Snorkel Guide

Tilly

Your trainer today

G’day! I’m Matilda, but everyone calls me Tilly. Today I’ll be training you on how to snorkel guide.

Ready to get started?

Tilly

On the back deck

As a snorkel guide, your job is pretty simple: take the guests around the reef, keep them safe, and make sure they have an amazing time out there.

I’ll guide you through each part of the job, and by the end of today, you’ll be able to:

Alright, let’s get into it. First up, the snorkel line.

Tilly

Securing the snorkel line

Now that the ladders are in and the back deck is almost set up, that’s our cue to get the snorkel line ready.

First, grab the line and bring it down to the wing. Attach the line to the bollard, then throw the other end into the water.

Next, get your ring, put your gear on, and jump in. Grab the end of the line and start swimming out at a 45 degree angle from the back of the boat.

Keep glancing back at the lookout. They’ll direct you to the right area to attach it. When you’re there, they’ll give you the “okay” signal to stop.

Now that they’ve signaled okay, have a look around. We’re looking for a solid rock or dead coral to tie the line to. Something that won’t move and won’t damage the reef.

Tilly

In the water

Have a look at what’s down there to see what our options are! Tap each spot below, then we’ll decide which one is best.

{{ hs.n }}

Tilly

Your call

Which option is best to attach the line to?

{{ th.n }}

{{ opt.letter }} {{ opt.label }}

{{ opt.mark }}

Tilly

Tying it off

Now that we’ve found our spot, let’s get the line attached. First, prepare the line by pulling it through the eye like this:

Once it’s ready, loop it over your chosen structure and pull it tight. Make sure the knot is facing back toward the boat so it can be tightened from the boat without slipping off.

Tilly

Back at the snorkel step

Now that we’re back at the snorkel step, it’s time to find your first group. Call out, ‘Anyone need a snorkel guide?’

You’re looking for passengers who are ready to go with their masks and fins on. Prioritise any high-risk passengers you see. Aim to take four passengers per tour, but feel free to take less when conditions are rough or no one else is waiting.

Before you get anyone in the water, make sure their mask and snorkel are on correctly.

Tilly

Getting them on the ring

Awesome. Now that everyone’s gear is sorted, it’s time to get them on the ring. We’ll need to give them some instructions on how to hold the ring properly and position their body in the water.

Without me giving you the answers, let’s see what instructions you’d give to get them in the right position. I’ll give you a hint: there’s more than one instruction for each of these.

Tilly

Getting them on the ring

{{ pos.question }}

Tilly

Safety is your job too

Guiding the group around the reef is the fun part.

But out here, safety is also your responsibility. You might be the closest crew member to any passenger in the water, which makes you the first to respond if someone needs help.

Every situation is different, so there’s no set protocol for a pickup or a rescue. What you need to do is stay alert, listen for the lookout’s whistle, and be ready to respond immediately.

The lookout, deck supervisor, and snorkel supervisor are watching everyone in the water and will direct you when someone needs help. Your job is to get to them and keep them safe until more senior crew members arrive to help.

Start swimming in the direction they point you right away, even if you can't see who needs help or what's happening yet.

Tilly

Your call

Say you just responded to the lookout calling a pick-up, with no snorkelers on your ring. You’ve swam out to where they directed you and you’re approaching the snorkeler.

Which is the safest way to approach a panicked snorkeler?

{{ opt.mark }}

{{ opt.n }} {{ opt.label }}

Tilly

Wrapping up

That’s everything you need to know to be a great snorkel guide:

{{ popup.text }}