By Susan Gobbo on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 12:12 pm: |
I was looking around for snorkel requipment and came across something called a Dry Snorkel tube. Does this really work? Sounds like a great idea- but can it really keep the water out?
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By Susan Taft on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 8:27 pm: |
Four years ago when I bought a new snorkel I asked at two different dive shops about the "dry" snorkel. The folks at both shops had tried them out and felt that they were "top heavy" and not worth the extra expense. Things may have changed in 4 years but there do not seem to be any more of these around than before making me think that they have not really caught on. If your snorkel has a purge and is well positioned you should be fine -- especially in Bonaire where the water is usually fairly calm. Perhaps someone who has used both has more info.
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By Linnea Wijkhof-Wimberly on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 10:52 pm: |
Every few years some one comes up with some version of a 'dry' snorkel. They never seem to work as well as advertised. I remember seeing about 3 variations on the ping pong ball in a cage .
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By Cecil Berry on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 1:02 pm: |
I do have an opinion of the "dry" snorkles, I don't like them. They are great if you are on the surface, no water will ever get to your lips. The problem is that when you dive down, the snorkle fills up with water, when you come to the surface and exhale, you push all of the water from the lower part of the snorkle, them when you inhale you get a lung full of salt water from the tube. I prefer a straight tube which always seems to have a few drops of water in the bottom which is disconcerting but harmless. My $.02, YMMV.
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By Niki Harris on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 2:01 pm: |
Hmm. I'll chime in. I have a dry snorkel I've used for five years. When diving on scuba, it is indeed an annoyance bouncing around near my face, like any snorkel, but I bring it along for the surface swims. After being at depth, the snorkel is full of water, but I think I pour it out before using it at the surface. I've never inhaled sea water through it. When snorkeling as such, when I dive down, it doesn't fill with water at all. The ball at the top stops water, and the other end is still in my mouth. You float back up to the surface and go on breathing, no water anywhere. My 2cents too.
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By Belinda Z on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 2:43 pm: |
I have a dry snorkel that I bought last year. I have yet to get any water in my snorkel (I only snorkel - I don't dive).
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By Cecil Berry on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 3:18 pm: |
Niki, I can see how a snorkle with a ball should not fill up. The one I've used is open at the top with baffles for water, it does fill up.
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By Dean Botsford on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 5:56 pm: |
Call me a dinosaur, I have snokled since I was around 8 years old, over fourty years now. I get a kind of primal joy out of clearing my snorkle, kind of like I am a whale broaching. Breathing 'around' the water that slowly collects, before I clear again, a skill that is not necessary with a dry tube, I take foolish pride in. Teaching my daughter at age 6 to clear a tube, another, better source of pride.
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By Lorraine Meadows on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 7:11 pm: |
Remember guys, Susan was asking if it would be good for her kids,in that train of thought, I think it may be a good idea. I don't have one, but friends who where dredfully afraid of swallowing sea water and had never been even snorkeling, bought one. If nothing else, it gave them the extra "security" they where looking for. Many people on this board are excellent experience diver's and maybe we've forgotten that first fear aspect your first contact with the water. I think Susan is very concerned about how her children will take to the water and is trying to get the best opinions possible. This is a great place to find things out. I can appreciate her concerns. When I first brought my kids with me to Bonaire( there all now over 25)They had never snorkeled either. I was afraid my sons would have trouble with there masks and snorkel too. They both wore heavy glasses. I so wanted to share the beautiful underwaterworld with them. I even bought this thing called a "See-Thru" just so they could at least take a look underwater. What a waste, When the finally came there, they took to the water like they where born there and got certified later on. Susan, I'm very confident that your children will love it and have the time of thier lives once they get there.
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By Niki Harris on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 8:51 pm: |
I agree, Lorraine, security when young is paramount and then kids go on at their own rate.
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By Carole Baker on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 8:57 pm: |
Wow,Dean...you just gave me a flashback...I had forgotten all about the snorkels with the ping pong ball inside the tube! Now we're going way back! Carole
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By Susan Gobbo on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 9:41 pm: |
Thank you agin for your help! This website is great. I think I'm going to get the "dry" snorkels for the kids. It probably will make them more confident and I'm sure there will be other destinations where the water is wavy. The name is the Ocean Master Dry Snorkel.
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By Hazel Scharosch on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 10:14 pm: |
Susan, sounds like you are on the right track. Something else you might want to try is taking the kiddos to your local YMCA or wherever, and let them practice with their snorkels and masks - made a world of difference for our son, who was 7 when we went on our first snorkel adventure. He got pretty good at diving to the bottom (12'pool) and clearing his snorkel upon surfacing. Have fun!
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By Belinda Z on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 9:19 am: |
Susan,
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By Susan Porter on Saturday, May 25, 2002 - 6:41 am: |
You might want to look at the dry snorkel made by Ocean Master. I don't use it when diving but for snorkeling it is awesome!!!
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By Tom Cousino on Saturday, May 25, 2002 - 7:19 am: |
I have to agree in part with some of the previous
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By Susan Gobbo on Tuesday, June 4, 2002 - 9:42 pm: |
Thanks for your comments. I checked into the Ocean Master Dry snorkel and it seems to live up to it's claims. We're going to get them. I think it will be especially helpful for the kids.
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By Rich & Judy Sikorski on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 6:31 am: |
We just started snorkeling this year. Purchased Oceanmasters dry snorkel for $48.00 at our local dive shop. Have not had any problems, the tube closes when under water and snorkel does not fill with water.
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