Surface Swimming Techniques

Whether you're making your way to a descent point, exiting after a dive, or covering distance from a shore entry...efficient surface swimming is a key skill. Good surface technique helps conserve energy, manage your position, and stay in control.

When Surface Swimming Matters

• Shore entries and exits
• Swimming to a descent line or drop point
• Drift dives with a gap between entry and descent
• Returning to the boat or shore in current or low visibility

You might not plan to swim far on the surface, but being unprepared when you need to can lead to exhaustion or poor air management before the dive even begins.

Swimming with a Regulator vs. Snorkel

Regulator

• Best choice in rough water, surge, surf zones, or when conditions might change quickly
• Safer if you're tired, winded, or there’s any chance of being submerged unexpectedly
• Keeps you ready to descend at any time with no extra steps
• For relatively short swims, the gas used at the surface is negligible so there’s no practical benefit to switching to a snorkel just to “save air”

Snorkel

• Optional tool for calm, flat water during long surface swims. Typically in shore dives or controlled training environments
• Allows face-down swimming without using gas. But only makes sense when water conditions are reliably calm
• Can be a liability in chop, waves, or surf as it is easy to inhale water

General rule: If there’s any chance your face will go underwater unexpectedly, use your regulator.

Finning Techniques

Flutter kick (straight-leg kick from the hips):

• Most common for surface swimming
• Keep it smooth and low. Avoid splashing or bending at the knees

Modified flutter or frog kick:

• Useful when trying to stay low profile or avoid disturbing the surface
• More efficient in calm water over long distances

Avoid excessive splashing as it is inefficient, burns energy, and may draw unnecessary attention (especially on dives near sensitive marine life).

Body Position and Streamlining

• Stay horizontal with your face in the water as this reduces drag and keeps your kicks efficient
• Don’t look forward unless you need to navigate. Lift your head only briefly, then return to streamlined posture
• Keep hoses and gear tucked in so they don’t drag or shift as you move

Navigating on the Surface

• Use visual references: buoys, boats, shoreline, descent lines. Anything fixed and easy to track
• Check your heading often but efficiently. Lift your head briefly, confirm you're on course, and return to streamlined position
• In low visibility or swell, stay close to your buddy and follow pre-agreed direction plans to avoid separation

Dealing with Leg Cramps

Leg cramps can ruin a surface swim and force an emergency stop mid-swim. They’re especially common in cold water, after long dives, or when using unfamiliar or stiff fins.

If a cramp hits:

• Flip to your back or upright position to relieve pressure
• Pull the fin tip toward your body to stretch the calf or hamstring
• Breathe slowly and relax while you work it out — don’t panic or tense up more

Prevention tips:

• Stretch your legs and feet before the dive
• Stay hydrated as dehydration increases cramp risk
• Consider switching fin types if this happens often. Some fins cause more strain than others depending on leg strength and kick style
• If you’re prone to cramping, tell your buddy before the dive so they know to stay close during surface swims

Safety and Efficiency Tips

• Inflate your BCD to the level you need for comfortable buoyancy. Just enough to stay afloat effortlessly, but not so much that you're unstable or riding high on the surface
• Swim at a sustainable pace, especially in current or with gear weight
• Use team positioning: stay side-by-side or within sight of your buddy, not far ahead or behind
• Keep your regulator in if you're tired, disoriented, or conditions are unstable

Common Mistakes

• Starting the swim without inflating the BCD leads to wasted energy and poor breathing control
• Looking forward constantly puts you in a vertical position and creates unnecessary drag
• Switching to snorkel too early. If waves, boat wake, or current submerge your face unexpectedly, you're at risk
• Overexerting in current. Swim smarter, not harder. Sometimes a small angle across the current gets you there faster