Sean Chinn’s Snorkel Journeys: Part 7 – Me and water

In this ongoing series regular contributor and worldwide snorkel adventurer Sean Chinn shares his snorkel journeys.

Part 7: Me and water – It’s an obsession

For someone born into a big city smack in the middle of England, it’s not expected for you to become obsessed with swimming and visiting wild places to enjoy the water. However I was very fortunate that I was introduced to swimming very early. I was also extremely lucky that my grandad had a pool he built in his back garden for us to enjoy throughout the summer. I had swimming lessons from an early age and you couldn’t keep me out the water when on holiday (I don’t do too well with heat). So it was inevitable I would transition to a life in the ocean at some point.

Lionfish on the house reef in Sharm el Sheikh during a 4-5 hour snorkel.

I would take any opportunity I could to be in the water snorkelling when on trips abroad. Especially where there is amazing wildlife to witness. Once I took up underwater photography back in 2013 this became an addiction. This showed on a particular trip to Sharm el Sheikh in the November of that year. After 5 great days of diving on my first trip to Egypt. We had a free day of no diving before our flight the following day. Most of the group decided to head down to the beach and house reef. We all got in for a snorkel and was enjoying our time around the beautiful shallow reef full of colour and life. While others in the group got out I carried on exploring. It wasn’t until I got out and some of the group were shocked and asked if I’d been in the water all that time and did I realise how long I’d been in there. We worked out that I must have been in the water for 4 and a half hours snorkelling around.

A tiny nudibranch taken while snorkelling at night time in Anilao, Philippines.

There was more in water action on a day trip out of Nassau to Ship Channel Cay in 2014. With stingrays and sharks in the shallows I never left the water the whole time we were there. However it wasn’t until 2015 I truly realised how obsessed I’d got when I upset my girlfriend. We were stopping in Anilao, Philippines for a few days where I had 4 dives booked in but no night dives. We were stopping on the coast and while eating dinner one night I noticed some lights in the water and thought it looked shallow. So the next night after dinner I planned to go snorkelling for a bit at night and the missus waited up by the restaurant. 2 and a half hours later I got out the water to a hostile reception once I returned to the room. I just completely lose myself in the water and become engrossed in the wonders I find.

A manatee family in the shallows of Crystal River, Florida. 

I always take my opportunities when travelling and 2016 was no different. I was visiting Bahamas on a shark infested liveaboard. The boat would leave from Palm Beach, Florida, so I decided to book an extra few days to explore the underwater action in Florida. My dedication to see as much as I could saw me book an overnight stay around Crystal River for a day snorkelling with the manatees. After 3 dives in Jupiter in the day I drove around 4 and a half hours north to Crystal River. I was tired but the next day in the water with these cute but large marine mammals was amazing. So friendly and docile it was great to see their loving nature all huddled together. I had no time to rest after though and drove 5 hours back south to Palm Beach in preparation for my liveaboard the next day.

While I could go on with more examples of my addiction to going in the water with wildlife at any opportunity. Times like in Aqaba where I could have relaxed on surface intervals but went under the pier or to the M42 Duster. Or in the water with Mantas until 1.30am in the Maldives. Well, I’m sure you get the picture now. Snorkelling makes it so easy to enjoy these amazing moments around the world.

Under the jetty at Berenice Beach Club was full of life on a surface interval snorkel.

Find out more about Sean, his photography and his trips at: www.greatwhitesean.com