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The name of this sport comes from the tube (snorkel) that allows you to breathe underwater without needing to lift your head. In primitive times, this took the form of a hollow cane which allowed hunters to catch their prey by surprise underwater. They system has since evolved considerably and today we can find highly sophisticated equipment, which may include a mask to protect the eyes and flippers to get around quicker. The main advantage of this sport is that the snorkel prevents you from needing to constantly lift your head out of the water to breathe as you are diving. This allows the diver to remain underwater for several minutes without having to get out of the water although 60 minutes is regarded as the limit.

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Basic equipment
Snorkels were originally made of a j-shaped plastic tube with the hole for the mouth located at the end of the curve. Nowadays the plastic tube is usually made of more than one piece to aid adjustability to the mouth. The most important feature of a snorkel is comfort. One of the things to keep in mind to achieve this is a good mouthpiece, which should be soft and comfortable and easily adjustable to the mouth. It should also be able to twist around to find the most comfortable position. In some models the mouthpiece is replaceable. In general, silicon ones are the best option if you want to avoid injury.

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Another basic feature of a good snorkel is that it does not prevent the natural rotating movements of the head. To achieve this, it should be placed on the left side of the head, and kept in place with a snorkel holder. There is a wide range of models available. You should ensure the mouthpiece is comfortably held in place and that it is always perpendicular to the surface when the diver is facing downwards.

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In addition, you should consider purchasing a valve model, launched some time ago on the market. These valves are located on the lower side and/or on the upper part of the snorkel and only work in one direction, preventing water from entering. Lower valves are now more common as the water is expelled when breathing and flows out quicker as it travels less distance than in the primitive snorkels with valves on the upper part. Other models have a second valve located on the upper to prevent water from entering.

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Recommendations
Some basic snorkelling advice: