World Snorkeling Day Date in the current year: July 30, 2024

Snorkeling (spelled snorkelling in British English) is a fun recreational activity that involves swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a snorkel (breathing tube), a diving mask, and usually swimfins for more efficient propulsion. Sometimes snorkelers also wear swimsuits or rash guards when swimming cooler waters.

Snorkeling was named after the snorkel – a tube that is used to breathe underwater. According to some historians, breathing tubes originated in Crete thousands of years ago. They were made of hollowed out reeds by sea sponge farmers. Among Leonardo da Vinci’s many sketches, there were designs of a device for breathing underwater consisting of a mask covering the mouth and cane tubes.

A modern swimmer’s mask and a breathing tube were first used in the 1920s, and the first recorded use of a swimmer’s mask with integrated breathing tubes dates back to 1938. The word “snorkel” was first used to denote a breathing device for swimmers in the early 1950s.

Today, both separate snorkels and snorkels integrated into a swimming mask are available for snorkeling enthusiasts. It should be noted, however, that the integrated version of the device is only suitable for recreational surface snorkeling and underwater photography; you’ll need a separate device for other underwater activities such as underwater team sports or spearfishing.

Snorkeling is a fun leisure activity for everyone who has basic swimming abilities. Unlike, for example, scuba diving, it does not require extensive training or expensive equipment. Snorkeling has all the benefits of swimming and then some: it allows you to explore the mesmerizing underwater world and relax. For some people, snorkeling becomes the first step towards exploring free diving or scuba diving.

In addition to being a fun non-competitive activity in its own right, snorkeling is an element of some competitive activities and sports, such as spearfishing, finswimming, underwater football, underwater hockey, underwater rugby, and even underwater target shooting.

The origin of World Snorkeling Day is unclear, but don’t let it stop you from celebrating! The best way to observe the holiday is, of course, to find the closest snorkeling location and have fun exploring the underwater world. Don’t forget to bring an underwater camera to capture what you see! We recommend snorkeling with your friends or family, not just because it is more fun, but because snorkeling with a “buddy” or a group is safer than doing it alone.

If you’re feeling adventurous, gather your friends and try playing an underwater sport, for example, underwater hockey, underwater football or underwater rugby. These sports can be played in a big enough pool, which you can rent. And don’t forget to spread the word about World Snorkeling Day on social media with the hashtag #WorldSnorkelingDay!