Right : Stand-up paddleboards ( SUP ) make a super-stable snorkel platform . Tying them together makes them even more stable
Below : Sit-on-top kayaks combine the ease and stability of a SUP with a range and seaworthiness of a true kayak
CRAFTY CHOICES
BACK TO KAYAK Andy Torbet returns to one of his favourite themes , combining his love of sea kayaking with snorkel expeditions
It ’ s been a decade since I last wrote about the idea of snorkelling from a kayak . To be honest not a lot has changed in the worlds of snorkelling or kayaking since then . But perspectives do change , new members come along and in these difficult times , selfpropelled transport is all the rage . I ’ d also like to remind those who ’ ve been with me from day one ( thank you !) that snorkellingby-kayak really is a rather good idea . This time around , I ’ ve decided to take a closer look at the choice of craft .
With spring upon us and the promise of our first unrestricted dive season in two years ( probably … promising anything these days is a bold move ), perhaps it ’ s time to consider something a bit more adventurous .
I only began sea-kayaking as a way to access snorkel sites that would otherwise require the hire of a dive boat . However , I soon grew to enjoy kayaking for its own sake . I paddled around the Devon and Cornwall coast ; made trips out to Lundy ; around the Isle of Wight and wild camping among the Scottish Islands . However , the primary role of the kayak in my life is to serve as a vehicle in which to go diving or snorkelling .
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