There are seemingly endless possibilities for someone who is just getting started in the world of underwater sports. Scuba diving, snorkeling, skin diving, and freediving are the most popular. But how are they different from one another?
Although there are some definitions that are fairly clear, there is also a lot of overlap, so some people may not agree with these definitions. For beginners to distinguish between the various sports, they are intentionally slightly too simplistic. Ultimately, views will diverge. Let’s try to answer the question: what distinguishes scuba diving from snorkeling, skin diving from freediving, and so on?
Skin Diving
Skin diving is a dated term for a combination of snorkeling and freediving. In addition to performing breath-hold dives to observe interesting objects or marine life, a skin diver spends time at the surface, breathing through a snorkel while looking down at the landscape below. Both freedivers and many experienced snorkelers engage in skin diving for recreational purposes rather than for training or competition. Depending on the temperature of the water, skin divers use wetsuits, masks, and snorkels. Drysuits are improper attire. Fins can be either freediving or snorkeling fins.
Once more, the distinctions between each discipline—aside from scuba diving—can become hazy. Our distinctions may not be universally accepted, but at the very least they may give a newcomer a general idea of what to anticipate.
The equipment is different, and proper training and theoretical knowledge of freediving are also requirements. Wetsuits, weight belts, long fins, low-volume masks, snorkels, nose clips, and lanyards are among the equipment used by freedivers. Freediving is a very safe sport when done properly, but it is still regarded as an extreme sport. Some people may attempt to learn from YouTube videos, online guides, or even by observing or learning from other non-qualified freedivers.
Scuba Diving
The easiest to define is this. Scuba is the abbreviation for “Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus,” which is an old term for the combination of a scuba tank and regulator. Therefore, scuba diving is defined as breathing through a mouthpiece attached to a tank that is worn on the back. You’ll put on a mask for visibility, fins for propulsion, and a BCD for buoyancy control. Additionally, you will typically wear some form of exposure protection, such as a rash guard in warm climates, a wetsuit in cold climates, or a dry suit in cold water. If you wear boots, your fins will have heel straps or bungees as part of this exposure protection. Scuba diving calls for specific education and certification.
Snorkeling
The activity that is most popular and that requires the least amount of experience is snorkeling. By wearing a mask and breathing through a snorkel, you stay on the surface while snorkeling. Breathing doesn’t require you to raise your head. You may need to wear a dry suit in some locations. Exposure protection is typically worn with a rash guard or wetsuit. Unlike scuba fins, snorkeling fins don’t have a heel strap and can be worn without a boot because they are softer. Some snorkelers also don flotation vests, especially if they don’t have strong swimming skills.
Mask, snorkel, and fins are all required pieces of gear, though skin divers may choose a low-volume mask instead because it’s simpler to equalize when descending. They might wear a rashguard, a wetsuit, and a weight belt, though it’s not advised to use one until you’ve had the right training and understood the theory behind buoyancy and blackouts.
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Freediving
Freediving is not a particularly new sport, but its appeal has grown significantly. Freediving, in contrast to the other sports on this list, is primarily a competitive sport. It consists of a variety of disciplines, all of which revolve around the same idea: staying underwater for as long as you can on a single breath. The disciplines range from static apnea, where you lie still, face-down in a pool, holding your breath for as long as you can, to ones where you have to move as far horizontally or vertically as you can.
Freedivers don’t use snorkels; instead, they wear masks that frequently resemble a cross between a dive mask and swim goggles. Additionally, you put on wetsuits for exposure protection. Rarely, if ever, will you see a freediver wearing a drysuit. Fins are sometimes worn by freedivers, though some subdisciplines do not. They are typically monofins—a single, broad-bladed fin worn on both feet—or very long, full-foot fins. A profile resembling a fishtail is produced as a result. Freedivers concentrate on diving and spend little time at the surface other than for surface breaks and rest periods.
Final Thoughts
We all share a love of the ocean, regardless of whether we are freedivers, skin divers, or snorkelers. Make sure to take all the necessary steps to preserve the environment and our ocean so that future generations can continue to enjoy the same things we do today.
