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World Snorkeling Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

The snorkel's origins are obscure, and it is likely older than we believe. In "Parts of Animals," Aristotle mentions divers using "instruments for respiration" approximating an elephant's trunk.

World Snorkelling Day is annually observed on June 30. Snorkelling is the practise of swimming through water while wearing a diving mask, a breathing tube called a snorkel, and typically swim flippers. Snorkelling is a popular activity for people of all ages, particularly those in tropical resorts who wish to observe aquatic life up close. It is also used by scuba divers when they are on the surface, in underwater activities such as underwater hockey and underwater rugby, and by search and rescue teams conducting water-based searches.

The background of World Snorkeling Day

The snorkel’s origins are obscure, and it is likely older than we believe. In “Parts of Animals,” Aristotle mentions divers using “instruments for respiration” approximating an elephant’s trunk. 5,000 years ago, sea sponge cultivators in Crete may have used hollowed-out reeds to submerge and retrieve natural sponges for trade and commerce, and Leonardo da Vinci drew designs for a very similar underwater breathing device.

The first time Jacques O’Marchal used a swimmer’s breathing tube and mask was on the shore of La Croix-Valmer in 1922, and he displayed them at the International Nautical Show in 1931. On December 9, 1929, Barney B. Garden submitted the first patent application for a swimming respiration tube. Joseph L. Belcher submits another patent application on July 30, 1932, and despite being the second person to do so, World Snorkelling Day is observed on that date. In the years that followed, numerous patent applications for similar devices were filed all over the globe.

In November 1950, the Honolulu Sporting Goods Co. introduced a’swim-pipe,’ encouraging children and adults to ‘try the human version of the submarine snorkel and be like a fish.’ This was likely a reference to the German word’schnorchel,’ which originally referred to an air intake that supplied air to the diesel engines of U-boats. In the first issue of “Skin Diver” magazine, published in December 1951, every advertisement refers to swimmers’ breathing devices as “snorkelers.”

This was the first national standard for snorkels, published by the British Standards Institution in December 1969. This British standard establishes distinct maximum and minimum snorkel dimensions for adult and child users, specifies materials and design features for tubes and mouthpieces, and mandates the inclusion of a warning label and instructions with each snorkel.

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Activities for International Snorkelling Day

Visit the marine fauna

Determine the closest resort that offers snorkelling. They will provide you with the necessary equipment and instruction, and if you have a waterproof camera or smartphone, you will be able to capture stunning photographs!

Participate in an aquatic exercise

Underwater hockey and rugby are the two most popular sports. You may play these in a sufficiently-sized pool; just ask the owner’s permission. Gather your peers and ensure you have the necessary equipment and rules knowledge, as they differ from those of hockey and rugby.

Discover how to spearfish

If you appreciate fishing, you have probably contemplated this at some point. Find out if your local fishing organisation has a spearfishing group. Spearfishing is typically done in groups using spearguns, and spearfishers are very selective about which fish they target so as not to damage endangered species. Do not be disheartened if you cannot master spearfishing on your first attempt.

5 UNIQUE FACTS ABOUT SNORKELLING

Many breathing tubes feature splash shields that direct water away from the tube at an angle.

This is not the case for scuba divers, who must wait 24 hours after diving to consume alcohol.

Your heart rate will increase due to the resistance of the water and the minor restriction of your breathing.

This is because the leg movement used in freestyle swimming closely resembles that of snorkelers with fins.

The tranquil effect of the endorphins produced by the exercise, coupled with the mesmerising underwater scenery and a specific breathing pattern that you must concentrate on, will make you feel extremely relaxed and take your mind off of everyday concerns.