Snorkeling
The pristine, undisturbed waters of Cherry Cove provide the perfect location for snorkeling and studying marine science! At CIMI, students and teachers dive right in and explore the wonders of the undersea world. Forests of Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) support one of the most unique and rich habitats in the world. An extensive array of fish, invertebrates and marine mammals call the kelp forest home, taking advantage of the protection and food sources the kelp provides. In addition, students and teachers can explore and discover the Rocky Inter-tidal Zones and Sandy Bottoms found off of Catalina Island. These distinct and fascinating ecosystems also support a diversity of marine life. Snorkeling amid the amazing variety of animal and plant life is an enriching and unforgettable experience for students! While at CIMI, each student learns and demonstrates basic snorkeling skills as taught by our experienced instructors. All gear is provided, including full-length three-piece wetsuit, hood, mask, snorkel, fins and booties. Because the wetsuit acts as a flotation device, students do not need to be strong swimmers to participate in and benefit from the snorkeling program. Even non-swimmers can thoroughly enjoy the experience if they have confidence in themselves. Our program is designed to help students become comfortable and safe in the water, learn basic snorkeling skills and techniques and to study and learn about the ocean environment. As such, the objective and focus will progress from the initial dive through subsequent dives.
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Orientation Snorkel
Before the snorkel, instructors discuss the use of snorkeling equipment, safety and the importance of the buddy system. Once in the water, students learn basic skills: adjustment of equipment, breathing through a snorkel, and clearing a mask and snorkel. The exploration then begins as students learn to swim with fins and snorkel along the surface. After the snorkel, the instructor will lead students in a wrap-up discussion of the dive and a review of the marine life that was seen. | | | | Basic Snorkel After learning the basics on the first snorkel, the objective of the basic snorkel is to explore and discover the kelp forest, rocky inter-tidal and sandy bottom habitats of Cherry Cove. Before the snorkel, the instructor, using pictures and photographs, describes a number of the fish and invertebrates commonly found in these marine habitats. During the snorkel, students will recognize many of the marine animals and plants they have been learning about in the labs. Depending on an individual student's ability, she/he may be able to wear a weight belt to dive down into the habitats to get a closer look; instructors will also bring various invertebrates to the surface for all students to observe. Post-dive, the instructor will lead a wrap-up discussion with students about what they saw. | Marine Ecology Snorkel All snorkels after the first two are focused on exploration and research. Students will see an improvement in their snorkeling ability, and so will focus on observing the various habitats and animal behavior. Pre- and Post-dive discussions will bring together what students are learning in the labs and what they are viewing in the field. These dives may also be "boat dives", as students snorkel off of boats in locations outside of Cherry Cove. | | | | |
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