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Dry Snorkels
All about dry snorkels
When you are swimming around, watching the fish and other creatures down below, the fact is that your mouth and nose are pointed downwards. This is a problem because the air you need to breathe is above. Whales and other mammals have adapted to this dilemma by having a blowhole situated in such a way as to gain access to the much needed air.
Humans, though, are a clever species and we have developed a mechanical means for delivering life giving oxygen to our submerged blowhole, our mouth. It is a snorkel.
Snorkels have been around for many years and have always been of a very straighforward design. Basically, the snorkel is a plastic tube that has a mouthpiece and a bent shape that reaches behind your head, allowing you to breathe while your face is in the water. Nothing too brilliant there.
However, in recent years, the snorkel has evolved to a more advanced design. a couple of added features are found on many new snorkels: one that prevents water from entering the tube and one that allows easy discharge or clearing of any water that does get in.
When I snorkel, I like to frequently take a big breath and propel myself downward, diving down to get a closer look at the underwater world. Upon re-surfacing, I need to take a breath pretty quick. Now, with an older model snorkel, I had a bit of a problem in that the tube was full of water. This required that I exhale in a mighty whoosh, thereby blowing the water right out of the snorkel and allowing fresh air in. Generally, this has never been a problem for me as my lungs are filled with old air anyways and I can just blast that water clear.
However, some people found this to be a problem in that it takes a lot of energy to fully discharge the water ( it creates a spectacular fountain effect if done right!) and if the water is not fully cleared, then the first breath of fresh air you take can be a wet one and involve aspirating a bit of seawater.
The dry snorkel is designed to eliminate this problem. It has a float valve on to that will close when submerged and not allow any water to enter. The idea is, then, that when resurfacing, the snorkeler just breathes normally; no big discharge of water is necessary. Additionally, the top of the snorkel tube is designed in such a way that prevents water from entering from waves when on the surface.
There are different designs of dry snorkels. Of course, different manufacturers have a variety of patented technologies to choose from, but the basic design is the same. You can get one for less than $10 or you can spend much more on a professional quality snorkel with a few more bells and whistles. Literally! Some snorkels come with a whistle attached which can be used as a distress call in the event of a problem.
Whatever your budget or purpose, there is a dry snorkel to meet your needs. The technology is getting better all the time and really does make it effortless to breathe nice fresh air and not water!
