What is "snuba"

n. (context sports English) A combination of snorkeling and scuba diving where the swimmer uses the fins, mask, and breathing apparatus commonly used in scuba diving, but the oxygen tanks usually strapped to the back are instead attached to floating rafts that remain on the water's surface.(cite news url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/travel/features/snuba111598.htm title=Scuba on a Leash last=Briley first=John date=1998-11-15 work=washingtonpost.com: Style Live: Travel publisher=Washington Post Company accessdate=26 April 2010)(cite news url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19950122&slug=2100660 title=Snuba Diving Offers A Chance To Experience Rapture Of The Shallows last=Jackson first=Kristin date=1995-01-22 work=Seattle Times publisher=Seattle Times Company accessdate=26 April 2010)

Snuba is form of surface-supplied diving that uses an underwater breathing system developed by Snuba International. The word "snuba" is a portmanteau of " snorkel" and " scuba". The swimmer uses swimfins, a diving mask, weights, and diving regulator as in scuba diving. Instead of coming from tanks strapped to the diver's back, air is supplied from long hoses connected to compressed air cylinders contained in a specially designed flotation device at the surface. Snuba often serves as a form of introductory diving, in the presence of a professionally trained guide, but requires no scuba certification.