The U/W World is a Child's Playground
Editorial by Joel Simon

Snorkeling is great fun. Floating effortlessly above a shallow reef, watching an endless array of activity evokes sensations of joy and fascination. Brightly colored fish of diverse form and abundant energy mingle with coral and other vibrant elements of the marine environment. However, like many activities, one of the greatest joys is sharing it with those you love.

As a twelve year old child, I had the great pleasure of showing the underwater world to my father. We were already familiar with starfish, octopus, mussels, barnacles, clams, and anemones. We’d caught bonito, barracuda, and "tom cod" from piers, and grunion by hand under a full moon on Huntington Beach. As a family we spent hours searching through the tide pools of the Palos Verdes peninsula in Southern California. I was lucky enough to grow up by the ocean, and I was snorkeling almost as soon as I could ride my bicycle to the sea. But my Dad had never seen the realm of fish first hand until I encouraged him to put on a mask, fins and snorkel and see for himself the aquatic playground that was practically in our front yard. And as much as I’ve always enjoyed snorkeling, it is the joyous hours spent sharing this activity with those I love, especially my father, that I remember best.

Snorkeling is an ideal activity for people of all ages and interests to share with each other. In fact, this is probably the single most valuable aspect of the sport. The skills are easily mastered by both young and mature, and the marine environment is equally intriguing on every level, from a child’s playful view to a biologist’s scientific observations of fish behavior.

During workshops, I’ve taught snorkeling to children barely old enough to walk, and to adults nearly too old to walk. I’ve watched as they were then able to participate in the joys of snorkeling together. I love fish, but I love people more. Seeing families, from young kids to elderly grandparents get in the water with masks, fins, and a spirit of adventure, and later exit with smiles, laughter, and a sense of shared discovery is a great joy.

Surprisingly, many of the prerequisites for successful snorkeling apply equally to everyone, regardless of age. While swimming ability is helpful, feeling comfortable in the water is more important. Both young and old share the entire range of emotional responses to the sea--from fear to fascination. Many children seem to "take" naturally to snorkeling, in some cases more easily than adults who may have great swimming skills, but are challenged by breathing through their mouths. Ultimately, the water supports nearly anyone with the desire to learn.

Whatever your size, equipment must fit properly to work. As you will see in our "gearbag" section, today’s stores offer a wide variety of masks, fins, snorkels, and other accessories to outfit children.

Also with the proliferation of excellent instructional materials directed at inquisitive young minds, children are both naturally curious and educationally motivated to better appreciate biological, environmental, and conservational issues associated with the sea.

Overall, the travel industry is becoming more sensitive to the "family market" and is evolving creative new contexts to accommodate children and parents. Many dive resorts feature "family month" where snorkeling classes and excursions for young people are included in addition to normal "adult" activities. Some cruise ships also have departures especially designated for families and along with other services especially geared to kids, may offer attractive promotional discounts.

In this issue of Snorkeling Tourbook we look at the world of snorkeling as an activity for children, with the hope that they will "teach their parents well".