly! Love how easy it is to breath out your nose and mouth when you snorkeling and even has earplugs! ”
“The mask include GOPRO mounts, so you can easily film and photograph underwater scenery! I highly recommend especially to people who have a fear of snorkeling! This mask is really easy to use and is safe!” said @lud.around. “I can’t wait for my next trip with my new mask!”
The Ninja Shark full face snorkel masks makes your experiences the best they can be. They are exclusively sold on the Ninja Shark website.
The Ninja Shark full face snorkel masks comes equipped with advanced Anti-Fog technology, automatic drainage, no CO2 Buildup with improved uni-directional valves, and a revolutionary breathe flow system so you can breathe through both your nose and mouth.
Our founder Andrew and Alizee are lifelong entrepreneurs and happy husband and wife. Andrew, is the visionary and marketing genius behind Ninja Shark. He’s always loved to swim and explore vast open waters, whether that be in a river, lake, or sea. Since he started snorkelling with a full face mask and flippers, however, his fascination with the underwater world has become unstoppable. Andrew always says: “The sea will be conquered!”
Alizee, is first and foremost a child of the land and avid hiker, with her passion for mysterious underwater life coming in second. In her past life (as in, before Ninja Shark life), Alizee created and sold a real estate company and managed the backend of numerous other businesses. She’s the glue that keeps Ninja Shark from busting at the proverbial seams as it grows from its current state of small Aussie family business. She’s the business brain, taking care of all things logistical and numeric, she’s the “life saver of the company”.
Ninja Shark started out more as a passion than a business.
Since Andrew and Alizee loved to go underwater so much, they tried to take their friends with them. We’ve all been in that situation where we try to share an incredible experience with loved ones, and that’s where Andrew and Alizee were at. But every so often, they’d come across someone who just couldn’t manage to breathe through a tube with their nose blocked (i.e, snorkelling).
It’s a wide held belief amongst the general public that snorkelling can be a little difficult. It’s fair enough – breathing seems unnatural with a snorkel, and the mouthpiece might be considered uncomfortable or unhygienic. The mask’s field of vision can be quite narrow, and when it fogs up you don’t really get to enjoy the underwater marvels so much.
You might be reading this as a snorkeller and scoffing, but it’s all true! Many studies have been conducted on the beaches of Europe, China, and Brazil, and the results all share the same sentiment: snorkelling is often considered difficult by the general public.
So, that was what started Andrew and Alizee off on their journey, where they eventually found the concept of a full face mask. Although the idea was already on the market, it was in its early beginnings, and they had to be sure it was something worth recommending to their friends.
Andrew and Alizee tested at least 6-7 types of full face masks, each with their own unique differences. They were surprised to find so much variation between the different types of full face masks, despite it being a relative newcomer to the scene.
Over the next 12 months, Andrew and Alizee worked tirelessly writing down, testing, adapting, studying, and testing again, to come up with the most advanced full face mask on the market.
And that’s how Ninja Shark can offer you the numerous improvements made to the special v2.0 Full Face Mask Model.
“If you thought we’re just here to sell you products, think again. You’re part of the Ninja Shark family, and your feedback matters! We’re constantly working to improve our products and deliver the full face snorkel mask that exists only in our dreams!”
What customers are saying about us…
“Awesome set
Loved the complete set. I even used the waterproof phone pouch to take photos and videos underwater. It made my Fiji experience so much better than using the free snorkel set that hurt your face after 2hours and leaving a sun/mask mark. The ninja leaves no marks and gives great vision under water in comparison. It did take some getting used to but it definitely paid off! Only frustration is that the tightening straps are quite basic; they should be much simpler to loosen and tighten both in and out of water.” – Jock
What customers are saying about us…
“Awesome set
Loved the complete set. I even used the waterproof phone pouch to take photos and videos underwater. It made my Fiji experience so much better than using the free snorkel set that hurt your face after 2hours and leaving a sun/mask mark. The ninja leaves no marks and gives great vision under water in comparison. It did take some getting used to but it definitely paid off! Only frustration is that the tightening straps are quite basic; they should be much simpler to loosen and tighten both in and out of water.” – Jock
All Ninja Shark Products are tailor-made with medical silicone.
We care about making our products safe and healthy for you—and our planet.
That’s why the Ninja Shark Full Face Snorkelling Masks are made from a non-toxic and environmentally friendly anti-allergic medical grade silicone, that’s not only safer for your kids but safer for you too.