Snorkeling and going underwater

[scubadave]

Hi all,

I love freediving but find that i have to take the snorkel out of my mouth when I go underwater to be able to dive down. Does anyone here know the technique for diving and keeping the snorkel in your mouth without all the water getting in? When my gf and I were on vacation, I watched a divemaster do this with ease and explained a simple technique to do it, but I had surfaced half way through his speech.

Scuba Dave

[Gareth]

Dave.

The technique does not stop the water entering the snorkel, the technique allows you to clear the water from the snorkel.

There are two techniques.

1. Blow.
Rather like a whale or Dolphin. Once you have returned to the surface you blow sharply into the snorkel. This technique rely's on good lungs to clear the snorkel, a sharp hard blast is need. Inevitably, there will be water remaining in the snorkel, a second blow is required. This means carefully inhaling (catching any inhaled water in the mouth) prior to blowing out any remaining water.

This technique, is normally the first technique to be taught. It is simple & straight forward. It has the advantage, that it can be used on the surface if water enters the snorkel whilst swimming.

2. Displacment Technique.
This technique is more efficent, but much more relient on technique.
- ascend to the surface with an arm outstreatched above (like a one arm dive).
- look up towards the surface.
- as the hand breaks the surface, blow out steadily, continuing to blow out as the head & snorkel break the surface.

The second technique is much easier on the lungs. It is actually an easier technique to use, once the technique is mastered.

I am sorry I don't know the technical name for each technique. However I am sure some of the snorkel instructors will be along shortly to correct this :D .

I would strongly recommend that you find an instructor (ideally a local club) to introduce to snorkeling, & teach you how to do it safely. It is a lot easier to learn the basics in comfort in the swimming pool.

Although the emphasis is greatly reduced in snorkelling in the core scuba training now, a good instructor will be able to teach you the basics. Once you have mastered these you will find it a very enjoyable way to pass the time on tropical holidays (& UK holidays).

I hope this helps a little.

Gareth

[Nigel Hewitt]

I love freediving but find that i have to take the snorkel out of my mouth when I go underwater to be able to dive down.That's exactly what I do. I don't like snorkels particularly, a tube full of exhaled CO2 isn't all that helpful when you are packing enough gas to clear your mask at 30m, but if I'm watching for my buddy it helps to be able to stay face down and breathing.

On freediving training we had floatation stuff on our snorkels, dumped them on the surface as we dived and gathered them up when we got back. The last thing you want, when returning from a deep dive, is something in your mouth restricting your ability to breathe. That's the formula for a samba.

[scubadave]

Thanks for the help guys! It always seemed easier for me too, I was just worried about developing bad habits that would have to be corrected later. Good new, my gf is addicted to freediving now. We had a blast in Catalina!

[Ralph Ellis]

Dave
Water will enter your snorkel, one way to control the amout that gets into your mouth is to put the tip of your tongue behind your lower teeth, roll your tonuge forward blocking the mouth piece.with a little positive pressure in your mouth no water should get in. As you get close to the surface blow steadily through the snokel to clear, at surface you suold be in a position to breath through the snokel.
The technique needs practice, lie face down in the shallow end of the pool hands on the side of the pool and dipping your head under the water to fill the snorkel, bringing your head back andwith a steadily blow clearing the snorkel. if the snokel has a valve in the mouthpiece blowing too hard will force the air down throgh the valve without clearing the snorkel completly

Hope this helps happy snorkelling


Best Regards Ralph Ellis
Darwen Snorkelling Culb
Probably the best in the North West

[iain aitchison]

Hi Dave,

basically there are at least three levels of doing it, only the first 2 need a snorkel at all on the dive at all:

1. clear an upright snorkel with a blow on the surface (shallow easy snorkel dives). Best type for this is one with multiple drain valves under the mouthpiece.

2. clear an inverted snorkel coiming to the surface (displacement clear) on more advanced dives. Best snorkel type is one with no valves at all.

beyond this:

3. leave the snorkel on the surface (on a float or with a partner) and dive without it leaving you to concentrate on clearing ears. Use a low displacement mask for comfort (apnoe dives).

4. just a nose clip and big fins (Cressi Gara, Spetton C4 etc.).

regards
Iain

[hotglove]

Might sound daft but I was given the advice when starting snorkelling to practice (anywhere where a bit of water won't hurt) to half-fill a plain snorkel with water and practice moving the water up and down the tube by very small breathing through the mouth. You soon pick up the knack of keeping water from entering your mouth without actually breathing out all the air that you need to clear the tube when surfacing.
Hope this makes sense.
Dive instructors have a smilar technique involving a snorkel, large funnel, and quantity of beer.

[Stephan Whelan]

scubadave,

When FreeDiving you should always take the snorkel out of your mouth. The main reason for this is the fact that coming up from a freedive means that you may be low of oxygen. If the first thing you do on surfacing is blow out you could risk blacking out.

What you want to do when you surface is firstly grab onto something - a float or line (if you diving a line), breathe out and in calmly whilst you get your breath back.

Make sure you give yourself enough time to recover between each dive (We teach our students to take between 5 and 10 minutes of recovery time between each dive).

Also - make sure you always have a buddy with you when FreeDiving (just like Scuba) as if anything goes wrong you have someone who can assist you.

[Ben Panter]

Hi Stephane,

While we definitely value your input, we're not so happy about commercial links in sigs when there is no link in return. Please could you either add a link to http://www.bsacforum.co.uk on your website or remove the link from your sig?

Thanks,

Ben

(Forum Admin Team)

[Stephan Whelan]

Apologies Ben. Completely understand. Link removed from sig.

[Ben Panter]

Thanks Stephan.