Snorkels

My husband and I are taking a cruise to Bermuda and we want to go Snorkeling at a few of the beaches that they say is best for seeing the fish. (Elbow Beach and a few others)
We are trying to cut down on the luggage we take and the equipment we need to carry around the island with us for our water sports. Do the beaches for snorkeling go very deep or have strong waves that would need us to bring flippers? Or can we get away with just the mask and snorkel?

I think you could get away with just a mask and snorkel. There are some nice areas to snorkel in Bermuda, and when we went we didn’t use any flippers and saw a bunch of fish and other ocean life. They have some gorgeous beaches, and if I remember correctly it’s either Tobacco Bay or Horseshoe Bay that has some caves you can go into on the side area of the beach. Have fun!!!

I would like to buy a snorkel and mask, but dont no where to start, i would like a good one that wont leak,

The best mask for you is the one that’s most comfortable to wear. Everybody’s face is a different shape, so you should try on several masks to see which is most comfortable. A dive shop of any description will be your best bet for finding a wide selection.

To check whether the mask seals against your face, place it over your eyes and nose WITHOUT hooking the strap over your head, and inhale gently through your nose–if the mask sucks onto your face and prevents you from inhaling any further, it’s a good fit. You’ll need to clean the mask lens with white toothpaste before using it for the first time.

Snorkel selection is usually fairly straightforward. So long as it’s wide enough that you can breathe through it easily, it should be fine for you. For an average adult, the snorkel should be at least 20-25 mm (3/4 to 1") in diameter. Whatever model you buy, you’ll need to take deeper breaths than normal, to compensate for the extra ‘dead air’ space of the snorkel tube.

NB Most top-mounted Snorkel ’splashguards/wave protectors’ etc. don’t work all that well, and if you skindive down under the water, the snorkel will flood regardless–so the extra bux for these attachments aren’t really worth it. If you have a lungful of air, a sharp ‘blast’ exhalation will clear any snorkel quite effectively.

Here’s a few specifics to look for:

Mask:
–Low volume (two-lens masks have a lower volume than single-lens masks)
–Tempered glass faceplate, not polycarbonate (glass stays clearer, and doesn’t scratch as easily)
–Silicone skirt, not rubber (silicone is softer, and less allergenic)

Snorkel:
–Silicone mouthpiece
–Drain valve (makes snorkel clearing easier)
–Simple, robust mask-strap attachment clip

I’m shopping for inexpensive eye wear and a snorkel (fins to be rented on site). Can I just get pool-style goggles instead of the bulky mask? Is it that important to have my nose covered?

If you just stay on (or not far below) the surface, you could get by with goggles. However, I think you may have problems with leaks if you attach a relatively heavy & bulky snorkel to the swim goggles. Swim goggles seal over a relatively small area compared to a dive mask, and part of the sealing mechanism is the tightness of the strap. A well-fitting dive mask will create a seal pretty much regardless of the strap tightness, and the strap is there mostly just to keep the mask in place.

When it comes to breathing, as long as you can focus on breathing exclusively through your mouth you shouldn’t inhale water through your nose. If you’re not used to breathing through a Snorkel or regulator, though, you could have a tendency to inhale some water wearing goggles. With some practice this probably wouldn’t be the main reason you would choose a mask over goggles.

Where a dive mask is absolutely necessary instead of goggles is if you plan to hold your breath and dive to any significant depth below the surface. I’m afraid I don’t know what that exact depth is, but 20 or 30 feet seems like a reasonable number to guess at. Both dive masks and goggles allow you to see better underwater by creating an air space around your eyes which allow your eyes to focus (without a mask everything appears blurry underwater). Air, like any gas, is compressible meaning as you apply pressure to it it will compress into a smaller volume. As you dive under water, the weight of the water above you applies pressure to air spaces in and around your body, which includes your goggles and mask. (As an aside, this is why you feel pressure/pain in your ears if you dive deep enough underwater since your middle ear contains an air space.) As the air around your eyes compresses it takes up less volume and since nature abhors a vacuum something else must give to try to replace that volume…which ends up being the soft tissues around and in your eyes. The result is what we call a "mask squeeze". Here is an image of a classic example of a mask squeeze: http://www.bsac14.org.uk/photo/masksq2w.jpg . While it looks terrible, it is usually a minor injury and will clear up on its own like any bruise. There is no permanent damage to the eye as long as the redness is limited to the whites of the eyes and does not affect the irises (colored portion).

The reason that a nose pocket exists on a dive mask is pretty much just so that the air space inside the mask can be equalized with the water pressure outside the mask. This is done by exhaling a little air into the mask through the nose. Equalizing the pressure is what prevents a mask squeeze. Since swim goggles have no nose pocket, there is no way to equalize the pressure inside the goggles and so a mask squeeze cannot be prevented.

Anyway, even if you don’t intend to do any significant breath-hold diving, I think you will probably be better off with a well-fitting dive mask instead of goggles because of the leak risk. The whole purpose of snorkeling is to see what’s below you, and if your goggles should leak all the time you won’t have much fun.

Good luck with whatever your choose!

my contax are a -2.75, so do i need a -2.75 scuba mask? where can i buy one cheap online b4 i goo to thailand?

If you know your eyeglass prescription you can buy a mask that will accept prescription lenses. Tusa several options and you can even find them in many of the Dive Shops and sporting goods stores that carry dive equipment. Sport Chalet for instance.

Follow the link below and look at the two-window designs. The specs will tell you if they accept corrective lenses.

With a custom sized mouthpiece for comfort, the Explorer Snorkel features a high-volume purge valve for easy clearing. High-volume purge valve for easy clearing. Custom sized, 100% liquid silicone mouthpiece. Dry deflector top. Easy to use mask strap clip.

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I am going on a cruise in Feb. and I wear glasses. I was wondering if its possible to snorkel while wearing your glasses, since i have never been. I wasn’t sure if the glasses would get in the way of the skin/Snorkel mask water barrier. Has anyone with glasses done this? I can’t leave them on the beach, my eyes are so bad i’d never be able to see anything if i took them off! Thanks.

There’s a good chance you’d probably lose your glasses. I’d suggest daily contacts. They’re cheaper than regular contacts, and are good for a 24-hour wear. You can just put them in right before you get in the water, and then throw them away when you get out. Good luck and have fun on your cruise!

Value Mask Fin and Snorkel Package Because every diver has different needs Divers Supply has taken our best selling items from each category to help fit your specific needs as a diver. And don’t forget that Divers Supply offers full manufacturers warranty on all items we sell.   The package includes Mask, Fin and snorkel with many upgrade options.  This is your chance to get a great deal on a Value Mask, Snorkel and Fin Package! Just choose a product from each category.

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Brother accidently ran over it, is it cheaper to buy a new one or get one replaced?

ABSOLUTELY NEW!

I’ve never checked on it but my guess is that it would be expensive to replace the glass. Besides that, you would have to make sure it is tempered glass. This is very important because if you broke it while it was on your face, tempered glass brakes into small pieces that are not as dangerous as large dagger-like pieces.

And by the way… they don’t break from pressure… only from impact.

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Cressi Sub Big Eye Mask, Snorkel And Fin Package This package comes comes with the Cressi Rondine Pro Light Fins, Cressi Big Eye Mask and Edge Folding Snorkel.

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I haven’t bought any Snorkeling gear in a while. I’m looking for a mask and snorkel (already have fins). The last mask I bought leaked and it was from a local dive shop…seemed to fit in the shop but didn’t cut it in the water! I don’t remember the brand, but I’d like to buy some new gear and I’m wondering the best brand to buy? I’m on a budget, would like to keep it under $70 if possible. Thanks!!

This is a law for buying swining gear i learned when you try a mask on leave it on for a little and when you take it off there should be a light line left around you face and then it should be good, no to dark of a line because then it may be to tight… Another tip is that to pervent fog is to take your mask dip it in fresh tap water and put toothpaste on the inside and outside of the lens and rub it around this will disolve away the line layer of linner on the lens… and some times a raw potoato rubed on the lens works too but i have never tried… GOOD LUCK : )