Snorkling Austrian Style

When the sun shines from a clear blue sky and the thermometer reaches a simmering 34 °C, there is not much else to do but get into the water as soon as possible. More accurately, we are in the middle of Austria, by the river Traun in Upper Austria. Eight people, neoprene-clad and full of expectations, are standing on a cliff about three metres above the river Traun, getting ready to jump. This is the spectacular start of a 1.5-hour snorkelling trip in refreshing, crystal-clear water.

Refreshing

On a hot day like that, it’s rather refreshing to feel the 19 °C water leaking into the semidry, as we hit the water. The short walk down to the river from the dive centre and the subsequent 10-minute instructions from the tour guides made everybody forget any hesitation about jumping off a cliff. We jump into the river when all the snorkelers have gotten their masks and snorkels in place. The river initially cuts its way through a deep canyon with natural waterfalls. Naturally, the spring water source where the water is drizzling out of the porous rock, is our first stop.

Last chance for refreshments, our guide exclaims, before taking a big slurp of the pristine spring water.

Diving under a waterfall

Like pearls on a string, all the colourful neoprene-clad creatures paddle to a waterfall, where we again gather around the guide. It’s difficult to hear the guide explaining because of the loud noise from the waterfalls. Nevertheless, we still understand that we should try diving into the waterfall before we head further downstream. Diving into the waterfall, into the white raging water, was a cool experience. Nonetheless, we have to continue the trip. We glide slowly through the canyon with deep ravines, giant boulders, and a bottom covered with light pebbles. Now and then, my snorkling buddies pop their heads out of the water, bubbling over with joy and rambling about all the fish they have observed.

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Rapids

Rapids are a natural part of many rivers, and our snorkling trip had to pass a couple of them. No worries, the guides are experienced and know when we can pass the small rapids safely, or if we need to bypass them on land. Furthermore, before sending us through the rapids, the guides gather all the snorkelers in calm water and explain the safest way to swim. After receiving the OK sign from everyone, we will soon glide into the current. We all got our arms stretched out in front of us as a bumper, speeding along with the rushing water. Floating away with the rushing water, between the rocks and boulders, gives me a real adrenaline rush. All too soon, we glide slowly through calm waters again.

Underwater landscape

Even though the river snakes through a beautiful, lush green landscape, the underwater landscape attracts our full attention. The underwater landscape of the Traun varies between 30 cm shallow pools, 4-5 meter deep gorges and large boulders. It is an exciting and completely new world for many, which appears beyond the glass of the dive mask. Here and there, we pass crevices, small caverns and sunken tree trunks. In the river current, we see plenty of trout. In the calmer water, perch are lurking, waiting for prey. Additionally, all along our trip down the river, we observed crayfish.

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Speed snorkling

For the final part of the snorkling trip, we reach a wider stretch of the river. The guides gather the group for a last briefing near an outlet from a power station. Explaining that from here to the exit point it is all about speed and not observing nature. Moreover, that the water, which comes out of the power station, is good 3-4 °C warmer, than the river, we have been snorkling for a little more than one hour. Thus, for those who were getting a bit cold during the last 20 minutes the final part will be more pleasurable. A last advice given; we have to enter the outflow from the channel with 3-4 hard kicks, in able to get into the middle of the current.

Happy faces

As said, it was done and suddenly I found myself in a natural waterslide, gliding quickly down the river. What a ride! Just a few kicks with the fins now and then, to keep myself heading in the direction of travel. Moreover, as the river winds its way through a flatter landscape the current loses some of its force. The end to this fantastic snorkling trip came when the guides waved us onto a gravel beach. A little exhausted, but very happy we remove our fins and masks. Joyous faces on the entire groups, as we hike a couple of hundred metres up to the minibus that is bringing us back to the dive centre. Some of the group had previous snorkling experiences, for others this was the first time. Nonetheless, the entire group are happy to unison give our guides big thumbs up.

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