Did you know you can journal underwater?

You have the same basic needs as anywhere else: something to write with, and something to write on. But which supplies work best underwater?

Note: if you’re unable to go snorkeling or diving, consider nature journaling at tidepools, at an aquarium (especially if they have a touch tank!), or try checking out an underwater livestream video.

Waterproof paper:

Regular paper will dissolve underwater, but there are some brands of paper that still work while completely submerged. I plan to test them all and report about which work best!

• Rite in the Rain — began to absorb water after a little while, mainly under where there was pressure on the paper, both from where I was holding it and from the rubber band
• Stone Paper
• Yupo paper

Clipboard or dive slate:

You can use a regular plastic clipboard to write on. Just beware that the metal can rust in salt water, but John Muir Laws suggests using electrical tape to cover it up and keep the rust off of your paper.

You can use large rubber bands to hold the paper flat to the board. Try the big ones that come with your broccoli!

You can also buy a dive slate online or a dive shop if you plan on making this a regular practice.

Writing tools:

Graphite, or woodless pencils work the best for the longest amount of time underwater. They’re just the lead of the pencil, which doesn’t absorb water.

The wood in regular pencils will absorb water and swell over time, but work well for shorter trips. They’re also cheap and easily replacable.

Colored pencils aren’t made with graphite, but with pigments and binders. Different types of colored pencils might work better than others, but many will get gooey with too much time underwater.

In theory, the Rite in the Rain pen could write underwater, but some reviewers say it only works for a little while.

Pencil holder:

If you’re doing a lot of swimming, you probably want to attach your pencil to your board somehow. You can slide it under the rubber bands holding the paper in place. Or you can use a pen holder to attach it to your board. Just be sure to not leave it behind as trash on the reef!

Rubber tubing (see Roseann Hanson’s post) also works well. It’s what dive slates use.

Adding color and notes

I took color notes in the style of John Muir Laws. He draws simple line pointing to the location and a color code. The color code is simply the first and last letter of the color (black = bk, blue = be, etc.), unless it’s the only color that starts with that letter (like y = yellow). He doesn’t abbreviate using the first two letters, because it wouldn’t really help (gr = green and gray).

What species will I see?

It’s best to observe first, take notes, and then go home to try to identify what you’ve seen.

You can check out this awesome iNaturalist guide for the most commonly reported intertidal species in Hawaii, with photos.

Check out the online field guide post for more links to species identification resources.

Where to go

Marine Conservation Districts: DLNR has a list of locations on Oahu, Hawaii, and Maui islands with a high density of marine species.

Ocean Safety

• Observe the waves, tides, and currents — don’t just rely on an app, look with your own eyes
• Check the shoreline for man-o-war and box jellyfish before going in
• Ask a lifeguard if you have any questions or concerns
• Go with a buddy
• If in doubt, don’t go out!

Ocean Ethics:

Unless it’s an emergency, please be careful and don’t stand, kick, or walk on the coral as it will break or damage these delicate creatures (plus coral can be rough or sharp and can cut you, and coral cuts are prone to infection).

Try to minimize disturbance to the ocean creatures. Don’t poke or prod the animals, and keep your distance from marine mammals. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/viewing-marine-life

Also, use reef-safe sunscreen, which is mineral based. The chemicals in regular sunscreen harm our corals — and could also be harming your health! https://savethereef.org/about-reef-save-sunscreen.html

Malama Hawaii-Reefs from Hawaii DLNR

Ocean gear:

Of course, you need some way to see while you’re underwater! There’s ways to look into the water without being submerged in it, such as using a plexiglass box or a boogie board with a clear window. In clear, shallow areas, you can also see a lot just looking into the water — I made the top drawing on my page just standing on the shoreline! (Be sure to check out my post on journaling in Tidepools).

If you’re using a snorkel mask, be sure to practice using it before going into deep water or far from sure. It’s easy to accidentally suck water in through the tube when a wave hits you just right or if you turn your head too far, so learn how to clear your tube and also how to remove your mask quickly. It also restricts your breathing, so be careful with snorkeling with a heart or lung condition. The full-face masks seem easier but possibly have a higher danger of breathing in your own exhaled breath, full of CO2.

You can also swim with regular goggles on (no tube) if you are more familiar with that, using breaststroke to get around. You hold your breath while looking at the fish, and take breaks by floating on your back. Regular goggles work well too if you’re floating around on a boogie board and want to look underwater for short periods of time. I use regular goggles when free-diving, because it’s easier to dive down deep and come back up without the full snorkel mask.

Fins can really help with keeping your body horizontal in the water and allow you to swim more easily — but I don’t always wear them if there isn’t much current, because they can be a bit cumbersome.

I almost always wear a wetsuit top when I’m snorkeling, both to keep me warm but to also protect my arms and core from stings or injury. A wetsuit top also helps with bouyancy.

Snorkel tours give people lifejackets. These make it a bit tricky to float horizontally with your face down. Good choice if you’re not confident in the water, but be sure you are within view of a lifeguard and not swimming alone, because conditions can change quickly in the ocean and and a lifejacket is no guarantee of safety.

Instructional Videos with John Muir Laws

See it in action!

Roseann Hanson took a group snorkeling in Baja where they used DIY underwater sketching slates made from plexiglass. Rubber bands held the (waterproof) paper on, and tubing kept the colored pencils from floating away.

Kirsten Carlson sketched underwater in Antarctica! She used a commercial dive slate that was modified by her team, as described in the video below (you can also read a transcript of the interview which gets into more detail about her experiences as a scientific artist/illustrator.)

Here’s a video of her scuba diving in Fiji, which gives you a sense of how you physically are always adjusting for the currents and changing conditions while diving!