Scuba & Travel: Snorkel

The Snorkel - The Second Most Important Item of Your Snorkel Gear

If you want to really enjoy the great snorkeling experience, you need to be able to breathe while floating on the water and not have to lift your face to take a breath of air. That's where the snorkel comes into play. If we had our noses and mouths on the back of our heads we would not need snorkels, but since we do not we need snorkels; unless you want to swim around on your back.

When we submerge to get a closer look at the marine life, the majority of the snorkels will fill up with water and we need to keep some air in our lungs to blow out the water or clear the snorkel when we surface so we can continue snorkeling.

A snorkel is basically a "J" shaped plastic tube with preferably a silicone mouth piece, with a hard non-flexible barrel and a snorkel keeper. That is the definition of a basic snorkel. But there is a wide variation of the basic snorkel out there.

If you add a purge valve at or around the area of the mouth piece will help us to clear the snorkel of water. Some snorkels will bring an extra purge valve half way up the tube; this should make it even easier to clear. There are some that will bring a splash guard at the top, to protect the snorkel from a wave, or from splashing around. These are known as Semi-Dry snorkels. But what if we had a snorkel that would not fill with water when we submerge? Guess what, there are a variety of snorkels that do just that.

They are known Dry Snorkels. These have a valve at the upper tip that while letting you breath, when submerged the valve will close and stop the water from filling the tube. That means that with the same amount of air that you intake when you submerge, you can spent a little more time under water, since you don't need to save that extra air to clear the Snorkel.

A snorkel must fit comfortably in your mouth, allow you to blow or purge water out of the mouthpiece and tube quickly and help you to swim efficiently. But, the most important characteristics to remember when choosing a snorkel are its length and the diameter of its barrel. They should not be too long or too short. Also the diameter be approximately three-quarters of an inch so you can breathe comfortably.

In conclusion, all snorkels will basically do the job. Depending on how serious you are about snorkeling, how much you like to submerge and your budget will affect your choice of what snorkel you will add to your snorkel gear.

Juan A. Soto is a professional diver for http://bestsnorkelingset.com/ your snorkel gear store. To find the best snorkeling set for your next snorkeling trip, go to http://bestsnorkelingset.com/

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Night Snorkeling - Discover the Wonders of Snorkeling at Night

Snorkeling at night can be extremely exciting. This snorkeling activity is in fact my favorite type of snorkeling. The only other activity that may surpass it, in my opinion, is night scuba diving due to the fact that you have more chances to dive deeper, otherwise night snorkeling still gives you the same adrenalin buzz.

So why would anyone try and snorkel at night? It might seem strange and intimidating. Anybody who has tried it will tell you that there is a different world yet to be discovered.

The mystery of snorkeling at night will provide you with a new outlook on your favorite snorkeling site which may have lost its day time charm. At first you will feel slightly anxious... everybody does, its only natural, but then once you get used to it, you will automatically replace your anxiety with excitement, curiosity and a sense of adventure.

At dusk, you will encounter aquatic life that you seldom see during the day, making sight seeing different from what you would usually see during day time. At night the reefs become alive with the different fauna.

There are a number of aquatic creatures that just don't come out in the day time. Nocturnal animals such as lobsters and shrimps become active, coral polyps open up at night to feed giving the reef a fuzzy and colorful sort of look.

You will also experience encountering luminescence microscopic plankton which generate light flashes if disturbed. Should you experience such an encounter, turn off your flashlight and wave your hands through the water. This will provide you with an unforgettable experience as you will see "sparks" igniting around you.. Its a great sensation... Try it, you will be in for a surprise.

Before entering the water - what equipment do I need?

Safe snorkeling is a must, especially when you are snorkeling at night. Therefore be sure that before conducting your night snorkel you are well equipped for the job. The difference to snorkeling during the day is that snorkeling at night requires additional equipment and more planning and preparation.

The most important piece of equipment is an underwater flashlight. The flash light will not only serve to bring out the colors and show you way during your night snorkel but will also make your position known to your snorkeling buddy.

When snorkeling at night, besides carrying a flashlight, I advise you to also consider using chemical lights. These are basically light sticks which use a chemical reaction. These type of lights serve as orientation lights for marking your own and your buddies location. It is wise to strap these lights onto your buoy flag staff. I also find these lights useful for finding my exit points. A snorkeling tip is to place them strategically at the entry points so that you will know where to exit the water. Example if you entered the water from either from land or boat, then strategically place them on the land or boat to guide you for an easy exit.

Another equipment you will find useful during you night snorkeling is a whistle. Attach this to your snorkeling vest and it will act as a signaling device to grab your buddies attentions should you be in an emergency situation. Again, it is important if all your buddies have this piece of equipment at hand.

Gear protection should also be taken into consideration. Protect yourself with an exposure suit, booties and gloves, since you are more likely to get colder due to the cool night air. Another advantage for you using protective gear is that you are also more susceptible to bump into things at night which would cause scrapes and cuts. However remember to take special care as not to damage fragile coral or other aquatic life.

This is an excerpt from an article appearing on Scuba-Snorkeling-Adventures.com. If you want to learn more on night snorkeling including planning and preparation and communication and emergency signals be sure to read the rest of our guide under the Tips and Techniques section of the site at http://Scuba-Snorkeling-Adventures.com/snorkeling-at-night.html.

Kris Mifsud- A keen enthusiast, with a life long passion for all types of water sports.
Editor and publisher of http://Scuba-Snorkeling-Adventures.com - a comprehensive Scuba and Snorkeling guide to techniques, equipment and reviews.

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A Snorkel Is A Snorkel Right? Not Necessarily - Things To Consider When Purchasing A Snorkel

Will I be using the snorkel for snorkeling, scuba diving or both, that is the first thing you need to ask yourself. Believe it or not snorkels are designed with that question in mind. A snorkel designed for scuba diving may not be the best for snorkeling and snorkel designed for snorkeling may not be the best for scuba diving.

What makes a good snorkeling snorkel? For many folks a dry snorkel is very popular. That means that water doesn’t enter the snorkel. When diving under water or when a wave washes over you, water won’t enter the snorkel. No water in means I don’t have to get the water out to breathe. Be careful when selecting a dry snorkel that it is not overly big and bulky. An ideal snorkel should be low profile. Ok…what does that mean? Simply stated the snorkel should not be big and bulky. Bulky snorkels weigh enough and cause enough drag in the water that they can pull on the mask strap wear they are fastened and make your mask leak. Nobody likes a mask that leaks. All too often people get frustrated with their mask wondering why it is leaking when they know it fits correctly. Taking the snorkel off the mask solves mask leaking issues for many people. If this happens to you chances are your snorkel is big and bulky. The snorkel should have a good system for attaching it to the mask strap. The snorkel should be able to slide up and down and side to side on the mask strap. This will allow you to position the snorkel in your mouth comfortably without pulling on the mask strap.

Be careful when selecting a snorkel with all the bells and whistles. Having features such as a dry top, 2 purges, and a flex tube mouthpiece may provide certain benefits, however, typically make for heavy bulky snorkel. I don’t know of any snorkel that is designed with all these features and can still be considered low profile. You may still select a snorkel with all these features, just know what you are getting and the potential drawbacks.

What makes a good scuba diving snorkel and do I even need one for scuba diving? First off, the answer is yes, you should have one for scuba diving. I was on a trip two weeks ago in Cayman Brac and watched a diver struggle on the surface because he didn’t have a snorkel. The diver ran out of air and was still a long way from the dive boat. He had a back inflation style Buoyancy Compensator which floated him face down in the water. The waves were high and he was having trouble swimming to the boat. The dive boat crew saw that he was in trouble and had to go get him. If he would have had a snorkel he could have easily swam through the waves back to the boat. A snorkel will also help you preserve air in your tank while on the surface. This means more dive time under water…everyone likes that.

These sound like good reasons to scuba dive with a snorkel. So, why are so many people getting rid of their snorkels for scuba diving? The answer is that there snorkel may not be a good design for scuba diving. It is even more important that a snorkel be low profile for scuba diving. Because the snorkel is used much less while scuba diving it should be small and drop comfortably to the side of you face when not in use. I use a snorkel while scuba diving and for the most part don’t even realize it is there until I come to use it. My snorkel is not a dry snorkel nor does it have an accordion style mouth piece as these features add size and bulk. Simply stated, the snorkel I use for scuba diving is plain-jane with no bells or whistles.

Can I find a snorkel that works for both snorkeling and scuba diving? I think so. Even though I primarily scuba dive, I still love to go snorkeling. I use the same snorkel for both. Be sure to get the right scuba gear [http://www.scubasuppliers.com]. For Snorkels, determine what your needs are, analyze the features and benefits, how they apply to snorkeling and scuba diving, and make your choice.

Rick VanRaden has been diving for over 30 years. Rick is a life long, dive shop owner and certified instructor. Rick can help you select scuba gear [http://www.scubasuppliers.com] that is right for you! Learn at [http://www.scubasuppliers.com]

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