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I received a NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) certification in 1969 and it saddens me reading about snorkelers drowning on their vacation. This year there were three snorkel-related deaths here that could have been prevented (“Snorkeling safety: We must do more,” Star- Advertiser, Island Voices, July 26).
Anyone considering snorkeling on their vacations should do this first: Buy or rent a mask, snorkel and swim fins and try out the gear in a swimming pool. It is foolhardy to try this new and fun sport in a strange environment that is moving and salty, like the ocean.
The gear must fit properly, especially mask and snorkel. While in the water, clench the mouthpiece tightly and never let it go. It is a lifeline.
The word to remember is familiarity — with the gear, the ocean and yourself. Panic kills, not the inability to float or swim well.
Daci Armstrong
Kakaako
EXPRESS YOURSELF
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