Snorkel keeper?

[Absolute]

I always remove my snorkel on all dives because of 2 reasons. As you duck down to go under the snorkel makes a glurp glurp glurp sound which can alert the fish you plan to eat for dinner. Second it is more comfortable while diving. Your mouth and lips can relax more to a natural state than if you have something in your mouth. On you way up from a dive at about 10 feet put the snorkel back in your mouth and give a gentle exhale through the snorkle when you are at about 3 feet. The expanding and rising air will clear the snorkle automatically and you can have a fresh breath without taking your face from the water.
Dive safe,
Jay

 

[DeepThought]

There's a third reason, which is also why you shouldn't put the snorkel in your mouth on the way up: safety.
Keeping the snorkel in your mouth means there's one less block between the water and your lungs in the case of blackout/samba.
Having to exhale inorder to clear the snorkel won't help your recovery on the surface (even if a small one underwater). Having small drops in your snorkel for your first inhale after a minute or 3 of diving also can't help the recovery.
I think that all freediving courses teach to spit/remove the snorkel at the start of the dive and rise with your head above the water for your first breaths before putting it back in.
Shallow and short dives can be an exception I guess.

I have found simple generally works best & stick the snorkel in the mask strap -- which also seals the mask nice & tight. However, being more fully equipped recently, I find that I need to attach the snorkel to the mask to free up my hands to carry other gear to the sea.

I keep the snorkel in my weight belt till I put the mask on, then in the strap. The only flaw I see with this method is forgeting to secure the snorkel before taking off my mask. So far I've been lucky to remember/notice.

 

[Absolute]

Well put Michael. I only use the clearing the snorkel underwater method while spearfishing and coming up from a shallow or short dive (look see dive) and need to keep my eyes underwater to track fishies, keep a fix on the bottom for the next dive etc.
j

 

[Fondueset]

It's much nicer to dive de-snorked - that is without it in your mouth. I certainly feel more relaxed and seem able to stay down longer that way - though I was quite used to keeping it in.

For quick, shallow dives or when my hands are occupied I may keep it in but usually clear it with the head-back gentle exhale method - again this is for dives that are not remotely pushing the envelope and my omer zoom snork. When it's choppy I use an Impulse 2 - which is a veritable marvel of self-clearage.

Generally though I pretty much allways spit the snork out. It just makes for better dives.

The impulse two is too massive to be sticking in and out of a mask strap. In fact if you are into streamlining at all it definitely jams your profile - The Omer is a nice low profile design with a handy clip. I never liked the feeling of the snork against my head in the under the strap technique - however with a wetsuit hood this would not be an issue.

 

[m2b]

I came up with a different solution to the snorkel/snorkel keeper.

First, since I don't really have the money to be spending on equipment I just looked around the house until I found something that I could make into a nice snorkel. Turned out to be an piece of black rubber plumbing hose. It has about a one inch inner diameter opening, I believe, I haven't actually measured the size of the opening but it is definitely a bigger size tube than what is used on normal snorkels.

The hose already had a nice bend in it. That's how I found it so quickly. I was moving stuff around trying to find what might work and saw the hose already in a lose J-shape and went with it. I needed to tightened up the J-shape though so I ended up using twine. Tied the twine to the long side and then pulled it up to where I wanted it on the short side. Now it stays there beautifully.

Next, I had to figure out how to make a mouth piece. I started off by just putting on a couple layers of duct tape and putting mouth around the duct tape. It worked but I didn't like it as well as the snorkel I had as a kid. I decided to see if I could make a 'normal' mouth piece out of duct tape. The first attempt failed miserably. I came back home and decided to try again, this time making sure to get a good air tight seal with the duct tape. It has worked beautifully since then. The only thing I should do is cut down the size of the mouth piece some. I doubt that I could 'spit' it out if I had to. Haven't tried that concept yet. I'll have to try it out tomorrow. It'll really tell me if I need to trim the mouth piece any.

Finally, I needed a good way of hooking the snorkel to my goggles. I still wish I could figure out an easy way of making a mask, oh well, better luck nice lifetime, LOL!!!!! I knew that the diameter of the hose was going to create problems if I tried to stick the snorkel between the head and the goggles strap so I kept looking for other alternatives. All of them wasn't working the way I wanted them to until I stumbled into what I'm doing right now.

I had a couple of small 'cloth bungee' straps laying around. I believe it came wrapped around a foam sleeping pad I bought at Wal-Mart. I 'double wrap' the strap completely around the snorkel and then put the strap over my head. The snorkel isn't attached the goggles/mask in any way, shape, or form. If the snorkel were to get knocked out of my mouth I wouldn't have to worry about possibly losing/dislodging the mask as well since it isn't fixed to the mask. I don't even know I have the strap over my head, it fits tight yet lose.

Granted, I must say I'm not sure how well the strap would hold the snorkel in place if you were spitting out the snorkel. I'll try that out tomorrow as well and see if I lose the snorkel or if the strap is tight enough to keep the snorkel right in place when you spit the snorkel out.

I must say that I do agree with one of the other posts that I saw in this thread. It does seem like I can very easily stay under longer, with no thought about it, if I don't have the snorkel in my mouth. I'm going to have to really play around with that concept in the next couple of days.

Ryan

 

[rcerdena]

Absolute is almost absolutely right!

I just dont put the sknorkel back in my mouth in the way back to the surface, but after breaking the surface and exhaling.

Hey Jay, let's apply the same principle: if you beging exhaling through the snorkel while surfacing you will scare the fishes a bit with this noise, maybe less than while descending but still a noise!

Anyway, with or without snorkel while surfacing, let's don't forget the most important thing: breathe at the surface!

Cheers,

Roberto

 

[Mr. X]

if you don´t want it to flap on fast ascents leave it on the surface or ascend slowly

Your snorkel (Omer Zoom) floats? My snorkel doesn't. Pity more gear doesn't float -- most seems to be neutral or slow sinking...glug, glug, glug.

 

[Mr. X]

By the way -- any spearos using the new FM radio snorkel?!
rofl[ame="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000DCW0P/sr=1-17/qid=1126335568/ref=sr_1_17/103-9113841-6685446?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=3407261&s=sporting-goods&v=glance"]Amazon.com: Aqua FM radio snorkel: Listen to the radio while swimming laps: Sports & Outdoors[/ame] rofl[Suggestion: read the review at the bottom]

This one is for m2b :wave, the guy with the duct tape mouth piece & hose pipe (he is kidding isn't he?) . Looks like a good design for spearos -- but checkout the sensible price (bet it works better than most too):
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007U2A7E/sr=1-3/qid=1126336569/ref=sr_1_3/103-9113841-6685446?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=3407261&s=sporting-goods&v=glance"]Amazon.com: Orca Snorkel (EA): Sports & Outdoors[/ame]

These are novel too:
Front of head with own strap:[ame="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000DCW1J/sr=1-23/qid=1126335568/ref=sr_1_23/103-9113841-6685446?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=3407261&s=sporting-goods&v=glance"]Amazon.com: FINIS Swimmers Snorkel: Sports & Outdoors[/ame]

Egg:[ame]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000E1RDY/sr=1-5/qid=1126336349/ref=sr_1_5/103-9113841-6685446?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=3407261&s=sporting-goods&v=glance[/ame]

Folding (hinged): [ame]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000E1R4V/sr=1-10/qid=1126336349/ref=sr_1_10/103-9113841-6685446?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=3407261&s=sporting-goods&v=glance[/ame]

The previously recommended folding Omer Zoom:[ame]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000DYUYZ/sr=1-4/qid=1126336491/ref=sr_1_4/103-9113841-6685446?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=3407261&s=sporting-goods&v=glance[/ame]

[No affiliation with Amazon -- you can, not doubt, buy these elsewhere]

 

[donmoore]

One of things I made up and never tried was a float on the snorkel top. I took a kids pool noodle (those long things made out Styrofoam) that had a hole in it. Cut a short piece and squeezed it down on the snorkel top. Then I attached it to my spearfishing float with a string. The idea was I would use it to breath up or swim around while holding the float. When I was ready to dive I would just spit it out.

I made this up during the winter and the first trip off shore was rough and with the boat, tying it up to the oilrig, cold water, and everything else, it just wasn’t the time to try something new. So I unrigged it and never got back to it.

Personally I would not try to put the snorkel back in my mouth as I near the surface. I push myself too far for that. I don’t need any extra movement or any air resistance or effort in clearing the snorkel the last 20 feet or at the surface when the chance of SWB is the greatest. I take the first few breath when the mouth breaks the surface, than I put the snorkel in.

A big annoyance is when people try and talk to me. Like, “are you okay”? Hey, I just pushed myself and I’m not going to waste any O2 in answering you until at least 30 seconds. So hold your questions until I catch my breath and my O2 level returns. I guess I should be thankful that they are there to spot me. But when spotting and you hear the guy breathing hard, don’t ask him to talk until his breath returns to normal. He just held his breath for a long time and he needs to expel CO2 and take in O2. If he is breathing, then he is not Black Out. Just hold him if needed and be patient. If your unsure if he is concise than ask him to move whatever hand you can see. That takes a lot less effort than speaking.
Just thought I would throw that in,
don

 

[Mr. X]

Re: Snorkel keeper? (Bungee is best)

:thankyou

I like the sound of the bungee cord & elastic hair band suggestions & will try them both.

Tried making a snorkel keeper out of thin bungee as somebody (Alison?) suggested. Although, the design I used is made of 2 small, joined loops (a figure-8, with just a reef/square knot between them). It worked great today. It combines the advantages of all the commercial items (slip through, pivot in, pivot back, etc.) I have seen but is significantly stronger, more flexible and reliable . Mine was also free, as I have some bungee that I was given when buying something else years ago.

I also made one for my dive partner, who just broke his brand new snorkel keeper. Thanks for the suggestion -- good one. :thankyou [<- Forum bug, looks like :thankyou (probably a fix attempt that failed) is convert to raise which is then shortened to , which is the wrong Smilie -- cool bug!!]

 

[flyboy748]

As Bill pointed out, hair elastics are the best. I buy 40 or so at a time, then if I lose them I don't care. They don't pull the hair, and you can adjust then any way you want by cutting and re tying them as Bill again suggested. I use them mostly for UWHockey and any freediving practice I do in the pool, but for open water I just tuck it under the mask strap. As far as carring the snorkel to the water goes, (as per Mr. X's thoughts) I just wear the mask on my forehead with the snorkel tucked under the strap. That way you don't have to carry either the mask or the snorkel.

Happy dives all,
Aaron

 

[Mr. X]

... As far as carring the snorkel to the water goes, (as per Mr. X's thoughts) I just wear the mask on my forehead with the snorkel tucked under the strap. That way you don't have to carry either the mask or the snorkel....

Yes, of course. Should have thought that myself :duh. Thanks.

 

[Narsil]

I've probably gone through 15 to 20 snorkels. I tend to bite through one of the pieces that sits between your teeth every few years.

The only "perfect" snorkel I've found for my purposes is the Beuchat Activa. May have been designed for underwater hockey originally - not sure.

It's mouthpiece is soft and comfortable, with the plastic "hose" firm enough to keep shape well in the water, but it still bends very easily. This is a useful safety feature - i.e. you won't get in trouble when you've got your head inside a cave (reaching in for crayfish in my case).

I actually don't mind the hard plastic keepers, as long as they pivot easily.

Personally I'm lazy and usually leave my snorkel in during a dive, and clear it on the way back up as others have discussed - very relaxing and efficient.

I would have thought it would be safer coming up (probably "star fish style", face down from a swb) with your snorkle in. I exale a few bubbles at around 3-5 metres so it should be clear, unless the BO occurred relatively deep.

When I'm hunting fish that easily spook I try to remember to take my snorkle out though.

 

[Mr. X]

Don't forget to fill in the snorkel in/out survey for *spearfishing*:
[ame="http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=63661"]Snorkel In/Out Survey[/ame]