Rising to her feet, standing knee-deep in calm water, she was still choking, literally drowning on her feet. I motioned to her to take the snorkel out of her mouth, which she did, and her panic quickly turned to relief. Begin by learning how to use the equipment. Condensation may form on the inner surface, quickly resembling San Francisco fog. Sometimes new masks have a protective film which is best removed with a very light abrasive.
Some folks effectively use toothpaste.
It's best to avoid putting suntan lotion on your nose or face when snorkeling because the water can occasionally flush some into your eyes. Your snorkel essentially transfers your mouth to the back of your head, somewhat like a dolphin's blowhole, permitting you to breathe through your mouth while floating face down in the water. This is a novel experience for most of us. It may help to first use the snorkle out of the water, progressing to a pool or calm, shallow water as you become more comfortable. Ultimately, correctly using a snorkel allows greater relaxation and uninterrupted views of the world below.