Clearing the snorkel

[cs]

A few years ago when we went to the gulf coast we had done some snorkleing and yesterday when I was cleaning out the pool I used my snorkle.

Now the problem I have is clearing the snorkle. First I've got this bad gag reflex thing where it is even tough to take X-rays of my teeth.

Keep in mind I really don't have much of a clue about snorkleing. When I have to blow water out of the snorkle it doesn't get all of it out and leaves some in my mouth. I than have to surface and take the snorkle out of my mouth to get rid of the water.

Any clues on how to fix this or what I'm doing wrong? And how does this effect my goal of one day learning how to scuba?

Chad

[Milo Christensen]

Get a good snorkel with a bottom valve. Scuba isn't the same, you don't have to "save" enough air to explosively clear the snorkel, just inhale and exhale.

[Figment]

Ditto. New snorkel with bottom valve. I just went out and bought any old snorkel to replace my old one when it went "missing", and the new one happened to have a bottom valve.
It's a whole new world.

[Rick Starr]

It sounds ridiculous I know, a good snorkel is harder to fit than a pair of shoes. (and nearly as expensive.) If you snorkel regularly you'll probably get used to using the old J-tube type, but for casual use they're pretty annoying.

The bottom valve type are much easier to clear, but there is almost always some residual water in them. The top valve type usually have a valve both on top and bottom, with the one on top closing to prevent water from entering in the first place. A good one of these will let you snorkel in rollicking surf without breathing a drop of water.

But most importantly, before you invest in a bunch of different snorkels, work on making sure you have the placement correctly. You should have a keeper strap that allows you to move the snorkel along the mask strap, then keep it there when you find the right place for it. Adjust the snorkel so that it is slightly back from vertical when you hold your head at a comfortable angle. Also, practice holding your head at that angle without tipping forward or back too much and letting in water.

[Rick Starr]

Scuba doesn't put a lot of emphasis on the snorkel, by the way. In fact many veteran divers will carry an old cheap j-tube, and tuck it in their weight belts rather than have it clunking unused on their heads. If they need to swim on the surface for any distance they can use the snorkel, or swim on their backs, much more comfortably, albeit slightly slower.

[brad9798]

All good suggestions ... but water is inevitable in the tube.

[cs]

Thanks, that helps a lot.

Like Brad says, is water in the tube inevitable? With my gag reflexes I pretty much have to surface and take the snorkel out of my mouth when I get some water in my mouth with the snorkel in.

Being as snorkeling and scuba are different enough, will I still have problems with gagging?

Chad

[Rick Starr]

Without knowing more about your 'reflex' it's hard to say. I suspect though that practice will help a lot. If you can master snorkeling, mouth-wise, then scuba will be no problem at all.

Be aware that to be certified you will have to remove and replace your regulator several times under water, buddy breathing, and so on. But once you put the regulator back in your mouth you can clear it like a snorkel by blowing out, or you can hit the purge button on the front of it and it will clear very well.

Again as with snorkeling you have a lot of choices of mouthpiece and regulator. Good regulators are quite dry--much dryer than almost all snorkels.

Mouthpieces are very important too. I should have mentioned that about snorkels too. A good, well-fitting, soft and comfortable mouthpiece can be a joy to use, and by the same token a cheapo plastic one can be utter misery.

[cs]

My reflex is kinda weird and may be more mental than anything. Back when I used smokeless tobacoo I had no problem with a dip in my mouth and not spitting. I could even eat or drink with a dip no problem.

But put anything strange in my mouth like a plastic x-ray film thingamijigger and I gag real bad. I always had problems with mouthpieces in karate and my retainer was PIA to get used to. But these I finally got used to.

I want to be able to scube and I like snorkeling, so maybe with time I can get used to a little extra water in my mouth.

Chad

[Rick Starr]

You won't have much if any water in your mouth on scuba, and the air is VERY dry. It is deliberately dried when compressed so the air in a tank stays healthy (a contaminated tank can be a real problem). Many people complain of dry mouth or sore throat after a dive or two.

[brad9798]

Do you gag when you brush your teeth, Chad?

I do.

[cs]

Okay you guys have gotten me fired up again wanting to learn scuba.

Choo Choo Dive Center here in town offers dive lessons. They even have a "Try it for Free" thing.

Try it for free (http://www.choochoodive.com/Try.htm)

Choo Choo Dive Center (http://www.choochoodive.com/index.htm)

Chad

[cs]

Do you gag when you brush your teeth, Chad?

I do.

I do if I use the toothbrush to brush my tounge.

Chad

[John of Phoenix]

Until you get past that gag problem, I think you're going to find getting certified an unpleasant experience. You'll do lots of things in training that you'll never do again which means you'll have lots of water in your mouth, nose and eyes. Until you're comfortable clearing both mask and snorkel, you're going to have a tough time.
It's a blast when you're done, but getting there can be trying.

[cs]

I'm thinking about going down to the dive center and checking into the "Try it for Free" thing.

Chad

[Rick Starr]

If you decide to give it a try, I strongly recommend you shop instructors. Like any piece of gear, the 'fit' you have with an instructor can make or break your first scuba experience. Talk to them about your reflex, get to know them a bit, and see what they say and how they respond to you. A good instructor is part fish, part storyteller, part doctor, and (unfortunately) part lawyer.

Good luck.

[Figment]

I do if I use the toothbrush to brush my tounge.

Chad

I dated an occupational therapist for a while, she dealt with all sorts of reflexive reactions and therapies, and I recall that this tongue brushing is a valid method for diminishing one's gag-reflex. If done regularly and progressively, whatever it is that triggers your gag-reflex will eventually become desensitized.

Evidently she and her girlfriends had quite the giggle-session when this one came up in class.

[cs]

The "free" thing is just to get you in their indoor pool and see what it is like to be underwater and breathing.

As far as shopping for instructors there is only 2 places in town that I know of that teach scuba.

Chad

[cs]

Went by Choo Choo Dive Shop this afternoon and talked and picked up some info.

Basicly it starts with a home study program that cost $59. After that you have an orientation and first class. And than classes 2 -4 & pool sessions. These classe cost $225 or $335 with Nitorx ratings. The fourth stage is the scuba diving certification and the prices vary with the basic cost of $190 at a local dive park.

I just saw on the bottom that they offer special rates to military. I need to ask them about that.

Some of the things outside of the cost of classes are some items that you will need to purchase such as mask, snorkel, fins, logbook and weight belt.

Also the "free" thing sounds pretty cool. They put you in the shallow end of the pool with a certified diver and you learn to breathe under water and it is free.

Also they offer classes all the way up to master certification. Here are some of the specialty classes they offer.

Nitrox
Computer
Buoyancy
River
Navigation
Search/Recovery
Photograhpy
Night
Deep
Wreck
Drift
and others.

Chad

[cs]

Say again?

Chad

[S/V Laura Ellen]

Try the "free thing" or "discover scuba" first.

If you do buy mask and fin, remember that they last a long time, I have quite a few thousand dives on my mask and fins.

If you get certified, call me and I go diving with you (I'm a PADI instructor). Good ship wrecks up here in the Great Lakes.

[cs]

I will take you up on that. I'm serously considering this, just trying to talk the rest of the family into it.

Chad

[L.W. Baxter]

Clearing the snorkel? That's what that pet camel was trying to do.

[Matt J.]

At least do the free class. Take up Allen, too, if you can.

This thread's making me restless to go south and do some diving, sooner rather than later.

[cs]

Will do the "free" thing for sure. The rest I hope to be able to talk everyone into. The kid is not wanting to scuba so it just may be me and the wife.

Chad

[cs]

Okay.

BTW when I use the phrase "Say again" that just means "say again your last transmission." Just old artillery talk.

Chad

[S/V Laura Ellen]

To get you and your family pumped have a look at these web sites:

Ontario Underwater Council see the Shipwreck database (based in google earth)
http://www.underwatercouncil.com/?action=cms&cmspage=dive-ontario

Some Florida cavern dives:
http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/
http://www.devilsden.com/
http://www.divebluegrotto.com/indexhtml.html