If lately, you are planning to visit a place like Iceland. Then you are surely going to try scuba diving or snorkeling. The Silfra Fissure located in the southern part of Iceland is the best. If you are planning your trip or are already there and want to know what is best- snorkeling or scuba diving then you are at the right place.
In this article, we have adequately described and compared snorkeling and scuba diving. Let’s start by knowing each.
What Is Snorkeling?
Snorkeling is an adventurous activity that not many people know about. It’s an underwater activity done with a breathing tube. There’s a mask given to you so that you can see underwater. The equipment is designed in such a way that you can see the underwater world clear. It is very easy to do. You don’t require any fancy types of equipment all you need is a mask and a tube. You are then sorted out. And yeah of course you need to know how to swim.
What Is Scuba Diving?
Scuba diving is a more advanced one. It allows you to take a deep look into aquatic life. But, the equipment is more. Also the cost increases. You need safety certification and good training before diving into it.
Let’s see both of there’s comparisons;
Scuba diving V/S Snorkeling
| Purpose | The underwater world can be observed just underneath the surface. Floating a bit down. | Underwater world experience by diving in more deeper |
| Cost | Cheaper than Scuba diving | Can be expensive |
| Training | No training required. If you know how to swim you are good to go. | Requires serious training to get familiar with the breathing equipment and sign language. |
| Equipment | Only a face mask and u shaped tube | Gas tank, face masks, dry suits. Wet suits etc. |
| Dangers | Boats passing by, underwater poisonous forms, dehydration and sunburn | Decompression sickness, nitrogen toxicity, marine life |
Purpose
Snorkeling allows you to observe the underwater world just from just beneath the surface of the water. It doesn’t take you deep. There’s no risk involved. It can be done in conjugation too.
Scuba diving allows you to take a look at the underwater world deep down. The depth is much more than snorkeling can offer. Activities like cave exploring and shipwrecks are carried out.
Cost
You must have got the idea that snorkeling is much cheaper than scuba diving. For scuba diving, more specialized equipment is used. Also, you need a trainer for scuba diving. So, it depends on your budget what you prefer.
Techniques
In snorkeling, while you are just floating on the surface and your face is inside water you can normally breathe. But, when you have to dive a little deeper you‘ll have to take a deep breath and dive in. while doing this take care that you don’t dive too deep for the ease of coming up quickly. To dive in deep you can use a Dry Snorkel. It is designed in a way that you can dive in deeper. It automatically shuts the top of the tube when you dive in. this prevents the water from entering the tube.
For scuba diving, there’s no special technique needed. Just swim well. And there will be a guide or your trainer with you. It involves the use of tanks that are specially designed for scuba diving. With them, you can keep your body under the water as long as you want.
Breath-holding isn’t easy. In scuba diving, there is more risk as you are very deep. In snorkeling the risk occurs only when you dive down too deep.
Duration
Snorkeling can allow you to dive a little deep too but, only till you have control over your breath. If you just want to observe the underwater world while floating just below the surface then you can do it as long as you wish. Diving in deep required good control over your breathing. You’ll have to come up after you feel the shortage.
There’s no need to hold a breath in scuba diving because the tank will supply oxygen. But, this can be dangerous too. The factors that affect your time for staying underwater are decompression limits and some environmental factors.
Training
If you know how to swim even if you have no diving experience then you can easily go snorkeling. But, for scuba diving, you need a few skills that a trainer will teach you. This training involves the use of breathing equipment and sign language to communicate underwater.
Equipments Required
For snorkeling, you only need a diving mask and a tube. The mask helps you cover your eyes and nose are so, that you can see the underwater clearly. The tube is to help you breathe. The masks prevent the water from reaching your nose and eyes.
Scuba diving requires a lot of materials because you are going to dive really deep. The goods include wet suits, drysuits, buoyancy compensators, pressurized gas tanks, swim insets.
