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Snorkeling Bonaire: Dry Snorkel Tube-Any thoughts or recommendations?
Bonaire Talk: Snorkeling Bonaire: Archives: Archive 2001- 2007: Archives - 2001-09-06 to 2003-03-31: Dry Snorkel Tube-Any thoughts or recommendations?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Gobbo on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 12:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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?

I was thinking of purchasing it for my kids(ages 9 and 11) as well as for myself. Any thoughts?

Thanks for the advice.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Taft on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 8:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linnea Wijkhof-Wimberly on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 10:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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 .

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cecil Berry on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 1:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

On this subject, if you look at my profile picture you will see a straight tube snorkle, I never wear a snorkle diving. It's nearly useless, smacks your face at the worse times and is an entanglement hazard. I was forced to wear one in the Keys by the dive Nazis.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Niki Harris on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 2:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Belinda Z on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 2:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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).

They are more expensive for a good one (mine was around $80.00 I think) but it has made me a lot more confident snorkeler. I previously would not be confortable snorkeling in wavy water where the waves would wash over me and get in my snorkel nor would I dive down below the surface. I now do both with ease.

Worth the extra money in my book!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cecil Berry on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 3:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dean Botsford on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 5:56 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

That said, my bride has a dry tube and loves it. It sheds the water.
p.s. I remember one of my early masks, had a snorkle attached to the skirt, with the ping pong balls to keep water out, hated it 'cause the trapped air made it tougher to get down. Oh well.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lorraine Meadows on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 7:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Niki Harris on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 8:51 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I agree, Lorraine, security when young is paramount and then kids go on at their own rate.

Cecil, your baffle-snorkel might not technically be called dry, I suppose...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 8:57 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Gobbo on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 9:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.
I do wonder about the diving down part though. It would not be good if it filled with water when you dive down and had to empty it.
I'll see if the Diverdirect website can address that question.
Thanks again.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hazel Scharosch on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 10:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Belinda Z on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 9:19 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Susan,

I don't remember the brand of my snorkel but it does not get any water in it when I dive down. I was referring to the post where the scuba diver (the snorkel was obviously not in his mouth when he is scuba diving) had to clear the water from his snorkel upon surfacing. As long as the snorkel is in my mouth it does not get any water in it when I dive down.

Hope this clears up any confusion.

Belinda

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Porter on Saturday, May 25, 2002 - 6:41 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino on Saturday, May 25, 2002 - 7:19 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have to agree in part with some of the previous
post. I have had one of the Ocean Master Dry Snorkels for about 6 years and have used it while diving and just plain snorkeling/freediving it is not my favorite for either. I also had one of the Voit ping pong ball snorkels in the 60's. I ended up cutting the top off of that one real quick.

The Ocean Master does work as advertised with a few drawbacks:

1. It is top heavy and does create drag when scuba diving as mentioned in previous post. I have removed it and clipped it to my vest many times for this reason.

2. The float seal works too well sometimes. I notice that upon ascending from free dives, I have had to at times put my hand over the purge and exhale quite forcefully to "break" the seal.

3. The plastic clip the manufacturer provides to attach the snorkel to your mask is uncomfortable
(for me) I replaced mine with the old reliable silicone snorkel keeper the second time I used it.

Again, it does work as advertised, just with some
drawbacks. I still prefer my old j-tube, I only wish I could find one with a comfortable mouthpiece.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Gobbo on Tuesday, June 4, 2002 - 9:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

Love this website. Lots of good advice from real nice people!

Susan

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rich & Judy Sikorski on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 6:31 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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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