| Since man first began scratching pictures upon the | | | | When the fin is put on the foot both it and the foot |
| walls of his cave to depict his daily life, there has | | | | should be wet. The foot should be thrust well |
| been a continuous record of his attempt to explore | | | | forward, and then the heel or strap (depending upon |
| and exploit the sea. We find references to man's | | | | which type of fin is being used.) stretched up over |
| propensities as a diver from the time of early historic | | | | the heel, much in the same manner one dons a pair |
| man down to the present day. Man's culture has, of | | | | of rubbers. |
| course, been influenced strongly by his adventures | | | | SNORKEL - Purpose |
| above and below the surface of the sea. | | | | The snorkel has two primary purposes, both of prime |
| First it is necessary that you learn the basic | | | | importance to the skin diver. The purpose of the |
| equipment and the reasons behind its use. It is | | | | snorkel is to enable the diver to breathe without |
| axiomatic to say that a mastery of the skills utilized | | | | necessitating his holding his head up above the |
| in skin diving is fundamental. The basic equipment | | | | surface. This has tremendous import for the diver. |
| used by the skin & Scuba diver consists primarily of | | | | The skin diver is thus enabled to lie prone in the |
| three items; Mask, Fins, and Snorkel. Let us deal with | | | | water, his face fastened below the surface, scanning |
| each of these in turn. | | | | the bottom. |
| MASK - Purpose | | | | The second primary purpose of the snorkel is as a |
| The mask is used to provide an air space between | | | | piece of emergency equipment. Obviously, if a diver |
| the eyeball and the water. Man's eye is a very | | | | is able to lie in a prone position without the necessity |
| imperfect organ when exposed directly to the water. | | | | of raising his head for air, he is much more relaxed |
| However, when an air space is introduced between | | | | and rested. His endurance in emergency situations is |
| the eye and the water, the eye functions normally. | | | | greatly extended by the use of the snorkel. |
| Due to the refraction of the water, objects viewed | | | | SNORKEL - Use |
| through the mask under water will be magnified by | | | | As mentioned above, the snorkel's purpose is to |
| approximately 25 percent. | | | | enable the diver to breathe while his face remains |
| MASK - Fit | | | | underwater. Therefore, the mouthpiece is held in the |
| The mask should fit snugly, but not so tightly that it | | | | diver's mouth while the straight "stem" of the J is |
| is uncomfortable. A good method of checking the fit | | | | placed between the headband of the divers mask |
| of the mask is to put it in place, not using the head | | | | and his head. Upon submerging, the diver's breath is |
| band, inhale slightly through the nostrils, and remove | | | | held against the snorkel. |
| your hand. If the mask fits properly, the mask will | | | | Upon surfacing, the divers head returns to the |
| remain in place until the slight vacuum you have | | | | horizontal with the open end of the snorkel |
| created is released. If the mask leaks air around the | | | | projecting above the surface. The diver exhales |
| face, it will also leak water. Selection of the proper | | | | through the snorkel with a short, sharp blast, much |
| mask is purely an individual affair, due to different | | | | as though he were using a bean shooter, thereby |
| facial contours, and taste. | | | | voiding the snorkel of water and enabling him to |
| FINS - Purpose | | | | begin breathing normally through the mouth. The |
| The purpose of the fins is to increase the surface or | | | | optimum length of the snorkel is in the vicinity of 13 |
| propelling area of the foot, thereby enabling the diver | | | | inches from the mouthpiece to the open end of the |
| to greatly increase his thrusting force without an | | | | J. |
| equal increase in effort. | | | | Once you have this basic equipment, it is time to |
| FINS - Use | | | | begin skin diving. |