Another part of our job is to go on the internet and answer snorkeling questions that we find and we will now share some with you, as you may have the same questions.
What are some good kinds of snorkel masks? I want to buy a good quality one that works well.
Snorkeling Masks, Select the Right One, will help you to make an educated decision about what you want in various snorkeling equipment. It covers how to select the right masks, fins, snorkels etc. With snorkeling masks, you want tempered glass lenses and silicone skirting. Comfort and fit is the main priority. If your primary focus is snorkeling then invest in a dry snorkel. It shuts off as soon as you go below the water so there is no unexpected rush of water down the tube. Silicone, again is preferred as it is more comfortable in the mouth. SnorkelingOnline has a large assortment of snorkeling masks, if you have an questions, please feel free to email me.
Reef booties or fins? I am going to be vacationing on the Big Island of Hawaii for 2 weeks and will be doing quite a bit of snorkeling and free diving. In the past I have not used reef booties or fins but think for this trip I would want to bring one of the two as I have seen them recommended several times in snorkeling reviews for the Big Island. I just wanted to get some opinions and recommendations.
There are tons of different snorkeling fins on the market but they can be divided into different categories. The first is full foot snorkel fins. These are made to be worn barefooted. They are designed to be snug so they won’t fall off while you are kicking. If you have a wide foot or high arches then this style of fin can be a bit uncomfortable. Strap snorkeling fins are made to be worn with neoprene boots/booties. They are traditionally wider in the foot pocket area to allow the use of the boots. I do believe the reason that the boots are recommended in Hawaii is to protect the feet more from cuts and abrasions should you happen to step on any lava rock which can be pretty sharp. The boots won’t help you with the molten stuff though. For other differences and stylings, check out our snorkeling guide, Snorkeling Fins – Select the Right Pair.
Since I blog, of course I read other bloggers work. The best way to see what is going on in the world is to sign up for Google Alert. Put in your favorite keyword, like mine is snorkeling and bam, you get a list of blogs with snorkeling that is involved.
Not everyone is a blogger but there are times that you want to keep your travels in a journal so while you are gone, your family & friends can share your adventures. I came across this site, that I thought many would be interested in especially when you are on your snorkeling adventure. TravelBlog is a great way to log your history without having to invest in the time and money of your own blog.
What is the most cool about this site is their featured page which is on their front page. While I am writing this there is the travels of an Antarctica trip a China Adventure and and even a story of friendships. The tabs on the top of the page specifies the different continents/areas and if you click on the tab and move to the bottom of the page, you will see thousands of blogs that specify a country. And the forum is great to post your questions. What a great way to live the travel destination while in your pajamas and this is also great research for your next snorkeling adventure. Just type snorkeling in their search box and read all the snorkeling blogs. But before you pack your bags, read our article What You Should Know Before You Go. Have fun in your travels!
Well I have seen it all! What a cool new product! Never have to worry about missing the fish in the video again. The Liquid Image Video Swim Mask Explorer is a hands free video while you snorkel. HOW COOL IS THAT?
The Liquid Image Video Swim Mask Explorer is a snorkel mask that has an integrated waterproof digital video camera plus it has still photos and both are at 5mm pixels. The mask operates at a depth of 15 feet or less, perfect for snorkelers. The snorkel package includes the USB Cable, carrying case, photo & video software, batteries, grease and manual.
The specs include:
# Video Mode – 18-25FPS @ VGA
# Image Resolution – 5.0MP CMOS Sensor 2560×1920
# Record all your underwater adventures!
This video is for their scuba series which only allows your depth deeper, but you will get the idea of the quality.
Not being a seafood lover (I prefer to look than eat) but scallops are very popular in the State of Florida and the Scallop season starts soon. Scallops are found in seagrass beds and normally no deeper than 4-10 feet. The more popular locations are along Florida’s west coast and even central Florida. Commercial harvest is not allowed but if you are between the ages of 16-65, all you need is a Florida saltwater fishing license to collect scallops. The limit is 2 gallons of scallops in the shell or 1 pint of scallop meat per person per day. What do you need? Mask, fins, snorkel & mesh bag (if you need equipment, just purchase a snorkeling package) and a diver down flag no matter if you are going by boat or by shore. Just Google scallop snorkeling in Florida and you will find a variety of boats for hire to take you to the locations.
Florida Sea Grant, Science Serving Floridas Coast has a great site with instructions, Recreational Harvesting of the Florida Bay Scallop for the beginner scallop hunter, along with scallop recipes. This sounds like great fun for the family! Please send us photos and would love to hear about your experience.
Are you bogged down at home or at work? Well you can take that bogged down feeling and put it to good use in the world of snorkeling. At least that is what 170 people did in Wales on the outskirts of the self proclaimed smallest town in Britain. Llanwrtyd Wells has a population of just barely 600, whose annual events include not only a Saturnalia Roman Festival held in January but also a World Bog Snorkeling Championship held in August. The event involves snorkeling 60 yards in a trench cut into a privately owned bog. Participants don various costumes that would be the envy of any Monty Python sketch along with mask, fins and snorkel to compete for the fastest time to traverse the trench.
The video below had me in stitches as I watched one guy dressed in an over sized Sumo wrestler outfit make his attempt. His outfit was not quite suited for the event as it barely fit into the trench width-wise and his speed was slowed by the obvious drag that was inherent to the suit. Drag wasn’t a problem for the guys who donned house dresses, wigs and sported black handbags as part of their Bog Snorkeling regalia. The winner of the 2008 World Bog Snorkeling Championship was 23 year old Connor Murphy from Ireland who walked away with the $100.00 prize winnings.
If you are like me, you LOVE aquariums! Being a snorkeler, how can you not? And because of our passion for snorkeling, it is important to get your kids involved in snorkeling at an early age. Another way, is to read our snorkeling guide, How to Familiarize the Kids to Snorkeling. We did a search and found The 10 Best Aquariums for Kids (in the USA) from Parents Magazine.
Their rating is based on how the kids face light up when they are at the aquarium and how involved are the kids, participation was important. A question survey was evaluated on the quality, kid friendliness of the exhibits, staff and educators and much more. Parents Magazine’s panel of experts narrowed it down to their top 10 surveyed.
Finally, finally, finally! U.S. Divers (Aqua Lung Sport, same company) has come out with a snorkeling package in pink! Though the men might not find this exciting news, but pink lovers do. In the scuba industry, in the old days, hot pink was the color and it was so insulting that there were t-shirts made that said, Women Divers Dont Wear Hot Pink! But U.S. Divers hit it on the head when they came out with a pretty soft pink. For those that love pink, the U.S. Divers Diva LX Mask, Island Dry Snorkel, Trek Fins & Travel Bag will definately fill your snorkeling needs.
Since I blog, of course I read other bloggers work. The best way to see what is going on in the world is to sign up for Google Alert. Put in your favorite keyword, like mine is snorkeling and bam, you get a list of blogs with snorkeling that is involved. 
Not being a seafood lover (I prefer to look than eat) but scallops are very popular in the State of Florida and the Scallop season starts soon. Scallops are found in seagrass beds and normally no deeper than 4-10 feet. The more popular locations are along Florida’s west coast and even central Florida. Commercial harvest is not allowed but if you are between the ages of 16-65, all you need is a Florida saltwater fishing license to collect scallops. The limit is 2 gallons of scallops in the shell or 1 pint of scallop meat per person per day. What do you need? 
Finally, finally, finally! U.S. Divers (Aqua Lung Sport, same company) has come out with a snorkeling package in pink! Though the men might not find this exciting news, but pink lovers do. In the scuba industry, in the old days, hot pink was the color and it was so insulting that there were t-shirts made that said, Women Divers Dont Wear Hot Pink! But U.S. Divers hit it on the head when they came out with a pretty soft pink. For those that love pink, the 
