Snorkeling Mask

Setting up your mask is easy, you need adjust the strap so that the mask creates a good seal but make sure it's not over tight. Next should apply some tooth paste to the inside of the lens of your snorkeling mask and rub around, once done wash out, this will help to stop your snorkeling mask fogging.

Your Snorkel

You will need to attach the snorkel keeper onto the mask strap, one of our quick release snorkel keepers is the most convenient way to do this because it allows you to separate the mask and snorkel easily. The snorkel should be positioned on the outside of the mask strap on the left hand side.



Your Snorkeling Fins

Not much setting up is required with fins, just remove the pocket shape
retainer ready for when you want to put them on.

Your Snorkeling Mask

If you are using anti fog then spray the inside of the mask with a small
amount on anti fog solution now rub the solution around the lens with
your finger and let it dry. Put the mask on your face with the strap at
the top of the mask, then slide the strap over your head. Adjust straps
if necessary. The strap should be flat against the back of your head.
If your snorkeling mask is leaking, run your fingers around the mask skirt to
check for creases and make sure there is no hair caught in between the skirt
and your face. Also check that your straps are tightened correct, sometimes
they can be too tight which causes the seal to become distorted on your face.
Also a build up of sun cream on the mask seal can cause it to not seal well.

Your Snorkel

Setting up your snorkel is simple, simply slide the snorkel in its snorkel
keeper until the mouth piece fits comfortably in your mouth.

Your Snorkeling Fins

If you have full foot fins, then simply wet the foot pocket then slide them on.
You are now ready to go snorkeling!

Snorkeling Tips

1. If you are entering from a boat, slide gently over side, lowering
yourself into the water.

2. If you are entering from a large boat you will have to do a giant step. Simply Step off the boat and enter the water. To stop your mask coming off hold it to your face with your hand.

Clearing Your Snorkel

When snorkeling, as you descend your snorkel will fill with water, this is normal and not a problem. If you have a dry snorkel this will prevent most of the water entering the
snorkel but you will find a small amount will still get into the snorkel. Most modern snorkels are fitted with drain valve which makes clearing them easier simply breath out and the water should drain out of the snorkel.

If you do not have a drain valve fitted in your snorkel then you will have to clear the water with a short powerful breath to expel the water from the top of the snorkel.

If you don't have enough puff left to clear your snorkel simply remove the snorkel from your mouth at the surface take a breath then clear.

Kicking Your Snorkeling Fins

Your snorkeling fins are designed to power you through the water. The best way to fin is in a relaxed manor, this will get you through the water just as quickly as if you are really pushing hard but you won't get tired out so will have more fun.

The best fining technique is to kick from the hip with your knees slightly bent but try and avoid a cycling action. Your toes should be pointed in the opposite direction from where you want to go. Ensure you keep your face in the water and keep as streamlined as possible. If you follow these tips on how to get the best out of your fins you will soon be zooming through the water with ease.

Ear Clearing

As you dive down under the water you will notice that you feel a squeeze on your ears, this is pressure building in your ears, to release this pressure simply squeeze your nose sealing your nostrils then gently blow out through your nose, this will equalize your ears, you will feel a small pop or adjustment in pressure.

If you experience any difficulty or pain, do not keep trying, return to the surface. You should never get to the point where your ears hurt. You should equalize every few feet to avoid injury.

Sometimes after flying or if you have had a cold recently your ears could be a little "sticky" be patient and they will soon clear without any pain or discomfort.

Clearing Your Snorkeling Mask

While snorkeling, your mask may allow small amounts of water to leak in, usually due to movement in your face due to smiling, and this water can become annoying if left.
The most obvious way to remove this water is to pull your snorkeling mask away from your face, tilt the bottom outward and allow the water to literally drop out of the mask whilst on the surface. This method is easy and effective, but it is not always ideal as when you put the mask back on it is difficult to do so with some water re-entering! A better method to clear your snorkeling mask is to apply gentle pressure with your hand to the top of the mask in the centre above the middle of your eyes whilst gently exhaling from your nose. This forces the water to exit your snorkeling mask underneath the nose as it is replaced with your breath and as soon as you stop exhaling, the snorkeling mask will fit back onto your face with a good seal under the nose.

A third option is to purchase a snorkeling mask that has a built-in purge valve. These are called Purge Masks. With this type of snorkeling mask a similar procedure to above needs to be used.
To clear a Purge Snorkeling mask you simply tilt the head forward so the purge valve is at the lowest point of the mask, hold the entire mask gently against your face and gently blow via your nose the air from your breath will push the water out of the purge valve. This method means that the seal of the mask to your face is not broken but water is removed from your mask.

Safety

Safety in the water is paramount, but following some simple rules you can avoid most potentially dangerous situations.

• Never snorkel in conditions that you would not feel confident swimming in.
• Practice in shallow water first - better still take a snorkel course
• Check your snorkeling equipment carefully and know how it functions
• Learn how to clear water from the snorkel
• Learn how to take your snorkeling mask off and put it back on when you tread water.
• Be careful not to swim, or be carried by a current too far from shore or the boat
• Never snorkel alone
• Check local weather conditions.
• Make sure the water and weather conditions are safe.
• Stay aware of changing weather conditions get out of the water if conditions become windy or storm.

Conservation

When snorkeling remember the aquatic world is a very fragile environment and is the home of the marine life you are watching. Respect this home avoid contact or touching anything, especially be aware of how your fining action can damage fragile coral. Avoid holding onto anything - things may look like rocks but they may be sensitive coral which your touch could kill or as many people will confirm, it could be coral like fire coral which will leave you with a nasty painful rash.

Watch that your snorkeling fins are not dipping too low - just because you cannot feel the tips of them doesn't mean they cannot destroy fragile plants and animals which they are in contact with. Many marine parks now forbid snorkelers to wear gloves as you will be less likely to touch the coral with bear hands.

There are charities and organizations that run coral reef conservation expeditions where you can learn and contribute to the science of coral reef ecology. Check out if your holiday resort has any local activities that will teach you more about coral reefs.

Training

Most diving centres offer snorkeling training and although you can go snorkeling without any instruction, you can learn many valuable safety tips and ways to improve your snorkeling technique that will add to your enjoyment of snorkeling. Some of the things you may learn by enrolling in a snorkeling course.

• How to snorkel so you do not become out of breath or tire quickly
• How to improve your breath holding abilities to allow you to stay submerged for longer
• Basic procedures for how to avoid stings and what to do if you do get stung
• Snorkeling mask and snorkel clearing so you remain comfortable in the water
• Easy entry and exit procedures over rougher terrain so you can safely access more snorkeling sites.
• Local marine life identification
• How to look after your snorkeling equipment extending the life of it

Snorkeling Masks

Your mask is an essential piece of snorkeling and diving equipment, creating an air space in front of your eyes and allowing you to focus underwater. Your snorkeling mask also enclose the nose in a pocket, so you can equalize your ears as you descend underwater. It is imperative to have a comfortable watertight snorkeling or diving mask to enjoy your time in the water or dive. A good quality snorkeling mask with silicone seal will mould to your face shape so it will become a very personal piece of snorkeling equipmen

Contents:

• Fitting Your Snorkeling Mask
• Snorkeling Mask with Silicone Skirts
• Low Volume Snorkeling Masks
• Framed & Frameless
• Lens Layout
• Purge Valve Snorkeling Masks
• Snorkeling Mask Strap Wrapper
• Prescription Snorkeling and Diving Masks
• What to Avoid

Fitting Your Snorkeling Mask

To check that a mask is watertight, simply place it on your face (move the strap out of the way) and inhale through your nose, the snorkeling mask should stay on without the aid of the strap.

If possible try to get your mask to seal snorkel in your mouth this will ensure you get a good seal when snorkeling. Next check that you can pinch your nose and gently blow to clear or pop your ears. This is called equalizing. If you are wearing snorkeling gloves on, check that you can still equalize with snorkeling gloves on.

If the mask you have purchased from activeaqua.com is not the perfect fit then remember you can always exchange it as long as it not been used in water.


Silicone Skirt

You have a choice of a clear skirt or a black skirt for your snorkeling mask. Clear skirts increase your field of vision, and are generally preferred by new snorkelers. Black skirts can help you focus so are preferred by underwater photographers.

There are also different designs of skirt to consider on snorkeling masks.

Feathered skirt edges - On the better quality masks the silicone skirt gets thinner towards the edge of the seal, this makes the portion touching your face much more flexible for a better fit.

Double skirt - All activeaqua snorkel masks have a second inner skirt that runs around the inside of the mask which provides a double seal making the mask less prone to leaking.

Low Volume Masks

Low volume masks make clearing of water easy, the less space inside the mask so less water to clear.

Framed & Frameless
There are 2 styles of frame currently available, framed or frameless. A framed mask generally
has a plastic frame that the lenses clip into.
The frameless mask is constructed completely of silicone which is wrapped around the lens.

Lens Layout

Single Lens Snorkeling Masks

A snorkeling mask with only one single lens feels more open and can give you a better "view". However these single lens masks are not suitable corrective lenses

Twin Lens Snorkeling Masks
Most snorkeling masks come with twin lens this for easy removal of the lenses for cleaning
and fitting of corrective lenses if available.

Multi Lens Snorkeling Masks

Some snorkeling mask that has additional lenses, often to the side of the mask to offer extra peripheral vision. This is purely a matter of personal taste.

Purge Valve Snorkeling Mask
Some masks have a purge valve to make clearing water from the mask easier. This is especially useful if you have moustache or smile a lot underwater as both these factors can cause leaking.

All you have to do is ensure that the valve is at the lowest point and exhale through your nose whilst holding the mask against your face to force the water out.

Snorkeling Mask Strap Wrapper

If you have long hair, then get a Mask Strap Wrapper to reduce the risk of your snorkeling mask strap getting tangled in your hair.

Snorkeling Mask with Prescription Lense

One of our best selling products are our range of snorkeling mask with prescription lenses. We hold all lenses in stock and can fit your snorkeling mask with minus, plus and bifocal lenses. If we receive the order before mid day you will normally receive your mask by the next day.

The lenses we supply for our snorkeling and diving masks are in half increments.
These lenses replace the glass lens in the mask and are not just bonded to the mask, making the mask much lighter than traditional bonded solutions (and better looking as there is no glue). If you purchase a mask and lenses from us, these come pre-fitted.

What To Avoid?

Generally avoid plastic skirted snorkeling masks (similar to those you can purchase in Swim shops or beach shops)These may look similar but they often cause face rashes and as the seal is made from hard plastic rather than silicone it is difficult to get them to seal to your face.

Once you are happy with your choice of mask, to help avoid fogging you should consider purchasing some anti fog solution and when the snorkeling mask is new rub normal toothpaste on the inside of the lenses and rinse off (only do this if your mask has glass lenses). This removes the protective film over the inside of the lenses that can cause fogging.

To protect your investment of purchasing a good quality mask we will supply you Free of charge with a mask box which will help protect and extend the life of your mask.

To find your perfect mask look at our Mask Department if you have any questions on fit then call or emails us we will be happy to help you make your choice.

Snorkels

The snorkel is simply a curved tube that lets you breath while floating face-down on the surface of the water. When diving, it can be used to conserve air in your tank while on the surface. They also offer hours of enjoyment for snorkeling in the shallow waters allowing you to keep your head underwater so you can observe the marine life below.

Contents:

• Purge Valve or Drain Valve Snorkel
• Wave Chamber or Splash Guard
• Flexi Tube
  

Purge Valve Snorkel

This is a one-way valve that allows water to be cleared from the snorkel easily it is fitted at the bottom of the snorkel and makes clearing a snorkel easy.

Dry Snorkel

Dry snorkels have a small chamber around the purge valve to collect water before its purged, helping to prevent water from going into your mouth.

Wave Chamber

Many modern snorkels incorporate a system that reduces the amount of water entering the open end, for example if a wave washes over your head known as a wave chamber or splash guard

Years ago a ping pong ball on the top of a snorkel to stop any water entering the tube, this system is no longer available. However newer versions of this are available that have a valve system to stop water flooding in.

Snorkels with Flexi Tubes

A flexi-tube on the snorkel mouthpiece keeps the snorkel out of the way while underwater, and allows the snorkel to be moved around to the most comfortable position for you.

Better snorkels such as our Aquadrain Snorkel have a corrugated flexi-tube but the inside is smooth so the air flow is not disturbed making each breath much easier.
Internal corrugation can increase breathing resistance that can make it more difficult to
completely clear the water out of the snorkel

Snorkeling Fins

Fins make it possible for snorkelers and divers to move through the water with efficiency and ease.

Contents:

• Foot Types
• Channels
• Colour
• Sizing
  
  Foot Types

There are two types of fins, full foot and strap fins . Full foot fins are designed to be worn with bare feet (or thin fin socks) and are ideal for warm water snorkeling and diving (especially diving from boats where footwear is often not allowed).

Adjustable heel fins are worn with boots and are ideal for diving in colder waters where thermal protection is needed.

Strapped Fins	Full Foot Fins

Channels

Channels along the length of the snorkeling fin blade prevent water spilling off the sides
of the blade, displacing more water and therefore improving efficiency.

Colour

Snorkeling Fins are available in a variety of colors. Brightly colored will make it easy for you to be seen under the water and on top of the water. Making it easy for your buddy to see you.
Contrary to popular myths, there are no colors that are guaranteed to attract sea life species!

Sizing

Full foot snorkeling fins are sized according to your normal shoe size. Your feet should fit the fins snugly, not too tight or too loose. On some models where sizing of the fin is across several sizes this means that your toes may or may not stick out from the end of the foot pocket.
Remember that you will not be "walking" in these fins so will not need to fit the same as your shoes. However if the fins are to tight you may get cramp.

Snorkel Set

Why buy a Snorkel Set?

We have put together a range of snorkel sets. When you buy a snorkel set from
activeaqua you automatically save money or buying the mask and snorkel separately.

Each snorkel set is selected to give customers a wide variations of snorkel set to choose from. We have also looked to match up suitable mask and snorkels in each set to suit individual snorkel set customer needs.

We have based our combinations in each snorkel set to include

• Budget snorkel set
• Sizing in the snorkel set i.e. a small volume mask with suitable snorkel
• Specialist Snorkel Set.

We aim to help make your choice of mask and snorkel easier by creating a range of suitable snorkel set.

Snorkeling Accessories

Do You Need Snorkeling Accessories?

We recommend that you do consider buying the following snorkeling accessories as it will make your snorkeling experience more enjoyable.

Anti Fog
There are a number of anti fog products available, simply apply anti fog to inside of the mask mand it will stop your mask fogging.

Mask Strap Wrapper
This is a must have for women with long hair, a mask strap wrapper is simply a section of neoprene that covers the mask strap and stops the strap snagging in your hair.

Fish ID Slates
These slates contain images of fish and can be bought for specific areas (e.g. Red Sea), if you are interested in knowing what you are looking at these are well worth having.
They are made of plastic so can be taken into the water.

Free diving Advice

Contents:

• What is Free diving?
• Spear Fishing
• Governing Bodies
• Free diving Disciplines
• Free diving Equipment
• What Is Free diving?
  

Free diving has been practiced for hundreds of years; it's believed it originated in Greece where it was used to allow divers to dive to around 20-30 meters in the search of sea sponges and other sea creatures. Many civilizations around the world use free diving to gather food. No small feat without a mask!

Over the years free divers push the limits that they dive to and currently the world record is over 170 meters on one breath in the discipline of No-Limits Free diving

So what actually is Free diving? Well a simple definition is anyone who dives under the water from 2 meters onwards and holds their breath. Anyone who is happy holding their breath under water is a Free diver.

Free diving is about finding your limits and then exceeding them. However it can be a very dangerous pastime if you have not received proper instruction.

Spear Fishing

Spear fishing one of the main sports associated with Free diving, it's the most sustainable form of fishing due its selective nature. With spear fishing the only fish that are targeted are those that are the correct species and are large enough to eat.

This is unlike any other fishing method such as net fishing, which are not as selective.

Governing Bodies
There are a few governing bodies for Free diving but the largest is AIDA which has
members all over the world.
The British Free diving Association which is the largest Free diving association in the UK is part of AIDA.

British Free diving Association: www.britishfreediving.org

AIDA: www.aida-international.org

Free diving Disciplines

Constant Weight - Constant weight is essentially Free diving using weight to control your buoyancy, this can be done with or without fins. This is the most common form of Free diving.

Static Apnea - This is essentially a breath hold exercise. You lie face down in a pool and see how long you can stay there; this is a pure mind game.

Dynamic Apnea - Dynamic Apnea is a competition discipline, its how much distance you can travel horizontally in one breathe, normally in swimming pools. This can be done with or without fins.

Free Immersion - This discipline is pulling yourself up and down a line without fins. This is a great discipline for beginners as it allows them to accurately time their equalizations.

Variable Weight - This is descending with a weight or sled. This is for the more hardcore breed of Free divers and allows you to reach serious depth. This sport requires a full support crew to ensure nothing goes wrong.

No Limits - This is the most extreme form of Free diving, essentially you descend on a weighted sled and ascend using an air filled bag. This discipline is the one most people know of as it grabs headlines however isn't considered the purest form of Free diving.

Freediving Equipment

Freedive Mask - There are some things to be considered when buying a mask for Free diving. A Free dive mask should be lower volume than a scuba mask making it easier to equalize. Lenses should be clear to allow your buddy to easily see your eyes and the nose section must be loose enough to easily allow you to equalize.

It is always advisable to carry an extra mask when Free diving to any depth over 10m to ensure you can swap if a mask breaks Activeaqua can supply the Midi View Mask either with plain glass or prescription lenses this is an excellent mask for Free diving

Fins - Free diving fins are significantly longer than Snorkeling fins which gives you much more power than with a scuba fin, however does limit your ability to turn easily. The reason for the extra length is to produce the most efficient kick to conserve your energy levels whilst moving as quickly as possible.

Snorkel - Snorkels for Free diving are generally of a simple tube design normally left at the surface to reduce drag.

Accessories - There are a number of accessories which can be used for Free diving but they are not necessarily required.

Knife / Line Cutter - You never know when you are going to get into trouble, especially in open water. So carrying a knife is recommended to reduce the dangers from fishing lines which are often seen.

Whistle - A recommended accessory as it allows you to contact your buddy when you're in the water.

Diving Accessories

With many airlines cutting luggage allowances and increasing the cost of taking extra baggage on holiday, taking you diving equipment with you on holiday can be extremely expensive and sometimes not even possible!. If you buy arrange of Diving Accessories you can easily customise rental equipment with your own Diving Accessories.

Although we love using own Diving Equipment, to get to some of the most beautiful snorkelling and diving destination means cutting luggage allowance but we have always found it a sacrifice worth masking. Personally I like to take the following essentials my own mask, snorkel and fins plus a range of Diving Accessories, you can use this basic equipment and Diving Accessories for snorkelling and diving.

Other Diving Accessories I always take with me as they are generally not available in resort are of a small LED torch which is powerful enough to use on night dives and during the days for looking into nooks and crannies and the other essential Diving Accessories is a small knife made of either stainless steel or lightweight titanium. Most diving resorts keep a check on discarded fishing line and regular check their favourite dive site for old fishing line, but I like to have small knife or line cutter with me just in case.

Lastly I would recommend that whatever Diving Accessories or equipment you take on holiday with you, that you take a bag to put all you Diving Accessories and equipment in we sell several bags for Diving Accessories and equipment and they are all lightweight and compact so are easy to pack in your luggage.

Fitting Prescription Goggles

Gone are the leaky prescription goggles of years gone by our range of prescription goggles are made with silicone seals to provide a comfortable seal and excellent fit, here are a few tips on getting your swimming prescription goggles to fit perfectly.

Place the prescription goggles over the eyes before fitting the strap. Pressure should then be applied to the prescription goggles, if suction is achieved then the prescription goggles will provide a leak free fit.

The strap should then be fitted. The purpose of the strap is to hold the prescription goggles in position - not to provide the seal. A firm not too tight fit that does not apply any awkward pressure to the face is the perfect fit.

Adjustment of head strap may be necessary. Always remove prescription goggles first. Then adjust the head band until you get a comfortable fit. It is also essential to adjust the nose bridge for both comfort and a water tight seal. Slide lenses closer or further apart one notch at a time until you get the perfect fit. If you a looking for high performance prescription goggles that will give you the perfect fit the look no further than our Dragon prescription goggles.

If you need prescription l goggles then you will find that our Dragon optical goggles will provide excellent comfort and a great fit plus they are supplied with optical lenses.

The unique one-piece construction of Aqua swimming goggles mean no bridge adjustment is required.

Eye Safety Warning

To remove prescription goggles safely, put thumbsunder head strap at side of head. Slide thumbs to back of head and lift strap from back to front of head.
To avoid possible eye damage of discomfort when wearing prescription goggles:

• DO NOT pull eye-cups from your face - they may spring back and hurt your face.
• DO NOT dive into water (competitive racing starts from starting blocks, which are not considered dives).
• DO NOT swim Underwater below 2 meters.

Look After Your Gear

• After use, rinse prescription goggles in clear cold water and keep in an Zoggs goggle pouch so as to avoid scratching the lenses.
• Do not allow others to use your prescription goggles. A properly fitted goggle
  mounds itself to the face. It can also be unhygienic.
  

Let's go snorkeling!

Last month we reviewed snorkeling equipment so that you would have the information to choose the best snorkeling equipment for you. If you haven't made your choices yet then scroll down the page for advice on how to choose your snorkeling equipment.

Once you have got your snorkeling equipment you are ready to go snorkeling! Remember to apply some mask defog to your mask to stop it fogging up. Then put on the mask adjust the snorkel and if you have fins put them on just before you get into the water.

Now you have all you snorkeling equipment on it time to go snorkeling!.Once in the water float in a horizontal position and relax. Get used to the water movement keep your arms at your sides and breathe deeply and slowly check that you snorkeling equipment if comfortable and make any minor adjustments. When you want to move, if are wearing fins use only your legs and kick in the water slowly from your hip. Try to keep your legs straight and avoid bending your knees, it will feel strange at first but you will soon get used to it. Try and avoid splashing your fins on the surface and remember to breathe deeply and slowly and relax. Just get used to the sensation of floating on the water and you new snorkeling equipment.

Things under the water appear 25% larger and closer than actual size. Test your ability to judge distance by moving to shallow water and try and touch the sandy bottom you will notice it is further away than you expected. To enjoy snorkeling no matter where you are buy a submersible fish guide the handy piece of snorkeling equipment means you can study the fish and identify them under water every one will want to know what you saw when you return from you watery adventure.

Have you ever thought of going snorkeling at night? it's a great experience and the only additional snorkeling equipment you will need is a inexpensive underwater torch. Nocturnal creatures are on the move while diurnal ones sleep, the water is calmer and many species including squid will be attracted to you torch and come quite close to you. Some fish change color and patterns while others don a "pajama" made from mucous to protect themselves from predators. Use you snorkeling equipment to have snorkeling adventures both night and day.

Care of the environment

Everything you see on a coral reef is alive! Even what looks like hard rock is coral made up from trillions of animals that cover themselves with a hard protective skeleton. Some corals are soft and look like plants but these are also animals.

Remember to never touch any coral or creatures you see whilst snorkeling follow this rule and not only will you be protecting the environment but also yourself. Some corals can sting or burn and fish and other creatures may bite or sting if frightened. Just observe. Leave beautiful shells for other snorkelers to see.

Top Tip!

It is advisable to wear a T-shirt whilst snorkeling to help prevent sunburn also remember to wear a water proof sun cream prevent you getting burnt in the water remember to apply sun cream especially to the backs of the knees!!

• Choosing a diving / snorkeling mask or goggles

Your snorkeling mask is a vital piece of snorkeling/ diving equipment, creating an air space in front of your eyes and allowing you to focus underwater. Your snorkeling / diving mask also encloses the nose in a soft silicone pocket so you can equalize ( clear or "pop" ) your ears as you descend underwater. To enable you to get the most from your time in the water, a comfortable watertight snorkeling /diving mask is essential investment and if looked after will last for years.

For a large range of masks click here for snorkeling mask or diving mask in the Activeaqua mask department.

Fitting your snorkeling or diving mask: To check that a mask is watertight, simply place it on your face (move the strap out of the way) and inhale through your nose, the snorkeling / diving mask should stay on without the aid of the strap. Also, check that you can comfortably equalize your ears with thesnorkeling / diving mask on (pinch your nose and gently blow against it, your ears should pop but do not blow too hard!).

Any snorkeling / diving mask that fits well is a good choice. Other features of a snorkeling / diving mask to consider are:

Generally avoid plastic skirted snorkeling / diving masks (similar to those you purchase in beach shops) which look the same as our snorkeling / diving masks but are a fraction of the price, you are not buying like for like and although it would seem like a great deal you will only end up throwing it away. They often cause face rashes, are uncomfortable leak and fog up.

Some users find that a snorkeling / diving mask with only one single lens as opposed to two (a left and a right) gives the feeling of a more open, spacious snorkeling / diving mask. However these single lens mask generally cannot accept corrective lenses. If you need a prescription dive mask or prescription goggles then click here for optical masks.

• Choosing Snorkels

The snorkel is simply a curved tube that lets you breath while floating face-down on the surface of the water. They also offer hours of enjoyment for snorkeling in the shallows allowing you to keep your head underwater.

For a large range of snorkels click here for Activeaqua Snorkel Department

There are a variety of features available on today's snorkels, some of these are Explained below :

Purge Valve

This is a one-way valve that allows water to be cleared from the snorkel from the lower end, thus reducing the effort required for clearing the snorkel . In certain snorkels, the valve is located directly below the snorkel mouthpiece; others incorporate a shotgun design with a valve on a separate branch from the main snorkel tube.

Wave Chamber

Many modern snorkels incorporate a system that reduces the amount of water entering the open end of the snorkel, known as a wave chamber. Many people recall a ping pong ball on the top of a snorkel to stop any water entering the snorkel tube, this system is no longer available.

A flexi-tube on the snorkel mouthpiece keeps the snorkel out of the way while underwater, and can be bent back round to the most comfortable position. Better snorkels with more advanced technology such as Aqua Ultra dry snorkel have a corrugated flexi-tube but the inside is smooth so the air flow is not disturbed making each breath much easier.

• Fins or Flippers

Full foot fins are designed to be worn with bare feet and are ideal for warm water snorkeling. and when diving from a boat were foot ware is not always allowed,

• Other important items

Our snorkeling bag offer good protection for your new snorkeling equipment . With spaces for your snorkeling / diving masks snorkel fins etc . Plus a pocket for your Sun cream keys etc. Our snorkeling guide and fish identification slates are also useful. Other useful diving / snorkeling supplies are mask defog and swim ear.. If you click here you will find these and other useful diving accessories and snorkeling accessories

Click here for our best buy mask and snorkel sets.

The joy of snorkeling is that the your mask snorkel and fins act as snorkeling floatation devices giving you more water confidence, so even people who are not strong swimmers can enjoy the underwater world.

Snorkeling Equipment Sets

Which snorkeling equipment set is right for you? All our snorkeling equipment sets are made from high quality items that cannot be compared with the cheap sets you find at the beach. So what the difference? And why to have such a range of snorkeling equipment sets?…. snorkeling and diving masks like the Aqua Big Vision, Aqua Stingray and Aqua Vision give you a greater field of vision without having to put your snorkel underwater so are great for those of you who just want to watch the underwater world go buy with minimum effort.

A great mask for snorkeling is the Aqua Purge mask, this combines a large field of vision with a purge valve so if any water enters the snorkeling mask simply blow out through your nose and clear the water away! This is a great snorkeling mask.

Many people wear glasses or contact lenses and find their underwater world slightly blurred which is why we supply prescription masks and prescription goggles the Seavison Mask and Midi View mask are both prescription goggles that take optical lenses. We use a simple prescription for these prescription goggles which makes these prescription goggles an affordable solution.

Each snorkeling /diving mask has been matched with a suitable snorkel most ofl our snorkels have drain valves which means if water gets in the snorkel it easily cleared. The Aqua Snorkel has a one way valve in its base so all you have to do is blow out to clear any water in the snorkel. The Atlantis Snorkel is very similar to the Aqua Snorkel but is has a added feature of a wave hood which stops water from small waves entering your snorkel. The Aqua Dry Snorkel has all of the above features, plus and extra chamber with drain valve so by the time the air you are breathing from the surface gets to your mouth it has passed through two chambers and vent valves so is unlikely to have any water in it. The final snorkel is the Aqua Ultra Dry Snorkel this has a float on the top to stop water entering the snorkel when you dive down, plus this acts as a splash guard for your snorkel. Iit also has a special chamber at the bottom which make breathing air from the surface much easier and is truly the king of snorkels. All our snorkels are fitted with a quick release snorkel holder so they can easily be attached then unattached form your mask. Also all the mouthpieces are made from soft silicone and can be easily replaced.

All our snorkel equipment sest work out cheaper than buying the items separately

Mask and Snorkel Sets

Selecting your prescription for prescription goggles, snorkeling or diving mask

All our prescription goggles are based on a simple prescription, this means that when looking at your own prescription you need to consider the Sphere values. As long as your cylinder reading is low then you will find our simple and affordable prescription goggles lenses a great solution for seeing under water.

Other things to consider:

• If you have problems reading then you need to select a + Lens
• If you have problems seeing distance then you need to select a - Lens.
• If you exact prescription is not available i.e. if you were a -2.25 then simply select
  the next available lens up i.e. 2.5.
• The Sea vision Mask - is a high quality silicone mask which is extremely comfortable to wear. We selected this mask to provide a range of lenses for as over the years we have found it fits “most” faces.
• All our lenses are optically corrected for use underwater.

Also remember that water itself provides some magnification of objects just look at the size of hands under the water next time you are diving , snorkelling or swimming and when you are under water you do not need to see great distances usually you only need to see 30-40 feet.

Remember we have a wealth of experience of what solutions have worked well for our many happy customers who have purchased our goggles or masks and we are happy to share this knowledge with you but we are NOT opticians. If you have any concerns about the lenses we offer being the right solution for you then please contact your optician.

Lastly

We are pleased to be able to provide this affordable solution to swimmer snorkeler’s and divers and are always happy to provide help and assistance to help you make your choice over the phone so please call us on 087008504026 Mon-Fri 9.30am to 5.00pm

Measuring Head Size

The average head size for a man is 58cm and the average head size for a women it is 55cm. To find your head size take a measuring tape and place it around the circumference of your head slightly above your ears. If your head size ranges from 54cm to 60cm then a mask with medium in its description should fit. Most adults fall into the medium category some masks are described as medium /small and medium/large but these should still be ok. Obviously of you fallinto the small or large category look for a mask with small or large in the description.

Vision

Tempered glass lenses are optically superior to plastic lenses. You also need to consider if you want a mask with one or two lenses andside lenses. If you look at any of our masks you will see that we have specified the range of vision that you will get wearing that particular model of mask. Side windows let in a little more light. If you require optical lenses then you will need to choose atwo lensmask. The choice of twin, single or side windows is usually personal preference.

Mask Volume

Different models of mask have different volumes. The volume of mask is measured by the amount of water that the mask will hold. For snorkelling the volume of mask is not such an important consideration but if you are skin diving or scuba diving then you will have to learn to clear you mask underwater. If you look at any good quality mask you will see that is has an outer seal that fits to the face enclosing the nose and an inner seal that goes about three quarters of the way round the mask and does not cover the nose. To clear the mask you simply tip your head backapply a slight pressure to the centre at the top of the mask a blow Mask Volume –out through your nose, the air from your nose increases the pressure in the mask and the water is forced out pass the gap in the inner seal and expelled out of the mask. Clearly a mask with a small volume is easier to clear then.

Mask Drain Valves - how does it work?. Mask drain valves make clearing maskseasy if water enters the mask it will automatically drain out the drain valve, if you want to speed up the process of clearing your mask simply blow