While snorkeling is a fun, immersive way to experience undersea life, it has its obvious limitations. Mainly, the diver must remain close to the surface of the water. So while snorkelers can stay under the water indefinitely, they cannot fully explore all the ocean has to offer. On the other hand, scuba diving offers more freedom, allowing divers to swim at whatever depths they choose. The downside is the cumbersome gear, which, while practically weightless under water, is awkward on the surface. Scuba gear, including air tanks, counterweights, and buoyancy compensators, can weigh in excess of 60 pounds. In addition, many if not most scuba operators require a class and certification before divers can even get in the water. Given all these barriers, for some people scuba may seem more trouble than its worth.
Advantages of Snuba
Enter Snuba. Snuba diving provides a wide range of undersea freedom without the cumbersome gear of scuba diving. The swimmer uses the same equipment - flippers, diving mask, weights, and breathing apparatus, but instead of towing the oxygen tank on the diver's back, the air is delivered through a long tube that is attached to a tank in a raft on the surface. The tube is usually around 20 feet long, which in many diving areas, is adequate for the diver to reach the ocean floor, or to interact freely with undersea life.
Snuba Experience on Catalina Island
While snuba is usually performed under the guidance of an instructor and requires a brief lesson, no certification is required. On Catalina Island off the coast of California, a wide array of wildlife can be observed through snuba diving. Scuba Luv, one of the larger diving companies on the island, offers snuba diving off of Descano beach, the main swimming beach in the city of Avalon. The water quickly deepens off Descano beach, so snuba diving is the perfect way to quickly get into the water and explore the large kelp forests and the dozens of varieties of fish and other sea creatures that inhabit the waters.
Even for experienced snorkelers and scuba divers, the snuba experience may be a bit disorienting at first. Snorkelers will find it strange to be able to swim to such depths, though they are still tethered somewhat to the surface. Scuba divers will feel liberated from their cumbersome gear, and even better, snuba divers can simply walk into the water from the shore. No boat or deep water is required to get going.
Why Snuba?
For those on a quick vacation or even a day trip to Catalina Island, snuba is in many ways the best and quickest way to explore the undersea sights. It's more immersive than snorkeling, and does not require the training and licensing of scuba. For those thinking of taking scuba lessons, however, it also provides an easy and safe environment for divers to acclimate themselves to breathing underwater.
