u/Affectionate-Cry-132

▲ 2 r/snorkeling+1 crossposts

First time snorkeling?

Hi everyone!

I am heading to Sicily soon and have booked a boat snorkeling tour around Isola Bella with Sicily Adventure. I am really excited, but I wanted to ask for some local insight or reassurance from anyone who has done this.

I am an okay pool swimmer, I just learned to swim a few months ago and feel really comfortable in water( i.e I practice regularly and I can do front crawl, backstroke confidently), but I have never actually swam in open coastal water before. On top of that, I am still perfecting my breathing technique while swimming, and I have no idea what it would be like to breathe through a snorkel tube.
The tour company provides buoyancy vests, which gives me peace of mind, but I’m still a bit nervous about the transition from pool to deep sea.

A few questions:

Should I just refrain from snorkeling since I’m still pretty new at swimming itself? (I really do want to swim / snorkel though in open water!)
Has anyone done this specific tour with Sicily Adventure? How beginner-friendly is the crew?
What are the sea conditions usually like around the Isola Bella marine reserve at this time (I’m going next week)? (Currents, waves, etc.)

Any tips for a first-timer overall?

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u/Affectionate-Cry-132 — 6 days ago