When visiting the Great Barrier Reef, one of the most interesting and fun activities is snorkeling. However, it is not easy for beginners and there are many things to understand and get guidance on before doing it. The conditions revolving around the activity will also vary from one place to the other. This means that one must be careful, research, and understand as much as possible about an area before snorkeling.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most popular destinations for snorkeling. The reef is quite expansive, has a high number of marine life, and provides a good environment for the activity. Here are 10 things to know.
10 Get A Fish ID Guide
Snorkeling is a fun activity that involves swimming with fish. This activity is much more interesting if one has some working knowledge of fish species in the sea. As a result, it is recommended one get a fish ID guide before snorkeling into the reef. The guide is in the form of a waterproof card that is easy to use underwater!
With a fish ID guide, one is able to identify different fish species.
9 Cost Of Snorkeling In The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest and most popular reef in Australia. This region is covered by many areas with amazing marine life. When going snorkeling, the best option is to get a company such as Reef Daytripper to help with the experience. In most cases, one will be in a boat with around 10 passengers.
However, one may opt to use their boat. It will cost around $103 per person. There are other costs related to snorkeling gear such as noodles, snorkels, masks, and fins. Food should also be budgeted for.
8 A Guided Tour Is Better
Snorkeling can be a difficult and dangerous experience for beginners. As a result, it is crucial to consider using a guide when snorkeling. This helps since a guide provides direction to ropes, points-outs, and other crucial areas. Guides also provide wetsuits, fins, and masks which can be stressful to acquire in a new place.
Guides also understand the currents and tides.
7 Get A Waterproof GoPro Camera
The real fun in snorkeling is being able to capture the moment. How else will someone remember the experience if they can't take pictures or videos of the whole event? As a result, one should make sure they get a waterproof camera or a GoPro to capture the whole event.
Taking videos and pictures of the Barrier Reef will count as a memorable event for a visitor’s whole life.
6 Sunscreen Is A Must
Australia is a hot country and this region is no different. The sun is really hot and one must make sure they have sunscreen. With the beach and reef region being an open area, the exposure to sunshine is very high. A visitor should also remember to carry their sunscreen in a reusable container to adhere to the reef guidelines and conserve the environment.
5 Alone? Start From The Beach
In some cases, one may want to go snorkeling alone without the use of a tour guide. This means that they will not have someone to guide them, they won’t know much about tides or currents. Venturing into the area from the beach is a good way to handle such a situation.
By starting from the beach, the risks are few, one can get deeper as they get comfortable and the currents are predictable. It is advisable to start when the tides are away, as it offers better visibility.
4 Best Snorkeling Area In The Great Barrier Reef
One advantage of snorkeling in Australia's Great Reef is the sheer size of the reef. As a result, the reef offers a huge variety of marine life, dolphins, and islands one can choose from. Since the reef has many islands and beaches, it is easy for someone to find quiet waters for an interesting snorkeling experience.
The best islands to explore for snorkeling include; Pumpkin Island, Fitzroy Island, and Lady Elliot Island.
3 No Touching Allowed
One rule a person should know about when snorkeling in the Great Reef is "look but don't touch". People snorkeling in the area are not allowed to touch marine life. This also applies to those diving. The reef is a UNESCO world heritage site. There is a need to protect life.
Whenever one touches the corals, they damage them and hurt themselves in the process.
2 Get Right Equipment
By getting the right equipment it means the required ones and they should be fitting. Fitting because there is a lot of pressure in the water. Loose equipment can easily be off.
The required equipment is; a wetsuit, a proper snorkeling mask, fins, and a flotation device. One must make sure they get an anti-fog mask for proper visibility and the suit must be well-fitting.
1 Take A Friend With You
The best experience of snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef is with a friend. The reef is so huge that it is the size of 70 million football friends. This reef is also home to more than 2,900 individual reefs and over 900 islands, as a result, there is more than enough to cover and enjoy.
Having a friend around will make the whole experience better and more entertaining.