TORBET ON THE TUBE
GREAT SNORKEL FAILS
Mistakes , he ’ s made a few ... Andy Torbet ‘ fesses-up to his many faux pas while snorkelling , that we may learn from his errors
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round this time last year , I wrote about some serious lessons I ’ ve learned through mistakes and mishaps over the years of snorkelling . But rather than repeating similarly sage advice , I thought it would be a useful exercise to track back and confess to the details of those hard-earned lessons .
Mask-up
Due to the simple , minimal nature of snorkelling kit I have , in the past , taken a more laissez faire , approach to pre-dive checks . I performed them , but not always with the rigour they deserve . I once stepped off the back of a boat in Malta , having previously ensured I was indeed wearing all the necessary kit ... or so I thought . I only needed the basics and could feel my fins cupping my feet and the sensation of a strap around my head and glass before my eyes . I was good to go ... or so I thought .
As the Mediterranean swallowed me up , I flailed in an attempt to grab the mask which had clearly come off my face . I knew this had occurred , thanks to the watery
PHOTO : DANIEL RASMUSSEN
Andy checks a sore kneecap after an ill-fated ‘ leap-before-look ’ entry .
Andy off for a snorkel-by-kayak in his uncomfortably tight wetsuit .
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