Caribbean dream Islands

Snorkelling Masks

Choosing your mask

The mask is the most important piece kit you need for snorkelling, so it is worth taking some trouble over choosing the right one. A poor or ill-fitting mask will ruin your enjoyment and possibly put you off snorkelling for good. A cheap snorkelling mask may have a plastic lens and a plastic or rubber skirt. Plastic lenses scratch easily, and plastic skirts are too stiff and do not mould to the shape of your face easily, making the mask uncomfortable to wear and liable to let water in.

A good diving mask, however, will have a clear silicone skirt and tempered glass lenses. Silicone skirts are soft and readily follow the contours of your face, while the toughened glass lenses are safer and give better vision. Certainly a diving mask will be more expensive, but it is money well spent. Look for the small letter 'T' engraved near the bottom of each lens; this certifies that the lens is made of tempered glass and is suitable for scuba diving. Such a mask will also come with a better more durable strap, and one that is easier to adjust.

To test the fit of a mask, hold it to your face in the position you would wear it, and breathe in gently. The mask should stay in place unsupported, showing that the fit is air-tight, and consequently water-tight. Do not take a deep breath as this will ram the mask against your face and defeat the object of the exercise. Check that there is adequate room for your nose as this can be a problem with low volume masks. The latter term refers to the volume of air within the mask when it is being worn. Low volume masks are much preferred by scuba divers and are also ideal for snorkelling, offering minimal water resistance. Repeat the exercise with a snorkel in your mouth. This alters the shape of the face and may affect the fit of the mask.

Masks come with either two lenses or a single wide lens covering both eyes. Twin lens masks tend to sit closer to the face, and some can be fitted with prescription lenses if you are really keen. Do not bother with masks that have extra lenses at the sides and the bottom, they are more cumbersome and offer no advantages.

Using your mask

Masks tend to get a coating of silicone on the lens during the manufacturing process. This causes the lens to steam up when worn, and should be cleaned off before the initial use. You can buy proprietary solutions for this purpose, but a cheaper option is to use toothpaste which acts as a very mild, non-scratching abrasive. Rub a pea sized piece of toothpaste over each surface of the lens and rinse off with clean water.

You should also prepare your mask before each snorkelling session to prevent fogging. Again there are very effective solutions available, or you can use the old trick of spitting in your mask, rubbing the saliva over the inner surface of the lens and rinsing in the sea.

Diving masks come with a soft bag or clear plastic box to keep them in. This is not extravagant packaging, but to protect the mask from damage when not in use. Buy a good mask, and treat it well.

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