Actually there is a difference between a snorkeler and a skindiver. The snorkeler remains at the surface the entire time. They remain a snorkeler until they submerge on a breath hold dive. Snorkelers that go below the surface of the water are called skin divers. There is also more of a distinction being made nowadays between skindiving and freediving. People are starting to consider freediving more of an extreme form of skindiving.
We offer a great Snorkelpedia for your enjoyment.
We receive a lot of phone calls and we actually write the questions, so we can share the answer with you. One question that we receive frequently is if they can snorkel with a beard. I like to shock the guys and tell them no and listen to them freak… dont worry I quickly tell them that they do not have to shave their beard.
The beard will not affect the performance of the snorkel. The mustache may however affect how the snorkeling mask will seal.
A person’s first reaction when they get leakage into the mask is to tighten the strap. You should, however, try loosening the strap to create a better seal. Most snorkeling masks (well at least the ones that we sell) are made with a soft silicone skirt that conforms to the face better if it is worn looser rather than tighter. The positioning of the strap is also important. Have the mask strap higher on the back of your head rather than lower toward the neck. This will apply a little more pressure toward the seal around the lip area.
Trimming the mustache lower is an option but I always disliked the “Hitler” look. If your mustache is thick try thinning it.
A last resort before shaving is getting a food grade silicone gel, silicone mask seal and rub a bit into the mustache. This will help a lot. Do not use any petroleum based gels such as Vaseline as this will break down the silicone in the mask. The downside to the silicone gel is that it can be a bit troublesome getting it out of the mustache.
So save the beard and test the mustache to see if it works in the pool before vacation, without shaving or thinning it first.
U.S. Divers & Aqua Lung Sport has done it again. They have come out with a new dry snorkel that is more functional and even less expensive than the norm in the industry. The Paradise Dry Snorkel is has a replaceable mouthpiece, who is a plus in our book and the mouthpiece is 100% silicone. The Paradise Dry Snorkel also has the purge valve on the bottom to blow traces of water in the snorkel. But what is special about the Paradise Dry Snorkel is that the top is small and not top heavy. The Pivot Dry Technology is what keeps the water out of the snorkel. Because this snorkel works, the price (under $20.00) is what makes the snorkel top of the line. We do have the Paradise Dry Snorkel in stock and it only comes in electric blue or black, at this time.
Another part of our job is to go on the internet and answer snorkeling questions that we find and we will now share some with you, as you may have the same questions.
What are some good kinds of snorkel masks? I want to buy a good quality one that works well.
Snorkeling Masks, Select the Right One, will help you to make an educated decision about what you want in various snorkeling equipment. It covers how to select the right masks, fins, snorkels etc. With snorkeling masks, you want tempered glass lenses and silicone skirting. Comfort and fit is the main priority. If your primary focus is snorkeling then invest in a dry snorkel. It shuts off as soon as you go below the water so there is no unexpected rush of water down the tube. Silicone, again is preferred as it is more comfortable in the mouth. SnorkelingOnline has a large assortment of snorkeling masks, if you have an questions, please feel free to email me.
Reef booties or fins? I am going to be vacationing on the Big Island of Hawaii for 2 weeks and will be doing quite a bit of snorkeling and free diving. In the past I have not used reef booties or fins but think for this trip I would want to bring one of the two as I have seen them recommended several times in snorkeling reviews for the Big Island. I just wanted to get some opinions and recommendations.
There are tons of different snorkeling fins on the market but they can be divided into different categories. The first is full foot snorkel fins. These are made to be worn barefooted. They are designed to be snug so they won’t fall off while you are kicking. If you have a wide foot or high arches then this style of fin can be a bit uncomfortable. Strap snorkeling fins are made to be worn with neoprene boots/booties. They are traditionally wider in the foot pocket area to allow the use of the boots. I do believe the reason that the boots are recommended in Hawaii is to protect the feet more from cuts and abrasions should you happen to step on any lava rock which can be pretty sharp. The boots won’t help you with the molten stuff though. For other differences and stylings, check out our snorkeling guide, Snorkeling Fins – Select the Right Pair.
We, at SnorkelingOnline.com get asked daily, what is the best snorkel package to purchase and we explain that everyones snorkeling needs are different, so it depends. But what are the most popular snorkel packages that we sell, well that is easy. It is between the U.S. Divers St Tropez Mask, Trek Fins, Seabreeze Snorkel & Bag, the U.S. Divers Sideview Mask, Paradise Dry Snorkel, Trek Travel Fins & Mesh Bag OR the U.S. Divers Admiral LX Mask, Paradise Dry Snorkel, Blast II Fins & Bag Snorkel Package. One package has a semi-dry snorkel and the other two have the total dry snorkel and all three have masks and the snorkeling bags are either made of nylon, denier or mesh. But the major difference is the fins and offered in each snorkel package is the Trek Travel Fins or the Blast II Fins. The best explanation is the manufacturer representation telling you the features and benefits of both.
There is a principle about water that seems to continue to confuse and mystify modern man. Even though the principle was explained by someone who was born somewhere around 287 BC, the concept of why things float and why they sink continues to vex people. The man was Archimedes. A noted astronomer, inventor, physicist, mathematician and engineer, Archimedes explained that, “any body fully or partially submerged in a fluid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.”
His explanation has withstood the test of time in the scientific circles but those people who know scientists soon realize that when they explain things it can sometimes sound like a foreign language for those listening. We as lay people want an understandable explanation that doesn’t require a slide rule or calculator.
The following is my, keep it simple stupid (KISS), explanation on why things float and why they sink. To give it more relevance and more personalization I am going to use you, the reader as the example in my explanation of “Archimedes Principle” on buoyancy.
The first thing that has to be understood is that when you get into a body of water, that body of water is going to have to make room for you. In effect you are pushing the water out of the way when you get in. If you filled a bathtub to the very top with water, then get in, the water level will raise enough to make the tub overflow.
If you were to have a Libra Scale big enough for you to be on one side and all the water that you pushed out of the tub one the other, it would determine whether you float or you sink. If the water weighs more than you it will hold you up making you more buoyant. If the water weighs less then you will be less buoyant. As a living human being, the simple act of breathing in and breathing out while you are in the water will have an effect of floating and sinking. When you inhale you will be occupying more space in the water and when you exhale you will occupy less space.
If you ask someone to write a list of common things that sink in water, you might see items made of metals like steel and items made of rock or concrete. Since the inanimate objects on the list do not breathe then their buoyancy would seem to be fixed. We could logically assume that everything made of those materials will sink. This “logical assumption” would be incorrect. If it were true then a steel cruise ship would therefore be impossibility. Though the ship is in fact made of steel, it is how the ship is constructed (the shape) that is the reason that it floats. The rules of Archimedes Principle will still apply.
The difference between the steel objects that are associated with sinking from the list and the steel ship is the shape. 1,000 ton steel marble will occupy less space in the water than a 1,000 ton steel ship and even though both objects are made of the same stuff and weigh the same, this steel ship is going to be bigger than the marble by design. The steel ship’s buoyancy will become more negative the minute 1 person steps aboard and will continue to become more negative with the addition of passengers, crew and cargo. Ships can and have sank before but this is usually due to the structure being compromised below the water level.
Another thing that can affect whether an object floats or sinks is the type of water in which it is placed. Salt water is heavier than fresh water. If a bucket filled with salt water and a bucket filled with fresh water were placed on the Libra scale the bucket containing the salt water would definitely outweigh the bucket filled with fresh water. What this means to you is that you float better in the ocean than you do in freshwater lakes. For those wanting to impress their friends, 1 cubit foot of fresh water weighs 62.4 pounds while 1 cubic foot of saltwater weighs 64 pounds. In places such a the Dead Sea and Salt Lake is Salt Lake City, Utah, the salt water in those areas weighs even more than the salt water found in the oceans.
There are still those people in the world who have trouble staying afloat in salt water. If you are one of those people, fear not, for there are man-made items out there that are designed to help. For snorkelers, a snorkeling vest is the way to go. They can be partially inflated with air, which will push more water away from you resulting in additional buoyancy. This writer feels that snorkeling vests should be worn whenever anyone engages in the sport of snorkeling. In addition to the vest, another item, which will also help to add to a person’s buoyancy, is a wetsuit.
Wetsuits are made of nitrogen injected neoprene rubber. This combination, by design is very buoyant. In addition to the buoyancy, they also increase the snorkeler’s ability to retain body heat, which is lost rather rapidly in water and provide protection against accidental contact with marine life.
With all the factors that can affect buoyancy, it is my hope that if you made it this far in reading, then you will have learned a bit more about it. Now go out and impress your friends with your newfound information.
What a fun few days we had in Cancun. Before Sarah and I went on the Jungle Cruise, we went snorkeling outside of the condo where we stayed in Cancun. It was basic and shallow so when we walked out to the water, we found that because of the heat and how shallow the waters were, the fishies were no where to be found. Our solution was not as we expected. We walked down the beach were we were hoping to find rock or in this case, boulders in the water where the fish would have shade.
Our experience is a good example of first observing your surrounding area before you get in the water. While the beach is beautiful and the sound and feel of the ocean is awesome, we had to be careful. There was a strong wind which brought the waves cracking to the shore. Watch our video.
