self paced swimming basics?

i just signed up for this individual paced swimming class. i’d love to swim at least three times a week, but i know nothing about swimming for exercise. anyone have any advice or know any links that will help explain? the pool is a nice YMCA swimming pool, so they have dive boards and swimming lanes and all. and i bought swimming goggles and have a pair of swim trunks. thanks!

Do you need any other equipment for snorkeling?

I bought a snorkel and swimming goggles yesterday. I just want to swim around underwater using the snorkel in my swimming pool. Is any other equipment required or is just the snorkel and goggles good?
Thanks.

Perfect vision underwater with swimming goggles?

I’m 19 and have been wearing glasses since I was 5. I’m am EXTREMELY nearsighted, and can’t even see my own hand clearly when it’s 3 inches in front of my face. Any closer, it gets clearer but I have to go cross-eyed.

Anyways, my question is regarding a strange incident that happened to me a few years ago while I was in a swimming pool.

I don’t swim much, but when I do, I still wear my glasses. I had some swimming goggles – nothing too fancy, just some regular goggles you can find at any sports store – and I decided to put them on without my glasses. I was above water, and I couldn’t see for crap, but once I got underwater I could see PERFECTLY!

I was freaked out. I mean I have had to wear glasses that resemble the base of a glass bottle, and yet when I put on simple swimming goggles and go underwater in a pool, I see perfect 20/20.

So, what is happening? Is it the water? The glasses?

Thx,

-X-