• Instructor material:
  • SNSI Instructor Manual.
  • Lesson Guide to SNSI Sorkeling course.
  • SNSI Snorkel Diver Training Record.
  • MySNSI App.
  • At least one complete set of snorkeling equipment.
• Student Material:
  • SNSI Open Water Diver Student Material.
  • MySNSI App.

Personal Introduction.

This will usually be the first time everyone has come together.

Go out of your way to create a relaxed and fun environment.

Introduce yourself and any assistants that are helping with the course.

Ask the students to introduce themselves to the group.

Do your best to keep the atmosphere pleasant, as this first meeting will set the mood for the entire program.

Course Overview.

This is the time to discuss the specifics of the course.

Some of the students may have already been given this information when they signed up.

However, you should review the characteristics of the course again.

Inform the students about the schedule, the number of sessions, and the dates, times and locations of all academic and training sessions they are required to attend.

Explain any additional costs that the students will need to cover as well as any equipment that they are required to own or rent and the dates that it will be required.

Also, be sure to let them know what payment methods are accepted.

As an SNSI Instructor, You are also required to:

• Explain the training material and the purpose of each:
  • SNSI Snorkel Diver Manual.
  • Final Exam.
  • SNSI Training Record.
• Review questions:
  • Before the academic sessions, students should read the corresponding section of the SNSI Snorkel Diver Manual and answer the review questions at the end of the chapter.
• SNSI Open Water Diver Video:
  • Students should watch the Snorkeling section of the SNSI Open Water Diver Video.
• Explain how to sign-in in MySNSI App which is available for free for iOS and Android.
  • Take a few minutes to explain the APP and all its functions so the students will be able to register and once signed in they will be able to log their water sessions.
  • Moreover, when their certification is processed they will be able to view their C-Card in the app.

Registration.

• Have the students complete pages one of the Training Record.
• It is vital that they understand what they are reading and signing; be sure to provide clarification as needed.
• This is also the moment for the students to fill the Privacy Form and the Medical Form.

a) Purpose: The mask creates an air space around the people’s eyes, creating a natural environment for the human eye.

b) Features:

• Nose Pocket. Easily accessible for equalization.
• Tempered Lenses.
• Prescription Lenses Available.
• Mask Skirt: Silicone, or Rubber.
• Mask Frame: Plastic, Stainless Steel, Composite.
• Mask Strap: Silicone, or Rubber, Neoprene Straps Available.

c) Choosing the mask:

• Fit mask skirt to face.
• Easily accessible nose pocket for equalization.

d) Cleaning the mask:

• After buying a mask, it is important to clean it before the first use, in order to eliminate the production residual materials
• Before any use, clean the mask to avoid it fogs.

e) Clearing the Mask:

• Discuss with your student how to clear the mask when they are in surface.
• Remind them to pay attention to their hair and the hood that could remain under the mask skirt.

a) Purpose: The snorkel allows the diver to keep their head under water while breathing comfortably.

b) Features:

• Tube: Plastic or Silicone.
• Mouthpiece: Silicone, silicone rubber, or rubber, multiple sizes for proper fit, replaceable.
• Purge-valve: Allows for easier clearing of the snorkel.
• Dry Vent: Helps keep water from entering the snorkel from the top.
• Diameter and length should be adequate for an easy and relaxed breathing.

c) Choosing the snorkel:

• Mouthpiece. Choose a snorkel with a comfortable mouthpiece.
• Easy to breathe. The snorkel should be easy to breathe from. There will be more restriction when in the water.
• Easy to clear. It should be simple to clear the water from the snorkel. Snorkels that have purge valves below the mouthpiece will be easier to clear.

a) Purpose: the fins allow to easily move underwater using few energy.

b) Features:

• Length and flexibility.
• Fitting.
• Materials.
• Floating.
• Hydrodynamic opens.

c) Choosing fins:

• Body shape.
• Training.

d) Kick:

• Flutter kick.
• Dolphin kick.

a) Purpose: the boots protect the feet.

b) Features:

• Neoprene or lycra socks.
• Neoprene diving boots.

c) Choosing the boots:

• Full foot fins: Barefoot or wear neoprene or lycra socks.
• Adjustable: Wear neoprene diving boots (preferred by SCUBA divers).

a) Purpose: Heat is absorbed by water 25 times faster than in air.

The exposure suit protects the people from heat loss and cuts, scrapes and most stings.

b) Exposure Suit Types:

• Lycra Suit or Skin: Designed for use in warmer water. Provides protection form the sun and abrasions.
• Wet Suit: Typically made from neoprene, 2 mm to 8 mm thick. Designed to provide warmth and environmental protection.

c) Wet Suit Features:

• Thickness: 2-8 mm.
• Configurations: one piece, two pieces, and separate hood.
• Zips.
• Elastic wrist and ankle cuffs.
• Fit: Custom, male, female, child and generic.

d) Choosing a Wet suit:

• Water temperature.
• Fit.

a) Purpose: Weights are necessary to counteract the positive buoyancy of the suit.

b) Features:

• Belt material: twisted nylon or rubber. The latter is preferred because balance the suit squeeze during the descent and let the belt to fit the body.
• Quick release: All weight belts/systems must have a buckle that can be opened with just one hand. This is a SWB prevention tool.
• Types of Weight: different shapes and weight: ranging from 250 g. to 3 kg. For freediving the 1 kg weight are suggested. They increase the hydrodynamic.
• Weight stopper use.

c) Checking the weight:

• Explain to your students how check the proper weight.

The best way to explain the features and benefits of a snorkeling vest is to physically show one to the students. Show the students how it is worn and the correct way to use it.

a) Purpose: the surface buoy allow to show your position to boats and it represents   support when resting in case of need.

b) Features:

• You can use two different flags. The international signal “Alpha” or the red flag with a diagonal white band. Suggest to your student to check the local regulations.
• Surface buoys are fundamental to rest in case of need.

Explain how to properly rinse and dry the snorkeling equipment. While proper care and maintenance will be practiced during every pool session, this is the first opportunity for you to tell the students how important proper care is for the longevity of their equipment. Explain how to rinse the snorkeling equipment using fresh water, and how to properly store it after it has completely dried.

a) Purpose: To bring oxygen to each body cell and remove from it carbon dioxide.

b) Phases:

• Ventilation.

• Diffusion.

• Transportation.

a) Upper:

• Nose and mouth.
• Pharynx.
• Larynx.

b) Lower:

• Trachea.
• Bronchi.
• Bronchioles.

These structures do not take part in the gaseous exchange.

c) Alveoli:

• They represent the basic part of the lung.
• Where the gaseous exchange happen.

a) Diaphragm.

b) Intercostal muscles.

c) Muscles in the neck and the pectoral girdle.

a) Henry’s law.

• Statement: the amount of a gas which dissolves in a liquid is proportional to the pressure exerted by the gas upon the liquid. The dissolution rate also depends by the affinity between the two components.
• Saturation process: gas that dissolves in a tissue.

b) Gaseous exchange.

• Different gas concentration.
• Wall thickness.
• Hemoglobin role.

a) Purpose: to transport oxygen, nutrients and waste products around the body.

b) Structures:

• Heart: it allows the blood circulation.
• Blood vessels: they contain the circulating blood.
• Blood: it carries the dissolved oxygen.

a) Hollow involuntary muscle which contracts rhythmically to push and draw blood to and from the different parts of the body.

b) Operation:

• Right and left sides: the two sides do not communicate with one another (Patent foramen ovale).
• Atria: they receive the blood.
• Ventricles: they push the blood out.

a) Arteries: centrifugal motion, muscular walls.

b) Capillaries: peripheral vessels, gaseous exchange.

c) Veins: centripetal motion, special valves

a) Large circuit.

• It involves the entire body.
• It carries oxygen and nutrients to tissues.

b) Small circuit.

• Between heart and lungs.
• It “cleans” and “recharges” the blood.

• The proper Sequence: discuss the proper sequence for the students to put on their equipment and explain why.
• Timing and Space.

1. If they have not already, have the students form buddy teams.
2. Instruct the students to put on their equipment in a space roughly the same size of space that they would have on a boat. The buddy teams should time their dressing so that they are both ready at approximately the same time.

a) Preparing to enter the water. Before entering the pool, each buddy team should perform a buddy check.

b) Entering the water:

• Beach Entry:

  • Mask and Snorkel on.

  • Snorkel in the mouth.

  • The buddy team walk in the water until it is at their waist level.

  • They help each other to stand while putting on the fins using the “4 position”.

• Controlled Seated Entry from a low ledge.
  • Sit on the border with the feet in the water.
  • Fins on.
  • Mask and Snorkel on.
  • Snorkel in the mouth.
  • Place both hands on one side of the body, push on the deck and rotate your body to enter the water.
  • Forcefully blow in order to empty the snorkel and signal “OK”.

TIP: explain the students that when they enter in the water they must always be able to float, to see and to breath, therefore they must always enter the water wearing Fins, Mask, Snorkel and the snorkel vest inflated.

• While on the surface, with the mask in place and the snorkel in the mouth, stand up straight.
• If the amount of weight is correct, while breathing normally, divers remain with the surface at eye level.
• When exhaling they will descend beneath the surface.
• By Fin kicking they will return to the surface, then remove the snorkel out of the mouth in order to empty it and breathe.

THE BENEFIT: Explain to the students that being properly weighted is important if they want to do a quick descent but they always must use a minimum quantity of weight to comfortably float on the surface.

• With the mask and snorkel in place, diver horizontally with face down in the water.
• Extend the arms in front of them and move the legs alternating kicks.
• The movement should originate from the hips with the knees and the ankles extended.
• The fins need to move alternating up and down.
• It is important that the movement be ample and slow in order to move forward with ease.
• Keep the knees and ankles as straight as possible.
• It is useless to increase the rhythm because in order to duplicate the speed it would need to quadruple the effort.

THE BENEFIT: to learn a correctly Kick techniques will make easier to move in the water with the minimum consumption of energies.

• With the mask and snorkel in place, swim horizontally face down in the water.
• Extend the arms in front and begin to kick.
• Extend the arms towards the bottom and take a deep breath.
• Hold the breath and bend the body towards the bottom. Raise the legs to help them descend.
• Place the right hand on the nose to begin to equalize immediately.
• Begin to kick to descend whenever necessary.
• Once the ascent began, place the right hand over the buckle, ready to release the belt, if necessary.
• Maintain the left arm over the head in order to protect it from obstacles.
• Once arrived at the surface, blow forcefully through the snorkel to empty it.
• Pay close attention to take the first breath, a small amount of water can remain in the snorkel.

THE BENEFIT: The snorkel will fill with water during a surface dive, so it will need to be cleared of water. This can be done without removing the snorkel from the mouth.

• With the mask and snorkel in place, swim horizontally face down in the water.
• Extend the arms in front and begin to kick.
• Extend the arms towards the bottom and take a deep breath.
• Hold the breath and bend the body towards the bottom. Raise the legs to help descend.
• Place the right hand on the nose to begin to equalize immediately.
• Begin to kick to descend whenever necessary.
• Once the ascent begin, place the right hand over the buckle, ready to release the belt, if necessary.
• Maintain the left arm over the head to protect it from obstacles.
• During the ascent, tilt the head back, look towards the surface, blowing a little air into the snorkel.
• Maintain the head tilted back, blowing a little air into the snorkel until arrived at the surface.
• Pay close attention to take the first breath, a small amount of water can remain in the snorkel.

TIP: Tell the students they need to watch up until their head will be out of water to be sure to have an empty snorkel once they arrive on surface.

• Submerge with some water in the mask simulating a partially flooded mask.
• Ascend to the surface with the left arm over the head and the right hand over the belt buckle.
• Once arrived at the surface, blow forcefully to clear the snorkel.
• Pull the mask away from the face to empty it.

THE BENEFIT: It may happen to have some water leaking inside the mask.

a) Pool Exit.

• Before exiting, the students should remove their weight belt and hand it to someone on the edge of the pool.
• Remind them to hold the belt by the end opposite of the buckle to prevent the weights from falling off.

TIP: In many cases, boats will be equipped with ladders much like those at public pools. Simulate boat exits using the pool ladder.

b) Beach Exit.

• The Buddy team swim until the water is shallow enough to stand up.
• Walk until the water level is at their waist.
• They help each other to stand up and remove their fins taking the “4 position”.
• Remove Mask and Snorkel and walk out of the water.

• To check you have the proper weighting, where does the water level need to be if your lungs are half empty?
  • Eye Level.
• Describe the movement of the hips and knees during the flutter kick:
  • The movement starts from the hip and knees are straight.
• What is the first thing you should do when you start descent?
  • Equalize your ears.
• When you are ascending from a surface dive, what position should your hands be in?
  • The right hand should be on the weight belt buckle and the left hand should be directed up, above the head to avoid colliding with an obstacle.
• If, during a surface dive, some water enters your mask, what do you do?
  • Swim to the surface and pull the mask away from your face to let the water out.
• What are the methods to clear the snorkel?
  • Blowing or by expansion.
• What is the first piece of equipment to take off before getting out of the water?
  • The weight belt.

• What material should mask lenses be made from?
  • Tempered Glass.
• Can swim goggles be used for snorkeling and scuba diving?
  • No. Swim goggles only cover the eyes and do not have a nose pocket, which allows snorkelers to equalize the pressure.
• Which side of the mask should the snorkel be attached? How?
  • On the left side of the mask using a proper snorkel keeper.
• What is the best suit to wear in water temperatures of 86 F/30C ?
  • A Lycra suit.
• What is the primary characteristic that all weight belts and weight systems must have?
  • A quick release mechanism.
• The weight belt should be worn so that it can be removed with which hand?
  • Using the right hand, from left to right.
    

• If it has not been assigned yet, the students should read Chapter 2 of the SNSI Snorkel Guide Manual and complete the Chapter 1 review questions.
• The students should read Chapter 2 of the SNSI Snorkel Guide Manual and complete the Chapter 2 review questions.
• Tell the students the time, date and location of the next academic session.

At the end of this session students have learned:

• About the snorkeling equipment and how to identify it based on the characteristics.
• The features and benefits that should be considered when buying snorkeling equipment.
• How to choose snorkeling equipment that is best suited to their style and personal preferences.
• About the exercises that they are going to practice during the first in-water session.

• Training Record: Both you and the students must initial and date in the appropriate space in the training record section for academic session 1.