Snuba in Aruba: what fun!

Because snuba is a popular water sport in Aruba (everyone kept saying “awesome” and “snuba rocks”), I thought it was an island invention. I was surprised to learn that it’s actually a Californian invention and is now practised in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and even as far away as Thailand!

Snuba is a 30-year old aquatic recreation developed back in 1989 by Michael Stafford. It is owned by Snuba International who holds the licensing rights. You might have guessed that snuba is a happy marriage between snorkeling and scuba diving. It’s a lot more fun because you’re less encumbered by heavy gear (like the oxygen tank you have to carry on your back when scuba diving). You get your oxygen through an air line which is placed on the surface of the raft. It’s safe because the air line does not allow you to go deeper than six meters.

A friend who lives in Aruba permanently told me that unlike scuba diving, you don’t need certification, nor do you need scuba diving experience, although you wouldn’t want to venture out on your own. Instructors still must accompany people who engage in the sport. Even children over eight years old can snuba. Gear is minimal:

• Diving mask
• Swimfins
• Weights
• Diving regulator

One requirement though: to snuba, you should at least know how to swim!

People who snuba in Aruba enjoy the experience immensely. Aruba beaches are beautiful and the underwater scene is a different world and they say that if one were to spend some time in Aruba, half or more that time should be underwater!