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KEY WEST SNORKELING
Current Conditions on the Reef
Station SANF1
July 2, 2009 11:00 pm EDT
Location: 24.46N 81.88W
Wind Direction: NNE (30°)
Wind Speed: 8.0 knots
Wind Gust: 8.0 knots
Atmospheric Pressure: 30.12 in (1020.0 mb)
Pressure Tendency: +0.03 in (+1.0 mb)
Air Temperature: 84.4°F (29.1°C)
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:16:41 UT
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Key West Snorkeling
With so much to do in Key West, some people never even make it out onto the water to experience the coral reef. This is unfortunate, since in Key West, snorkeling is the best way to discover a whole new world underwater. Water temperatures are bath-like in Summertime, and even in January, the water is suitable for most swimmers, although a light wetsuit is a good idea. Most snorkel companies will include the wetsuit as part of the deal when they take you out. Best time to go is when the sun is highest, making the underwater visibility optimal. When the sun is lower in the sky, it shines through the water at an angle, and you won't see as much on the ocean floor as when the sun shines directly down from above.
For beginning snorkelers, get what's called a float coat or get a life preserver (the dive boats make you wear one anyway). This is because the hardest thing about snorkeling is getting your mask to fit correctly. If it's going to be your first time Key West snorkeling, remember this one thing. You can toy around with it all you like before you get in the water, but the best and really the only way to know for sure whether you have your snorkel mask adjusted correctly is to jump in and put your face in the water. This is where so many beginners make their big, giant faux pas. In order to adjust the snorkel mask, clueless snorkelers (this is how you can tell who didn't listen to the dive master on the trip out) will stand on the coral reef to work with their mask. This is a big no-no! Don't do it, please don't destroy the coral reef. The float coat will help you stay afloat and stable while in the water so you can get your mask just right. Key West snorkeling is all about observing, not taking or destroying the coral reef.
Once you've gotten the hang of making a tight seal on your mask without making indentations in your skull, just float with your head relaxed, looking down. Breath normally into the tube and start kicking your flippered-feet. Using flippers means you kick differently than when you're just swimming without flippers. Take long, gracefull sweeping motions with your whole leg, one leg at at time. Dont' flutter kick and splash all around. You'll attract sharks this way (just kidding). There are tons of sharks around Key West, though. If you knew how many, you would't want to go snorkeling. The odds of being bit by a shark are so low you really don't have to worry about it. You're more likely to get struck by lightening than being attacked by a shark. Remember, on the party snorkel boats, you're going with a group and that means lots of eyes keeping a lookout.
Key West Snorkeling is essential to the complete tropical vacation and almost anybody can do it. Remember, it's easy to float in salt water, and only minimal swimming skills are necessary if you just go in shallow water off the beach or off Fort Zachary Taylor, where there are rocks to explore.
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