Completely random question

Anyone do any snorkelling?  Told you it was random   

I want to have a go. Mainly so I can use my camera, with more than just my hands in the water . Might be able to see what I’m photographing then   .
I’ve started looking at face masks & things. Just wondered if anyone has any experience or advice.

I would strongly recommend going to a dive shop (maybe puffin dive centre oban) and trying on masks as a first stop. A well fitting mask is the most important thing as a leaking mask will make your time annoying. I started underwater sports over 20 years ago and still use the same mask as it fits so well, I've tried others but always go back.
Then the next thing to think about will be warmth and propulsion. If you get in to this and you're submerged in water for any length of time you're going to get cold quickly as you won't be swimming about hard to keep warm, I would probably go for a semi dry suit (effectively two wet suits over strategic parts of your body) and wetsuit boots with strap fins that fit over your boots rather than "pool fins" with the foot pocket. If you are planning on diving down to see some things you may want to consider a weight belt with a couple of kilos of lead to help but that can be easily added later.
The last thing is to learn lots about your local dive sites, easy entry/exit points, tide times (try diving at slack water to avoid potentially dangerous currents). Consider a surface marker buoy if you're diving somewhere busy.
Last but not least make sure your camera is charged and has plenty of space, tell someone where you're going and enjoy.

I used to love snorkelling and agree that a well fitting mask is important. I fitted mine with an old pair of my glasses so that I missed nothing. I have never snorkelled in cold British waters however.

I've tried snorkelling (in warm water only) but I'm not confident in deep water. My husband loved it though.
We went to the Virgin Islands where's an underwater National Park with a Coral trail, with signs for different types of coral that you see underwater (of course). I really wanted to see these and the tropical fish but I panicked in the water and ended up being towed around the trail hanging onto a lifebelt.   At one point I realised that I wasn't moving and found that my lifebelt had been tethered to a rock and my "tow-er" had returned to the boat!! Abandoned  at least the boat didn't move off without me.

But I digress, as usual! 
Have you tried a glass-bottomed bucket?

Thanks everyone.
I’ll be honest I wasn’t expecting any replies   .

Veggie you really need to write a book. The life & times of veggie    . You’ve experienced so many different things. It’d be a very good read & with lots of very amusing stories   .

I just remember the daft things. SC..................but there do seem to be a lot of them.
That same day, same boat trip, you could borrow an underwater camera for the trip - just pay for the roll of film and take it home with you to be developed. There were several other passengers including an American lad who had palled up with 2 girls who were travelling around. They hired a camera, as did we but we couldn't get the film developed until we came back to the UK.
My husband had been rabbiting on about all the amazing fish he'd seen as he snorkelled around, whilst I was tethered to a rock and when the developed prints arrived in the post, he couldn't wait to show them to me. Imagine my reaction when I saw that most of the photos were of these girls swimming around, their bikini tops in their hands and hoicking their bikini bottoms down to their knees to flash their bottoms at the photographer.

All was revealed in almost the last photo - it was one of my husband snorkelling around taking photos. Apparently, the cameras had got swapped when we were back on the boat. We had their photos and they had the ones of the fish. Bet they were disappointed. Don't think my husband was!!

I

That’s brilliant!       .

Its given Paul and I the giggles! You couldn't make it up, could you.

I did my very first bit of snorkelling this afternoon!  It was great. I really enjoyed it. I think with a little more practice and confidence I’ll enjoy it even more. I wasn’t in for very long because it was a bit chilly ! That’s the first time I’ve been swimming for over 25 years ! Luckily I remembered how   . 

Think I’ll leave my camera with Bob till I’ve got better at the snorkelling, but wanted to take a couple of photos on my first ever attempt.

Definitely not my best photos and I didn’t actually see anything other than seaweed. 

    .     

I'm shivering at the thought of it, SC, literally.