As a well-fed, “pot bellied,” 220# [100 kilo] man who is very buoyant in the water [especially about the mid-section] I find it difficult to surface dive.

For photography purposes I would like to be able to “gracefully ????” get to a depth of 10 or maybe 15 feet [Yes, that’s ten feet, about 3 meters]. My ears bother me if I go any deeper.

Once at that depth, I would like to take maybe two pictures -- one as soon as I can focus on the critter that caused me to dive and the second as soon as the flash has recharged [a total dwell time at depth of about five seconds].

I estimate a maximum of 20 seconds total breath to breath time to 1. get down, 2. take the photographs and 3. return to the surface, clear the mask and breath.
That corresponds well with how long I can hold my breath, -- about 20 seconds.

My question is do any of you have any direct experience, comments, recommendations, suggestions on using scuba weights when snorkeling?

WDG

for a dive to 10' or so to take photos you will want to be weighted heavy to stay easily near or on the bottom, but still be able to easily tread water at the surface, preferably float with full lungs. I would suggest trying to get weighted such that at the surface you sink on exhale, float on inhale..this will make your surface time relaxing.. and help you prolong your breath holds as you will not be out of breath from treading water. You may find that you are still pretty buoyant at 10 or so feet but this will really help. If you had a float or a tube to rest with at the surface then I'd say to weight more for the ease at depth.
Learn to equalize "pop" your ears and you will easily get past that 10' limit. Do a search on "equalizing" on a site like http://www.deeperblue.net if you are not familiar with the different techniques and the info will almost overwhelm you. Learn to do a good surface dive and your dive table will look like 2 or 3 seconds to the bottom, 16 seconds to take pictures, 2 seconds to the surface... get a mask that doesn't leak and you can take "clear the mask" off the list of things to do.

I should have expounded on the surface dive.. I prefer what is called a one legged duck dive... what I like to do is lay as horizontal as I can, bring my arms to my side, palms facing the bottom of the ocean, lake, or river, bring my arms 90deg. towards the bottom of the ocean, lake, or river, at the same time bending 90 deg. at the waist, all while bringing ONE leg and fin into the air above as straight as possible while slowly, bringing the other up... this allows the leg/fin in the air to push me down with gravity, while the other leg/fin is pushing against water to move me.. I prefer this to a 2 legged surface dive because if you have both fins in the air,,, kicking them gets you no where... where bringing up that one leg that's in the water slowly will force you down. It takes a bit of practice but it works very well.

(Message edited by subaqua on April 14, 2006)

sub aqua: Thanks for your inputs. I like your projection of my dive table 2-3 down --16 for pictures -- and 2 up. I think I will set that as my goal. I also I liked your suggestion of using a float or tube to rest with. In addition, that would be an important safety measure and would provide a place to attach things -- camera, extra weights etc while I’m getting adjusted or practicing surface dives.

As a complete novice when it comes to the use of weights, I assume that I should get a weight belt with a quick release latch that goes around my waist and wear it with the weights in back? . I looked at a couple on E-bay. Those came with 3 to 4 three pound weights. Is that likely to be enough? I realize that we are all built differently but I want to be in the ballpark on my test run in the upper Florida Keys [Key Largo & Islamorado] in mid May. It’s my first visit there, so if any of you have suggestions as to specific places to snorkel or the best snorkel boat to take let me know. I’ll probably start out in the park itself.

Will the weights around the waist change significantly how I snorkel. Now I can lie flat on the surface and if my head is down using the snorkel I float like a log. I assume that the weights will tend to pull me to an upright position making it more difficult to just lie there looking down?

I really appreciate your inputs on surface diving. I had never heard of the “one legged duck dive” and am looking forward to working on it. I on the other hand have memories of doing 2-legged surface dives and you described me to a tee. -- Both legs and fins in the air… kicking furiously and getting nowhere. I didn’t realize it at the time though. I will be limited in doing the hand and arm portion of the surface dive [maybe just one arm] as I will have to use one and probably both hands to hold my underwater camera [The whole purpose of the surface dive.

While I said, “clear the mask” what I meant to say was “clear the snorkel.” It always seems to partially fill when I surface dive. Would I be better off with a “dry snorkel?” Any recommendations as to a good one. I might like to try a snorkel at Karpata and I‘ve been warned about swells and choppy water being common there.

William just go to the dive shop when you get to Bonaire and rent a belt for the week. No need to buy at this time. You can add or subtract weights depending on your needs. I know many people that snorkel with weights, I know other people that need bouyancy when they snorkel.

I would start with a small amount and work up, maybe 3#'s.

One technique to increase your breath is to deep breath several times before holding your breath. It clears out more of the CO2 which is the real reason we have to come up for air.

Now which snorkel is very subjective. I like a straight tube that is easy to clear and more important to me I know it's clear. The dry snorkels can have a pocket (on some models) that does not clear when you exhale.

Hi
It took me quite a while to realize an easy but important move when snorkeling, and that is too keep your head well back (look toward the surface) while coming up. This puts the snorkel horizontal and it pretty much clears by itself.
MIck

We freedive with weights and had friends who tried weights for the first time last year. They also started with 2 or 3 lbs. and were pleased with the difference it made. Just take it slow and figure out what works for you.

HTH - Bea

You might try a snorkel class at your LDS, ours teaches snorkeling w/weight and a snorkel vest. They could help you with freediving techniques and give you the chance to try a dry snorkel.
You might prefer to own your own belt, most rentals are just a simple strap, also you wouldn't have to worry about finding the right length. Don't bother buying the weight itself, it's cheap to rent and with airline baggage restrictions it's just too heavy to pack.

For the weighting: a regular weightbelt (ask at the dive shop) will work perfectly. I prefer the weights on the side instead of on my back but that's just a matter of choice. Build up the weight slowly. It must be an aid for going down but you have to be able to go up easily.
Movements: sloooooowwwww. Going down, swimming under water, watching, shooting. The slower you move the less energy you use and the longer you can stay down.
Breathing: prepare with 2-3 really deep but slow inhalations. Inhale deep, exhale deep and everything slow! The last inhalation is medium, than go down slowly, move slowly, try to equalize your ears (easier without the snorkel in your mouth). If you come up again, breathe normal and wait for 1-2 minutes before going down again.
If you want some help: I thought Dominque Sarafini (not sure about the spelling) gives free-dive courses.
Have fun and enjoy! The fishes like people without bubbles :-))

One thing to be careful of with the deep breathing. Don't over do it. Depressing the urge to breath too much can lead to shallow water black out. Very dangerous,especially when alone.
Mick

One thing to be careful of with the deep breathing. Don't over do it. Depressing the urge to breath too much can lead to shallow water black out. Very dangerous,especially when alone.
Mick

Absolutely true! Hyper ventilation means GOOD ventilation and not fast!

..."As a complete novice when it comes to the use of weights, I assume that I should get a weight belt with a quick release latch that goes around my waist and wear it with the weights in back? . I looked at a couple on E-bay. Those came with 3 to 4 three pound weights. Is that likely to be enough?....Will the weights around the waist change significantly how I snorkel." .....

I prefer a rubber weight belt (all the belts I've seen have quick releases or similar, but not all belts are rubber) and I wear it around my hips/butt as opposed to around my waist. A rubber belt can be snugged up tight around the hips/butt and not impair breathing and always stays tight on a wetsuit no matter how deep I go and how compressed the neoprene gets (I'm always wearing a wetsuit,, even warm water). My build is such that the butt is what needs the lead weight, and having the weights there does not affect my snorkeling posture, probably improves it. Your build sounds different, and it sounds like you would be better with the weights higher off the hips, around the waist.. and that is something I hate to tell you to do, but might be what works best for you. I have seen where some freedivers have made/acquired a vest to put the lead in and wear it more around the chest to offset the floatation of the lungs but this would get to be an involved project and I believe it may impair the breath ups.

...."I will be limited in doing the hand and arm portion of the surface dive [maybe just one arm] as I will have to use one and probably both hands to hold my underwater camera [The whole purpose of the surface dive."

Still try to use both arms.. even holding on to the camera, maybe bring both arms under the front of your body, hands to down to your thighs, and then go through the motion as if the arms were at your sides. It will make the bend at the waist easier and make the motion of the surface dive more fluid and balanced.

....."Would I be better off with a “dry snorkel?” Any recommendations as to a good one. I might like to try a snorkel at Karpata and I‘ve been warned about swells and choppy water being common there..."

Dry snorkels are nice, but they will still get full of water on a surface dive. They sure are nice for choppy waters and you don't have to listen or deal with that gurgle in the tube. But I prefer the plain old j-tube. There is a trick to clearing the tube so it will be empty at the surface. On the way to the surface, look up toward the surface, put a small puff of air into the snorkel.. this air expands as you near the surface and forces the water out the end of the snorkel, when you reach the surface, kinda quickly (could I be more vague?) snap your head back into the normal snorkel mode, face into the water... your snorkel will be empty.. this doesn't work with a dry snorkel because the puff of air will go out the valve at the bend of the snorkel or near the mouth piece. You can get good enough at this that it will work even from a snorkel depth of just a few feet, but is easier to practice coming up from a bit deeper.. say at least 6-10'.

As far as how much weight it's hard to tell, like you say, everyone is different. If you get weights, try to get them in 2 lb increments, this will give you finer adjustments... My wife, without a wetsuit, salt water, wears 6 lbs... she's pretty fit and solid for the most part but, a little butty (ohhh, don't repeat that).. but I'm just saying, don't be surprised if you're looking at 6 lbs or more of lead... just all depends on how soft you are.

One weight, on the back... two weights, on the back... 3 weights, 1 on back and 1 on each side.. etc... try to keep balanced.






(Message edited by subaqua on April 15, 2006)

Thanks to all -- Cecil, Mickey, Bea /Marvin, Michelle, Anne-Marie and sub-aqua. It’s great being able to ask questions and get back the experience and recommendations of folks like yourselves.

Cecil. I will probably buy 12 to 15 pounds of used weights and a new belt as not many divers have a 44 inch waist; I do plan, however, to leave my weights at home and rent weights in Bonaire so as not to use up my baggage allowance. My reasoning on buying now is that I need to get comfortable surface-diving with them before I get to Bonaire as every minute in the water there will be precious. I expect to be there for only 5 days to a week maximum.

Breathing: At this point, I will be Very Happy [make that Extremely Happy] if I can achieve the dive table that sub-aqua set forth. I.E. 2-3 down 16 at depth and 2 up [seconds that is]. I did read enough on Shallow Water Blackout this past week that I don‘t want to put myself at risk. As my initial post indicated I am not in the best of physical shape. Two flights of stairs and I breath heavily. .

Several people indicated that a “straight snorkel is their preference and that clearing a dry snorkel can be a problem. It sounds like I may bring both. The straight for most purposes and the dry for Karpata.

Mickey: Thanks for the excellent tip. My arrivals at the surface would make good material for Americas Funniest Home Videos. Past experiences have included foot first surfacing ; rear end popping above the surface before either the head or feet [sort of a belly flop played backwards] , and then there’s the classic Polaris Launch gone amuck where I have pushed off a not very deep bottom and pop up out of the water arms flailing gasping for breath. Not pretty -- any of them, If the lead weight’s keep my belly and rear down I should be able to learn to throw my head back and look at the surface as I come up. I am looking forward to trying it.

Bea/Marvin: Thanks for the encouragement, I will do that -- I.E. take it slow and see what works. On my upcoming trip to the keys I plan to begin over a nice sandy area in 4 to five feet of water.. Then practice at increasing depths. Under those conditions I can always drop the belt and retrieve it if I have a problem and it won’t damage any coral.

Michelle: a course at the LDS is a thought. I don’t know that they offer snorkeling but it’s worth looking into. Your reference to “snorkel vest” was of interest.. I was thinking that wearing an uninflected one might be a good safety item. If I begin to get tired on the Klein ot Karpata drifts I can just blow it up right?

I do plan to purchase my own belt and weights as I indicated above but mainly so I have the learning curve behind me. I just don‘t seem to learn new things as quickly as I did say 40 or 50 years ago. That‘s especially true where the brain needs to communicate with a limb. I gave up on line dancing this past year [second lesson] after colliding with the instructor and knocking her off her feet. At most she weighed ½ of what I do.

Anne-Marie: slooooooowwwww it is. It would be a joy to return to the surface after even 15 seconds and not be worn out. Weights on the side sound good as one person in a private message indicated that all of the weight on the back tends to make you roll over.

A few long not too deep breaths I may try, but being on the wrong side of 65 I don’t want to chance Shallow Water Blackout.

Mickey: I hear you and I have read enough about Shallow Water Blackout [I had never heard of it two-weeks ago] that I think at this point I will concentrate on my 2-16-2 dive table and be satisfied if I can achieve that.

Sub-aqua: Waist versus a Butt Belt: Interesting thoughts. I might experiment with wearing the belt both ways in 4 to 5 feet of water over that same sandy bottom. The belt I am looking at is not rubber but it is 53 inches long so it should go around either the rear or the waist. I have a good amount of built in floatation [fat on me -- blubber on a whale] so a little experimentation with where the extra weights is needed makes sense. Are rubber belts standard dive shop items?

Use of arms in surface dive: Yes, I can see where the arms would contribute to the success of the surface dive. No harm in trying and maybe a big benefit.

Dry or J-tube snorkel: It sounds like I need both. The dry for choppy waters such as Divinia to Karpata and the J tube for most of the other spots. I snorkeled “with the sharks” in very choppy waters off Moorea [Tahiti] . The first five minutes or so I spent treading water and repeatedly clearing the snorkel. I finally threw it up on the boat and would then just take a breath, submerge my head, watch the sharks which were all around being fed raw fish by a crew member, and every 15 seconds or so pop my head above the surface and grab a quick breath between the chops.



After about five minutes of that I was pretty worn out. I had managed to get a couple of so-so pictures [Fuji disposable camera] so I climbed back up on the boat and was pleased to find that all my limbs and body parts still attached. . Similar choppy conditions at Karpata and I would probably blow up my snorkel vest and stay on the surface with a dry snorkel. Your thoughts?

Weights: I like the idea of one on the back and one on each side. I’m pretty buoyant [I think] so probably 3# ones will be ok although I will see if I can find 2# ones. Being lead I guess I can always drill holes in the three pounders to make them lighter. I do own an old drill press.

I would be surprised if you needed more that 11 or 12 lbs. Marvin uses 11 and he is the most buoyant person I've ever seen. He fell asleep once floating on his back in the ocean!! (His story, who knows) .

We usually spend some time before each trip in a pool working on our breath control and using our fins to get our legs in shape. We use less weight in fresh water, of course. But, if you had a chance to check out your weight in a pool - that might tell you a lot.

Marvin uses the straight snorkle, but I'm happy with one of the fancier ones. I got a new one last trip and I have to hold my head a bit differently on the ascent now otherwise it wobbles, but the only way to figure that out is to try.

HTH - Bea

Bea/Marvin: I was hoping someone would give me an idea of the weight that they use. 11 pounds for Marvin is an excellent reference point. Thanks! Comparing our BT Profile pictures Marvin is quite a bit trimmer than I. However, body mass is often not what one would guess from appearances. I plan to start with two three pound weights and two four pound weights. That will allow checks at 6,7,8,10,11, and 14 pounds. Certainly 14# should be more than enough and I can drill holes in the weights if it is too much.

I plan some shallow water weight tests and practice at the local beach as well as some underwater photography in the Upper Keys in mid May. If all goes well on both of those I can begin planning a Bonaire trip later this year.

Bill

William,
Don't forget to make your camera neutral... Ron

I am a bouncing bubble in the water. I can only go down 10 or 15 feet. I use from 8-10 lbs of weight just to get down and I can't stay there as I start floating back up as soon as I stop finning. While snorkeling on the surface I have no problems or tiring while wearing the weights. Carrying them on land is a whole other ball game! When testing what weights you need, you should remain neutral. Not positive and not minus. Maybe divers can help me with this one. When you are straight up and down in the water, I think, and I can't remember for sure, the water level should be right at the bottom of your nose to be neutral.

Darlene...another factor about being neutral. it all depends on inhale or exhale.. where do you want to be neutral.. I'm guessing here but I think William will want to be bouyant/positive on a full or nearly full set of lungs at the surface.. and then negative on exhale, and yes, like you said, check this in an upright position as opposed to snorkeling position (prone). Nowadays.. I try to be neutral at -30 feet or so, isn't that crazy?, and that puts me very bouyant/positive at the surface, and Williams goal here will be to be neutral at -10 feet or so for ease of taking pictures.. and this will put him bouyant/positive at the surface, and make for an easy return from the bottom.
Hey William, if you'd like some near professional snorkeling help, just buy me a ticket and bring me along eh? Shoot, I'll dive down and take the pictures for you, I just got a new digital camera that I'm dying to get back to Bonaire with... maybe my wife could come along...(she could carry the weights).... JUST KIDDING!! oh, PLEASE don't tell her I said THAT, even if it was in jest, I want to live.

Ron; Darlene; sub-aqua: Again thanks for your inputs.

Ron: My camera case [PT-017 for the Olympus D-560 Camera] came from Olympus with a weight. It, I assume will result in buoyant/neutral at the surface (in fresh water). I have, however, added a laser illuminator and mounting bracket to the camera for daytime pointing and plan to add a flashlight for nighttime focusing and spotting. The latter is currently backordered and is scheduled to ship to me on April 24th. These additions will undoubtedly make the camera assembly heavier than the displaced water. I.E buoyant/negative. I have another thread going “Aiming and Focusing” that addresses the camera. While inactive at the moment, that thread is likely to pick up some activity after I receive the focus light and finish the camera/lights assembly and begin water tests. I currently plan to make the camera/light assembly slightly buoyant/positive just in case it and I get separated. My chance of retrieving it is much better if it floats to the surface.

Darlene: It sounds to me like a little more weight would solve your buoyant/positive at the bottom problem. However, I recommend getting the advice of an experienced snorkeler-diver such as sub-aqua or your husband rather than a complete novice like myself. Sub-aqua, on this thread, has provided me with a wealth of knowledge, suggestions and recommendations.

Today I bought on E-bay -- based on your input of using eight-ten pounds and Marvin’s input of using eleven pounds -- 14# of weights. That includes 2 three pound ones and 2 four pound ones. Tomorrow, I hope to buy a 57 x 2 inch belt. Between shipping time and me being out of town, it will be a couple of weeks before I will be able to try them. I will probably try 2 fours on the side and hold a three in my hand [11 pounds] for my first surface-dive in shallow water. If that isn’t enough I will try the 2 threes and 2 fours [14 pounds] and see how that works.

Your point of establishing neutral buoyancy while straight up and down in the water is a good one and I will try to do that. By the way, my goal is to take pictures of the quality that you and Tom included in your recent trip report threads. They were/are great. Also you answered my question there about the type of camera you use exactly as I had hoped you would but not as I had expected. A Sony 8 point and shoot set on auto focus, macro, and forced flash. I have an Olympus D-560 which is like a cousin to the Sony. It lacks the low-light focus beam but set on wide angle and macro [or on self-portrait] it seems to do ok. Anyhow, I can't blame the camera if I don’t get similar quality pictures to yours.

sub-aqua: Again a wealth of experience and knowledge in your comments. Your assessment of what I am trying to do is right on.

Just out of curiosity, how much weight do you require to be buoyant/neutral at -30 feet and how much at the surface? or are you tank diving not snorkeling/free-diving?

I do have an unvoiced concern in that I read somewhere that at -15 feet or so the pressure on the body will change its buoyancy from positive or neutral to negative. Is that something that I need to be concerned with? Is it something you readily notice … or do you just start sinking? pronounced? .. or subtle?

As for taking you and your wife along as “near professional snorkeling help,” I would love to do that, but unfortunately, I only have the name [Bill Gates] -- not his money. Of course, I also don’t have his problems -- everybody looking for a reason to sue me; the IRS and justice departments hounding me and no time for vacations in Bonaire. I think maybe I prefer my “que sera, sera” lifestyle. Oh, and relative to the weights….mum’s the word.

DANG mouse pad on the notebook computer just messed up a page of reply!! I'll start over....

William, the point you become negative will be completely adjustable with your weights.. If you limit your snorkeling depth to -10' or -15' (-15' will be difficult to get to without clearing your ears) you will want to reach bouyant/neutral/negative right at those depths, at say -12' or so. The sink faze is nothing to get concerned about as long as you are conscious, it is very minimal.. meaning that you will sink slowly at -12', and only slightly less slowly at -100'. It will be easy to fin against, easier then some currents you may encounter at Bonaire. BTW we only encountered current that was a work out finning against 1 day on our recent trip, the other days we could barely distinguish which way the current was going.

I tend to become the temperature of the water instantly so I always wear a full wetsuit, and I mean full, hood and all. I'm lean and fairly solid. With a 3mil suit, fresh water, no weights, I'm neutral at about -25, salt water, same suit, 4lbs puts me neutral at about -30'. If I'm snorkeling between 0 and -30' I'll wear 6lbs to be a little more negative. I don't do much tank diving nowadays... a -60' freedive has sorta become a warm up dive for me and for now, -108' is the deepest I've been on a breath of air. Actually 10' deeper than I've ever scuba'd. Crazy...

Oh yeah, I was going to mention.. this past weekend I was in a fresh water river, 5mil suit head to toe, max depth probably less than 8', usually 5', I wore 12lbs of weight so I could stay on the bottom, worked good, but maybe could have used just a pound or two more to be even more negative... that's the most I've worn.

The only thing that has not been mentioned yet is the fact that if you are neutral at 10ft, and you then descent to 15ft, you are now negative, and will need to fin to get to the surface. When snorkeling, I use 4 lbs, which still leaves me buoyant on the surface. If I dive to about 20ft, I notice that I continue to sink from that point on if I do nothing. The reason for this is the fact that the air in your lungs will compress as you go deeper, thus making you less buoyant.

At the beginning, I would suggest that any weight added, should still result in you being buoyant at 10ft. It will just aid in you getting and staying at that depth. As you become comfortable with the weight and buoyancy, you can add additional weight, if necessary.

I'm about the same size/dimensions as you and have the same buoyancy problems. For my scuba certification dives, I needed 30# of lead to get me and a 7mm wetsuit underwater. In St. John USVI and Bonaire with no wetsuit (just T-shirt or dive skin), I needed only 16-20#. I haven't tried snorkeling with weights yet, but for my last Bonaire trip I bought a weight belt with 6 velcro pockets. It's far easier to adjust weighting on the fly than stringing them on a standard belt. Most resorts provide weight belts and weights for minimal fees.

Ron: Well, I had hoped to have some actual answers this past week but I had to delay my scheduled trip to Key Largo. Now the trip will sometime after the middle of June. I appreciate the suggestion of a belt with Velcro pockets and indeed the fellow from whom I bought my weights did recommended a belt that would accept them.

I bought two 4# weights and two 3# weights so I am currently limited to 6,7,8,10,11,and 14#. I don't plan on a wet suit but I will likely wear a long sleeve nylon shirt and long pants [slacks] for sun protection [+ sun screen]. Your thirty pounds is scary and even twenty pounds sounds like a lot. Fortunately, I will be near dive shops at the keys so I can pick up more if necessary.

Thanks for your input. I hope to update with results in about a month.

Hi all:

It has been quite awhile since my original post but I finally have an update.

A trip to the Bahamas on the Carnival Fantasy provided me with the opportunity to try snorkeling with weights. I used two three pounders and a quick release belt [all previously purchased on E-bay] The area that I was in was a sandy beach with relatively little to observe other than sand and an occasional fish or shell. As my wife was waiting in the hot sun, I spent something less than 30 minutes in the water checking out the weights and belt.

While I was still quite buoyant with the two 3# weights, they provided a major improvement in my overall snorkeling experience. Unlike past "battles" to surface-dive and then kick and thrash around trying to stay at or near the bottom to take pictures [and scaring the fish away in the process]; with the weights it was quite easy and not particularly tiring to get down and stay down.

To my delight even poorly executed surface dives would take me right to the sandy bottom [7 to 10 feet] and then with minor finning I could swim along the bottom until I felt the need to breath again [in my case that is only about 15 seconds]. Then, with a slight upward pivot of the body and a few kicks I'd arrive at the surface. Unbelievable improvement from my many previous experiences of snorkeling without weights.

Next time I may try more weight and perhaps even aim for neutral buoyancy. That would allow me to stay stationary while taking a picture or two whereas now I need to fin a bit to stay down.

The tradeoff of more weight may become a question of ease of transport versus ease of snorkeling. Carrying swim fins, snorkel, weights, towel, sunscreen, underwater camera and camera case, etc. any distance is a bit of a problem. There is also the added weight in your luggage; eating up precious weight allowances on flights.

Wearing 6# of weights around my midsection didn't seem to have any adverse effects at all while snorkeling on the surface. The added weight did make treading water a bit more difficult but not any real problem. I still have to work on clearing the snorkel and of course taking pictures. But one step at a time.

Thanks for all the excellent advise. My second trip to Bonaire keeps getting postponed butit's out there somewhere.

Bill

Try a little puff of air in the snorkel as you start up from the bottom. This will expand and snorkel will be cleared at the surface.