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11 Fitness Tips to Maximize Your Snorkeling Adventures

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Snorkeling is more than just a leisure activity; it’s a window into an awe-inspiring world full of life. Imagine gliding effortlessly through the water, exploring vibrant coral reefs and encountering marine life up close – all while feeling safe, confident, and relaxed. In this article, we’ll share a series of fitness tips to help boost your snorkeling fitness and enhance your underwater experience.

  1. Understand the demands of snorkeling.

Snorkeling engages your body in in a variety of movements – from swimming and floating to the rhythmic motion of finning. Different snorkeling environments, from calm lakes to more adventurous open waters, have various challenges. Being fit enhances your ability to adapt and enjoy these settings, making your snorkeling journey both exciting and comfortable. 

  1. Work on your cardiovascular fitness.

Longer snorkeling sessions demand stamina, and cardiovascular fitness is your ally here. Activities like swimming, brisk walking, or cycling, will help to improve your endurance, allowing you to explore underwater for longer without getting tired. Gradually increase your cardiovascular fitness to open the doors to more rewarding snorkeling adventures. Simply add some fitness activities to your daily life or in the months before your next snorkeling trip.

snorkeling

  1. Strengthen your core muscles.

Your core acts as the anchor for your stability and control in the water. A strong core lets you move effortlessly, maintain your position in the water, and glide more easily in choppy waters.  All of which means you can focus on the beautiful landscapes and marine life around you.

Exercises like planks, Pilates, and yoga poses that target your core muscles, will help you to build core strength and move through the water with less effort. As with any new fitness regime, start slowly and work with a fitness professional to make sure you don’t injure yourself.

  1. Build upper body strength.

Strong back muscles are essential for easy maneuvering while snorkeling and during finning. Exercises like push-ups, lateral raises, and rowing will enhance your upper body strength. Strengthening these muscle groups not only makes it easier and less tiring to move in the water, but it also means you can explore for longer and protect your back from injury.

snorkeling

  1. Strengthen your legs.

Effective finning relies on strong leg muscles. Incorporating squats, lunges, and calf raises into your fitness routine will help to build leg strength, ensuring strong, smooth finning motions. This is especially important when you’re snorkeling with large marine life that you need to fin to keep up with, such as whale sharks.

  1. Get flexible.

Your muscles work hard in the water, and you adjust your body position a lot when snorkeling – often without even realizing it. Being flexible makes snorkeling easier on your body, so you won’t ache the next day! Add some stretches to your usual fitness routine to improve your flexibility. A supple body also allows you to move with ease and enjoy the marine life and landscapes around you.

snorkeling

  1. Work on your breathing.

Being able to breathe easily and fully is vital for snorkeling. Strong respiratory muscles ensure a calm and relaxed snorkeling experience, letting you fully appreciate the beauty of the aquatic world. Breathwork exercises are a great way to improve lung capacity, and there are numerous breathwork courses online to guide you.

  1. Preventing snorkeling-related injuries.

Make sure you warm up with some gentle stretches before your snorkeling session. Simple exercises like arm swings and leg swings help prepare your muscles for activity. As part of your snorkeling gear, also include a compact first aid kit to address minor cuts, scrapes, or stings that may occur during your adventures.

snorkeling

Photo: Olga Ga

  1. Nutrition and hydration.

Proper nutrition fuels your body for optimal snorkeling performance, but you don’t want to eat a big meal before you go snorkeling. Instead, eat something small and nourishing before you go snorkeling and keep hydrated by drinking water.

Consume healthy snacks like trail mix or energy bars to keep your energy levels steady throughout your snorkeling day. In colder environments, a flask of hot drink provides comforting warmth after your snorkeling adventure.

  1. Listen to your body.

Take your time when you go snorkeling and allow your body to adapt to the aquatic environment. Listen to your body’s cues, and don’t push yourself beyond your comfort level. As you gain confidence and stamina, you’ll naturally progress to more challenging snorkeling adventures.

snorkeling

Photo: Francesco Ungaro

  1. Stay safe in the water.

Prioritize your safety by investing in snorkeling equipment designed for visibility and buoyancy. Brightly colored snorkel vests, dive floats, and flags make you easy to see in the water. Before setting out, familiarize yourself with local tides, currents, and potential boat traffic as well to ensure a secure and enjoyable snorkeling experience.

Just remember, fitness is a journey, and small changes make a difference. You will naturally get fitter and stronger the more you go snorkeling and if you add some simple fitness activities into your daily life. If you want to learn more advanced in-water skills and explore in new ways, try scuba diving or freediving on your next snorkeling vacation. They both offer fun ways to expand your underwater horizons while simultaneously boosting your fitness levels and confidence.

Kathryn Curzon, a shark conservationist and dive travel writer for SSI (Scuba Schools International), wrote this article.

Header image: Neom

Scuba Schools International (SSI) is the largest professional business-based training agency in the world. For over 50 years now, SSI has provided the ultimate training experience for millions of certified divers, not only in Recreational Scuba, but in every training category: Freediving, Extended Range, Rebreather Diving, Mermaid, Swim and Lifeguard.

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Rescues, Rays, and Darwin the Turtle: My Trip to Biomes Marine Biology Center

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It’s time to catch up with 12-year-old Mia DaPonte, New England’s youngest ever female PADI Master Scuba Diver, in her latest blog for Scubaverse!

It’s still a little too cold to get in the water here in New England. I wish I had a drysuit! To get my ocean fix, I asked my mom to take me and my friends to the Biomes Marine Biology Center.

What is Biomes? It’s a rescue center near my house that’s home to all kinds of ocean animals—and they’re all local! It’s truly awesome to experience. There are so many cool creatures there, like skates, sharks, stingrays, horseshoe crabs, tropical fish, lobsters, seahorses, octopuses, and even some reptiles that were given up by their owners.

biomes

Darwin the turtle is always fun to watch. He’s huge and has his own home, but he also gets to wander around the place on his own when he feels like it!

They have lots of touch tanks. I got to touch sharks, turtles, and even hold a horseshoe crab! (There’s a little lip on the side of their shell where you can hold them—but don’t do this without permission! Their gills always need to stay in the water.) I also touched stingrays! They felt slimy but rough at the same time.

biomes

One of my favorite things to do is see the octopus and watch it play with the toys in its tank. I always check to see if any seahorses are pregnant and look for the babies when they’re born. The babies are kept in their own tank at first to stay safe, and then moved when they’re big enough.

We got lucky this time—there was a baby skate in a mermaid’s purse that was ready to hatch any day! It was in a special tank with a light. When you press the button, the light turns on so you can see the baby skate moving around inside the purse!

biomes

As our visit was ending, the owner, Mark, sat down with us and told us how he started Biomes. When he was 14 years old, he began rescuing sea animals. His love for the ocean started when he was young—just like mine! As he got older, he started a traveling business, bringing animals to classrooms and doing shows. Eventually, he turned it into something bigger, and now Biomes is a huge center full of rescued animals.

He told us that most of the fish and animals are rescued from fishing boats or the cold waters of New England—places where tropical fish wouldn’t survive the winter. They try to rescue babies whenever they can, so they have a better chance of adapting. Darwin the turtle actually hatched in Mark’s hand!

biomes

My mom gets a pass to Biomes every year because I love going there so much. There are always new animals to see and feedings to watch. One time, I even got to feed the octopus!

If you ever come to Rhode Island, you have to check out Biomes!

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Explorations in the Dark: The Thrill of Blackwater Night Dives

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Main Image: Bart Heines

Picture yourself floating in the open ocean at night, far from the familiar reefs and sandy slopes. Beneath you, the water seems endless, with no visible bottom, and all around, the deep holds mysteries that most divers never get to see. This is blackwater diving—an exciting, otherworldly experience that reveals the hidden creatures of the ocean’s depths.

blackwater diving

Photo: Jürgen Lorösch

At Siladen Resort & Spa, located in the heart of Bunaken Marine Park, our blackwater dives offer a rare opportunity to witness marine life that ascends from the deep during the night, all while being guided by experienced instructors. But before we dive in, let’s take a closer look at the fascinating history behind this unique type of dive.

blackwater diving

Photo: Galice Hoarau

A Brief History of Blackwater Diving

The concept of blackwater diving first emerged in Hawaii in the late 1990s, where adventurous divers sought a new way to observe marine life that typically stays far below the surface during the day. The idea was simple yet daring: dive over deep, open water at night, suspend lights from the surface, and see what creatures would rise from the depths.

blackwater diving

Photo: Leo

What they discovered was remarkable. From larval stages of fish and invertebrates to rarely seen jelly-like creatures, blackwater diving quickly became a favorite among divers eager to explore the ocean’s mysterious nighttime migrations. The original goal was to observe the vertical migration—the largest animal migration on the planet, where millions of creatures travel from the deep toward the surface under the cover of darkness to feed.

blackwater diving

Photo: Brandi Mueller

What Makes Blackwater Diving So Unique?

Blackwater diving is unlike any other night dive. Instead of staying close to the reef, you’re diving in the open ocean over very deep water. Lights suspended from the surface attract marine life from the depths, giving divers a chance to witness creatures in their larval stages. These tiny, often transparent organisms offer a glimpse into the earliest stages of marine life—juvenile fish, squid, shrimp, and other species that look completely different from their adult forms.

blackwater diving

Photo: Bart Heines

The sensation of floating over seemingly infinite water, with nothing but your dive light illuminating the creatures drawn to the surface, is both exhilarating and humbling. Each dive feels like an exploration of the unknown, with new and strange creatures appearing each time.

blackwater diving

Photo: Galice Hoarau

A Different Kind of Thrill

One of the biggest draws of blackwater diving is the thrill of discovery. Because you’re diving in such deep water, you never know exactly what you’ll see. There’s a sense of mystery and excitement that comes with each dive. Every moment feels like a potential encounter with something new—perhaps a larval octopus, a juvenile fish species, or delicate plankton moving through the dark water.

The experience of blackwater diving is both meditative and exciting. You’re floating in the open ocean, focused entirely on the small creatures illuminated by your light. It’s a chance to witness the ocean’s deep-water ecosystem in action, all while suspended in what feels like the vast unknown.

blackwater diving

Photo: Jürgen Lorösch

For the Adventurous Photographer

If you’re into macro photography, blackwater dives offer a chance to capture rare and tiny creatures in ways you won’t find on any other dive. The creatures drawn to the lights are often small, fast-moving, and incredibly unique. Photographing them requires patience, focus, and an eye for detail, but the rewards are worth it. You’ll come away with images of marine life few people ever get to see.

blackwater diving

Photo: Brandi Mueller

Not Quite Ready for the Deep? Try Bonfire Diving First

While blackwater diving is an incredible experience, we understand that diving over very deep water at night might feel a bit daunting, especially for those who are new to night dives. If you’re curious but not quite ready for blackwater diving, we recommend trying bonfire diving first.

blackwater diving

Photo: Leo

Bonfire dives are conducted closer to the reef, with lights set up near the ocean floor to attract marine life from the surrounding area. These dives are less intimidating but still offer an up-close look at nocturnal creatures, including larvae, squid, and shrimp, all drawn toward the light. It’s a perfect way to get comfortable with night diving while enjoying the incredible diversity of marine life after dark.

blackwater diving

Photo: Bart Heines

Why Try Blackwater Diving at Siladen Resort & Spa?

Choosing to explore blackwater diving at Siladen Resort & Spa means experiencing the magic of Bunaken Marine Park in a completely new way. Here’s why it’s the perfect place to try this one-of-a-kind dive:
  • Expert Guides: Our team is experienced in blackwater diving and passionate about sharing the wonders of the ocean’s deep-water migrations. You’ll be in safe hands as you venture into the unknown.
  • Private, Small Groups: We keep our blackwater diving trips intimate, with a maximum of 4 guests per trip. Each dive is privately guided, ensuring a personal and focused experience tailored to your comfort level and curiosity.
  • Unforgettable Encounters: With each dive, you’ll see creatures that most divers never encounter. Whether it’s juvenile fish, larval cephalopods, or tiny plankton, every blackwater dive brings new surprises.
  • A Safe and Controlled Environment: While blackwater diving may seem daunting, it’s conducted with the highest safety standards. Our team ensures you’re comfortable with the equipment, the dive environment, and the procedures so that you can enjoy the thrill without worry.
blackwater diving

Photo: Jürgen Lorösch

Ready to Dive into the Unknown?

If you’re looking for a diving adventure that pushes the boundaries of exploration, blackwater diving at Siladen Resort & Spa is an experience you won’t forget. Whether you’re fascinated by the idea of seeing life from the deep or just eager for a new underwater challenge, blackwater diving offers an unforgettable look into the ocean’s hidden worlds.

blackwater diving

Photo: Brandi Mueller

For those looking to ease into night diving, start with our bonfire dives—a thrilling and accessible way to explore the nocturnal ocean before venturing into the deep waters of a blackwater dive.

blackwater diving

Photo: Leo

For more information, please contact us at reservations@siladen.com.

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