Snorkelling is a fun way to explore the fabulous marine life you can find on the Isles of Scilly. Azure blue crystal-clear waters provide amazing opportunities to see a wide variety of flora and fauna, including fish, crabs, anemones, starfish and seagrass.
The wonderful thing about snorkelling from an island is that there will always be a sheltered beach, whatever the wind direction.
Even if it’s not your first time snorkelling, there are some things to keep in mind to make your experience really enjoyable. Here are our five tips for getting the most out of snorkelling on the Isles of Scilly.
A good fitting mask
An enjoyable snorkelling session starts with a well-fitting mask. A leaking mask is no fun at all, no one wants their nose filling up with water!
Masks have a silicon skirt that fits to your face, preventing water from entering the mask. When you put your mask on, make sure there’s no hair caught underneath the skirt as this will cause it to leak.
Gents, facial hair can also cause water ingress. Vaseline on your moustache will allow a better seal to the made. Don’t over tighten the mask, as this can prevent the skirt of the mask from sitting flat against your face – causing leaks!
To prevent the mask from misting up while you’re snorkelling, you can either use an anti-fog spray or spit on the inside of your mask. Rub this around the lens, then wash it out in the sea. This should give you clear views of the marine life below you. Our saliva contains natural surfactants that disrupt the surface tension of water preventing the mask from misting up.
How to use a snorkel
Snorkels are simple and effective. They allow you to have your face submerged but still be able to breathe through your mouth. This enables you to float gently in the sea observing all the wonders of the underwater world. They are easy to use, just make sure your lips form a seal around the mouthpiece. When it’s in your mouth, hold in place by biting down (gently) on the lugs of the mouthpiece.
If you dive under the water, your snorkel can fill up with water. Take a breath before you dive down, when you surface expel the air out of your lungs with a short sharp blow. This should clear any water out of your snorkel.
Be cautious on your next breath in case there’s still a bit of water in the snorkel. If this happens, you can simply take the mouthpiece out of your mouth, empty it of water then pop it back in again.
Perfect your finning action
Wearing fins (some people call them flippers; we’ve even heard toe flappy things!) will help you move much more efficiently through the water. When you put your fins on, make sure the fin straps sit above your heel. This will stop them from slipping off in the water. Fin straps are adjustable to fit the size of your foot.
It’s best to put your fins on at the water’s edge. Then stand up and walk backwards into the water, that way you won’t trip over your fins. Alternatively, once you have your fins on, you can just crawl through the water until you’re fully floating. At this point you can start gently finning and begin to explore.
The key to finning effectively is to keep your legs as straight as possible. Let the movement come from your hips. Don’t bend your knees and do a cycling action with your legs.
Tides can affect snorkelling on the Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly have the second largest tidal range in the UK. Tides can impact snorkelling in two ways. First, there are areas that can have a strong current running past them. These areas are best avoided when snorkelling. If you hire snorkel sets with us, we explain where these areas are on St Martin’s which are shown on a map, that you take away with you.
The second impact tides can have when snorkelling on the Isles of Scilly, is the difference at the snorkelling sites between high and low water.
The Flats along the front of St Martin’s are a fabulous place to snorkel at high water. We’ve even seen conger eels cruising through the seaweed, just metres from the shore. But at low water, the Flats will be completely dry.
Again, if you’re hiring with us, we can let you know the best locations for snorkelling given the tides and the wind direction.
Make sure you have a snorkel buddy with you
Snorkelling is such a fun activity, it’s great to share it with family and friends. The more eyes there are in the water, the more you’ll see. We would recommend, for safety, that you don’t snorkel on your own.
If you want to dive under the water while snorkelling, take it in turns to do this. That way, there’s always someone on the surface. When you hire snorkel sets with us, you will get a swim float to wear. This makes you much more visible to anyone else out on the water and helps keep you safe.
The Isles of Scilly have some of the best snorkelling in the UK. You can explore the fascinating and beautiful underwater world of this archipelago, just metres from the shore. There’ll always be a sheltered beach to snorkel from and we can advise you on which sites are best depending on the tides.
Snorkelling is a relatively easy skill to learn. A well-fitting mask will help you make the most of your experience. Keeping your legs straight when finning will ensure you glide effortlessly through the water. Follow our 5 tips and have an amazing time snorkelling on the Isles of Scilly. For inspiration on where to snorkel, read our Top 5 snorkel sites on St Martin’s blog. If you have any questions, we're always happy to offer advice to help you on your snorkelling adventures. The best moments happen at sea!
St Martins Watersports hire snorkel sets, kayaks and paddleboards from Par Beach on St Martin’s.
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