Snorkeling and scuba diving are both types of underwater sports. These two are the go-to options for people interested in exploring life underwater. However, many people use scuba diving and snorkeling interchangeably. Although some similarities cause this confusion, the two are vastly different.
In this blog, we will explore how scuba diving is different from snorkeling.
Gear and Types of Equipment
Snorkeling involves underwater swimming in shallow waters. For this, swimmers must use a snorkel tube, which helps to breathe air from above the surface. Snorkeling is done in shallow waters so they can enjoy seeing the corals and sea life below them. Snorkelers usually only swim at the water surface, but may dive down a few feet to get a photo of something that is nearby.
Like snorkeling, scuba divers use relatively advanced equipment because they descend deeper into the waters. Instead of a snorkel tube, they use a regulator hose that is attached to an air tank containing a mixture of oxygen and helium to help them breathe underwater for a longer duration. They also must wear a buoyancy control device which helps keep them buoyant and holds the regulator hose. Many scuba divers usually don a wet suit that protects them underwater. These can come in many styles depending on what kind of diving they are doing and how cold the water is.
Nature of Training
Snorkeling is mostly done for recreational purposes. The training for snorkeling focuses on improving swimming skills and adopting some breathing exercises. In contrast, scuba diving is a relatively intense sport because divers often go deeper into the sea, which can be dangerous if they are not well-trained. Besides that, with snorkeling, one has plenty of chances to make mistakes but with scuba diving, even a small error can be extremely dangerous. That is why becoming a certified diver with a reputable dive center is crucial.
Depth Levels
The major difference between both sports is depth. Although, the goal of snorkeling, as well as scuba diving, is to explore life underwater the extent of depth varies. Snorkelers swim on the surface of the water and breathe via a snorkel. But scuba divers go deep and stay longer. As far as views are concerned, snorkelers only get to see fishes and coral reefs only, whereas scuba divers get to explore deep seabeds, so they can first-hand witness shipwrecks, unique species, and whatnot.
Which Is Better?
If you are interested in exploring marine life from the surface, then snorkeling will be a perfect option. But if you want to go into the depths of the sea and explore marine life up-close, then scuba diving should do it. In addition, it also depends on the level of your swimming skills.
If you’re traveling to Aqaba and looking for scuba diving in Aqaba centers to receive training, then consider us at Deep Blue Dive Center. We teach scuba diving and arrange snorkeling trips for tourists. If you want to learn scuba diving, we also offer PADI courses for beginners as well as professional divers.
Get in touch with us for more information and we’ll be glad to assist you in any way we can.
