How Long Can You Stay Underwater With A Snorkel? 

How Long Can You Stay Underwater With A Snorkel? 

Every year, over eight million people in the United States participate in snorkeling, which is a fun and exciting way to get a peek at some of the many species dwelling under the ocean’s surface. Of course, the amount of marine life you will be able to see will depend on how long you can stay underwater with a snorkel. The question is, how long can you stay underwater when snorkeling?

If you snorkeling along the surface of the water with your face directly down and the top of your snorkel above the water level, the time you can spend snorkeling is practically limitless. However, if your snorkel is submerged underwater, the average person is capable of holding their breath anywhere between 45 seconds and one minute. 

How Do I Improve the Duration of Time I Spend Underwater? 

The amount of time you can stay underwater when you are snorkeling will depend on your level of physical fitness and conditioning, just like with any other physical activity in which you participate. The good news is that swimming is a full-body workout that will provide you with all of the conditioning you need. The bad news is that it will also tire you out rather quickly until you become accustomed to this level of activity. 

The best thing to do is to get yourself in better shape before you attempt to swim, snorkel, or dive for long periods. Try swimming a few laps in the pool before you decide to try your hand at snorkeling. Please do not misconstrue what I’m saying. You don’t need to be able or run a marathon before you decide to try your luck at snorkeling, but it does help to have some conditioning under your belt. 

While this may seem like it is pretty hard at first, you can use your desire to remain underwater for longer as a motivational tool to keep you pushing harder. Try to remember that it is probably going to take some work to get to the point where you can stay below the surface long enough to see all of the exotic marine life you want to see, but it will be well worth the wait once you can. 

What Are Some of the Breathing Techniques I Can Use? 

Your physical fitness level is only one aspect of being able to stay underwater longer when you are snorkeling. There are also a few breathing techniques you can try that should have you snorkeling like a pro, provided that you are willing to put in a little extra effort. The key to holding your breath longer lies in increasing the capacity of your lungs and lowering your heart rate to conserve energy. 

One of the simplest breathing techniques that can help you to increase your lung capacity issues is to make sure that you are fully exhaling. Pushing all of the air out of your lungs allows you to draw much deeper breaths, bringing in much more air to fill and expand your lungs to their fullest. Try to remember to breathe as slowly as possible. This will slow your heart rate and help you conserve energy. 

Increasing your lung capacity will directly result in your ability to hold your breath for longer periods. However, this is not the only aspect of holding your breath longer. You must also try to increase your oxygen, while simultaneously raising your carbon dioxide levels as well. The combination of increased oxygen and raising the carbon dioxide levels in your body will help you withholding your breath longer. 

Here is a breathing technique that will help you to increase your oxygen:

● Try holding your breath for one minute; then breathe normally for one minute.

● Next, hold your breath for one minute, five seconds, then breathe normally for one minute.

● After this, hold your breath for one minute, ten seconds, then breathe normally for one minute.

● You should keep repeating this exercise while slowly increasing the amount of time you hold your breath by five seconds each time. 

To raise the carbon dioxide levels in your body, try this technique:

● Start by holding your breath for one minute; then breathe normally for two minutes

● Then, hold your breath for one minute; then breathe normally for one minute, forty-five seconds.

● Next, try to hold your breath for one minute; then breathe normally for one minute, thirty seconds. 

● You should keep repeating this exercise while slowly lowering the amount of time you breathe, after each hold, by fifteen seconds. 

Not sure how to snorkel underwater? Learn how to here.

Does My Gear Make a Difference? 

One area of your equipment in which you should give special attention is your mask. No matter how good you have gotten at holding your breath for long periods, a leaky mask will make it practically impossible to stay underwater for long. Take my advice on this one. Don’t go cheap when it comes to your snorkeling mask. You may want to consider a full-face mask, which provides better viewing angles as well. 

A good pair of snorkeling fins can be one of your greatest assets when it comes to the time you spend below the surface. While this may not seems likely, using a quality pair of snorkeling fins combined with the proper kicking technique should help you to get under the water faster, which means that you should have more time to enjoy the sights. Just remember to use long, even kicks instead of short, fast kicks. It’s all about conserving energy and keeping your heart rate down, right?

Finally, the quality of the snorkel you use, as well as the type, can have a significant impact on your snorkeling experience. The two main types of snorkels have dry snorkels and J-shaped traditional snorkels. Dry snorkels have one distinct advantage over J-shaped ones. If a dry snorkel is submerged, water will not get into the breathing tube. However, these snorkels are somewhat more challenging to breathe through than traditional J-shaped snorkels. 

Conclusion 

Several exercises can be performed which will help you to increase the length of time that you can hold your breath. Remember that you are not trying to run a marathon. You just need better conditioning. Try swimming a few laps in the pool before trying your hand at snorkeling. You can also try a few breathing techniques that will help you to increase your oxygen, while also raising your body’s carbon dioxide levels. 

Slowing your heart rate to conserve energy and expanding your lung capacity will also help you to hold your breath longer. Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment with new gear to get the results you want. The longer you can hold your breath underwater, the longer you will be able to snorkel. This should give you a better chance of seeing more of the fascinating sea life that initiated your passion for snorkeling in the first place. 

Related Questions 

Where are the best places in the United States to go snorkeling? The United States has many beautiful areas from which to choose that can offer breathtaking and unique snorkeling experiences. However, the five best snorkeling spots in America are:

● Key West, Florida

● Crystal River, Florida

● Lahaina, Hawaii

● St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

● Honolulu, Hawaii

What are some of the best snorkeling masks I can buy? One of the most important things to remember when purchasing a snorkeling mask is that lesser quality models tend to leak faster and more often than those of better quality. With that said, the five best snorkeling masks include:

● Cressi F1

● Scubapro Solo Scuba Snorkeling Dive Mask

● Scubapro Spectra Diving Mask

● Atomic Venom Frameless Mask

● TUSA M-1001 Freedom HD Scuba Diving Mask