Leisure Diving

Snorkelling

Snorkelling is the easiest. You wear a mask, a snorkel (breathing tube) and often fins, and float face-down. You breathe through the tube, so you can watch fish for a long time without diving. Good for beginners and kids who can swim, in calm and shallow water. Wear a life jacket if you are not a strong swimmer, and use sunscreen that is kind to coral.

Skin diving (breath-hold diving)

In skin diving you wear a mask, snorkel and fins, take a deep breath and dive down on one breath. You can only stay down for a short time. Rules to remember: never dive alone, do not breathe fast and deeply many times before the dive (this can cause blackout), come up slowly, and clear your ears as you go down. Free diving is the sport form of this.

Scuba diving

Scuba stands for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. A diver carries a cylinder of compressed air, a regulator that gives air at the right pressure, a BCD (jacket) to control floating and sinking, a gauge for air and depth, mask, fins and often a wetsuit. A dive follows a plan: depth, time, air left to start the ascent. The golden rules: never hold your breath, rise slowly and keep enough air in reserve. You need a certified course before diving.

Safety and nature care

Use the buddy system: check each other's gear before every dive, stay close and agree on hand signals. Know your limits and call off the dive if you feel cold, tired or worried. Check the weather, waves and current. Look but do not touch corals or animals, never stand on reefs and take only photos. Do not dive when you have a cold, because your ears cannot equalise.

Which one is for me?

Start with snorkelling to enjoy the water. Add skin diving skills with a coach. Take a scuba course when you are old enough and healthy; most places need a minimum age and a medical form. Each step builds trust in the sea.

Try it

In the 3D, tap each type and read the gear and time. Then write which type you would try first and why. At a swimming pool (with an adult), practise breathing through a snorkel with your face in the water.

Key formulas and definitions

• Pressure (bar) = 1 + depth (m) ÷ 10
• Air used = surface rate × pressure × time
• Air left = start air − air used
• Key terms: snorkel, fins, regulator, BCD, buddy

Worked examples

Common mistakes

• Diving alone. Always have a buddy.
• Holding your breath on scuba. It can hurt your lungs when you rise.
• Taking many fast deep breaths before a skin dive. It can cause blackout.
• Touching corals and animals. They are fragile and some sting.