The key difference between snorkeling and scuba diving is that the snorkeling involves floating underwater near the surface of the water with the help of a snorkel while the scuba diving involves diving deep underneath the sea using a scuba.
Both snorkeling and scuba diving are popular recreational activities that allow you to explore underwater attractions. Moreover, they require some common equipment such as diving masks and swim fins. While both these activities require some basic swimming skills, scuba diving requires specialized training.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Snorkeling
3. What is Scuba Diving
4. Similarities Between Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
5. Side by Side Comparison – Snorkeling vs Scuba Diving in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is Snorkeling?
A snorkel is a breathing tube that helps the swimmer to breathe inside the water. Snorkeling involves exploring the underwater with the help of a diving mask, snorkel and swim fins. In cooler waters, a swimmer may also use a wetsuit. These equipment help the swimmer to enjoy the underwater scenery for an extended period with relatively less effort. Snorkeling usually takes place in shallow water where you can observe the underwater life from the surface of the water.
Figure 01: Snorkeling
Snorkeling is a popular recreational activity, and its main appeal is the chance to observe underwater attractions in a natural setting, without using any complex equipment or training. Coral reefs are favorite places to snorkel due to their rich biodiversity. Moreover, warm, calm seas with clear water are ideal for snorkeling.
What is Scuba Diving?
Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving that involves using a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA), containing compressed air. A person who dives using scuba is known as a scuba diver. Scuba diving is one of the fastest growing extreme sports in the world.
Equipment
- Scuba tanks which contain compressed air
- Regulator for breathing the air from the tank
- Buoyancy control device (BCD), which controls whether the diver sinks or floats
- Depth gauge, which helps divers to know the depth they are in
In addition, divers also use snorkeling equipment, including snorkels, wetsuit, mask, and fins.
Figure 02: Scuba Diver
Knowing how to swim or dive is not enough for scuba diving. You must first learn how to scuba dive. Scuba diving training includes learning how to handle equipment as well as learning how to prevent accidents and solve problems you may encounter underwater. When you complete a scuba diving course, you’ll get a diving certificate that will allow you to scuba dive anywhere in the world. However, your ability to dive is limited to the level you have completed. For example, the depth limit for recreational divers is between 30 and 40 metres.
What are the Similarities Between Snorkeling and Scuba Diving?
- Both allow you to explore underwater attractions.
- You need to know basic swimming and floating skills.
- They require a mask, snorkel and fins.
What is the Difference Between Snorkeling and Scuba Diving?
Snorkeling involves exploring the underwater with the help of a diving mask, snorkel and swim fins. In contrast, scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving that involves using a SCUBA, which contains compressed air. The main difference between snorkeling and scuba diving is their equipment; you only need snorkels, diving mask, and swim fins to snorkel while you’ll need a scuba tank, regulator, BCD, depth gauge in addition to snorkeling equipment to scuba dive. Moreover, you don’t need any training to do snorkeling while scuba diving requires a certain level of training.
Summary – Snorkeling vs Scuba Diving
Both snorkeling and scuba diving are popular recreational activities that allow you to explore underwater attractions. The fundamental difference between snorkeling and scuba diving lies on the equipment used and the depth of the sea.
Image Courtesy:
1.’Snorkel-xel-ha’By Angelique800326 – Own work, (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2.’Buzo’By Soljaguar – Own work, (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia