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Monday, June 27, 2011

Mag 71: fun for unfitties and others

Endeavor, Lino Tagliapietra, Columbus Museum of Art
Everyone knows hydrotherapy means movement in water, providing exercise without impact, thereby strengthening the muscles without causing them any pain.
If you’re an unfittie who can swim, I’ve got the hydrotherapy idea of a lifetime for you. Snorkeling. It’s so easy!
The most difficult part is putting the swim fins on without getting them full of sand. A spouse or friend might help you with this. My spouse didn’t, so I swam without fins, but I wore my water shoes in case of coral, and a shirt to avoid a sunburnt back. A long-sleeved shirt is best, I discovered.
You don’t even have to put a lot of effort into swimming. In order to find the greatest number of colorful fish per gallon of snorkel-worthy water, you’ll probably practice this therapeutic pastime in a warm ocean, and anyone can float in salt water. Even my husband can float, although his bones are so strong and so dense he has to keep moving in order to remain afloat in fresh water.
I didn’t get up much speed, but that didn’t matter. All I had to do was hang effortlessly on the top of the water, watching exotically-colored tropical fish swim beneath me, while sea lions swam beside me, and everyone else in our group swam past me.
Snorkeling, by definition, includes a snorkel: a tube that fits into your mouth at one end and is open to the air (one hopes) at the other end. It can be a little disconcerting if waves wash over the open end of the tube. Swallowing salt water involves gagging and coughing and other unpleasantries, all of which interfere with smooth swimming, and interfere even more with enjoyment.
Eventually, one either learns how to blow the mouthful of seawater back up the tube before swallowing, or gives up snorkeling entirely.
Don’t give up.
If I could learn to do it, so can you.

Taken from Chapter 15 of An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel, found HERE!

Posted for Magpie Tales, hosted each week
by Tess of Willow Manor. Thanks, Tess.
Tess provides a photo prompt for writer-bloggers to use as inspiration for poetry or prose. The prompt photo can come from anywhere, but this week's beautiful image is from the Columbus Museum of Art. It reminded me of one of the unfittie's adventurous travels wherein I learned a lot and had a lot of fun.
To see how it inspired others, please click

8 comments:

Mara said...

I only went snorkelling once (near Malta) and at first I was panicking because I couldn't breathe at all. I then tried it out while still above water and once I had that down I went down below. I loved it! The colours of the fish, the serenity of it all: beautiful. I would love to do it again someday!

S K Ditta said...

Brief, vivid, honest account of your adventure with snorkeling. I wish you many wonderful experiences and adventures. Please don't forget to share!

Isabel Doyle said...

good advice about the shirt - sun block should also be slathered on regularly!

jabblog said...

That sounds so relaxing. I never quite trust snorkels - not enough practice, I suppose;-)

Anonymous said...

I didn't know about the waves though it makes perfect sense that would be disconcerting! Snorkeling does sound like fun =) Sea lions awesome!

Sue J said...

Too many white pointers in our water for me to even think about this :)

C.M. Jackson said...

great post!

Anonymous said...

I also have only snorkeled once but it was easier (and harder) than I thought - the floating easier - dealing with the mouth piece difficult! Oh well. Thanks for the lovely reminder. Sounds like you had fun. k.