They’ve managed to cap the oil well that spewed millions of gallons of oil into the gulf, but the tourism industry has yet to recover.
CNN Money highlights the problems businesses in Destin, FL are facing – including a snorkeling business that’s been hit hard.
For the record, the beaches are clean and the water is clear. Grab your gear and get going. This is a great time to enjoy snorkeling on the Gulf Coast without the crowds.
Glancing at the calendar the other day, we realized we’re overdue for a summer vacation.
Between now and Labor Day, we’re going to take a week off and enjoy a snorkeling vacation. The question is, where to go?
Where is your favorite snorkeling destination? Please share. We’d love to hear about it.
One of the great things about snorkeling is the chance to see a wide variety of marine life up close and personal.
I often think of the spectacular vistas snorkelers can experience as a feast for the eyes.
When you combine snorkeling with scalloping, you can get a feast of an entirely different order.
Florida is a hot spot for scalloping, and you can find all the info you need about scalloping in Florida here. If you’re in the area, what are you waiting for? Grab your gear and get scalloping!
When you think about fun things to do in Michigan, snorkeling is probably not at the top of the list, but maybe it should be.
The name Michigan is derived, after all, from the Ojibwe word mishigama, meaning “large lake.”
Michigan borders four of the Great Lakes, and there are more than 11,000 inland lakes.
Bottom line: Michigan is a great spot for freshwater snorkeling.
There’s an interesting article by Eric Sharp in the Detroit Free Press about some of the snorkeling opportunities to be had in Michigan. Well worth a read!
While snorkeling for a living may seem like a dream job, safety should always be your first priority – there may be some unexpected hazards in the workplace!
Consider the story of the central Florida man who was snorkeling in a nature park – just another day in the office for this environmental services monitor – when he was “nailed in the neck” by an 11 1/2-foot, 525-pound alligator.
The man suffered a broken jaw but is expected to recover.
The rules of snorkeling safety are clear, but here’s a tip you might want to pencil into the rule book: if you’re getting attacked by a shark when snorkeling, beat the crap out it! That’s what this grandmother did, as she fought off a shark attack by “punching it on the nose, punching, punching…” according the the BBC.
Of course, you’re better off avoiding contact with sharks, if you can help it.
Snorkelers are accustomed to incredible scenery, but even the most experienced among us are bowled over by the underwater vistas created by Jason De Caires Taylor. If you are lucky enough to snorkel at one of Taylor’s sites, you’re going to want to bring a camera. Taylor creates underwater sculptures that serve as artificial reefs – with marine life colonizing and transforming his sculptures in spectacular ways.
Taylor’s work has a serious conservation angle, as his sculptures not only create a new habitat, they are also designed to divert traffic from other coral reef areas that suffer from overuse.
Taylor is currently engaged in the construction of a huge underwater sculpture museum – the Cancun and Isla Mujeres Art Underwater Art Museum, a must-see if you’re snorkeling in Mexico. You will be awestruck by the sculpture gardens, but keep your wits – you can never forget the rules of safety.
Everybody loves snorkeling – even Presidential Candidate Barack Obama, who did some snorkeling at Hanauma Bay last week.
Hanauma Bay visitors have a great story to share with family and friends, as they rub shoulders with Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois). The Hawaii-born senator and his family came to go snorkeling Thursday morning. Others who were out doing the same thing were surprised and excited to see him.
This is our first post, we’ll be posting regularly about snorkeling information starting very soon….