Let's Re-Brand "Snorkeling"

[Walter]

So call it free diving.

 

[Chugwhump]

I agree that the word "snorkling" is a little on the dorky side.
But it also conveys a freedom from drag and gear and seriousness.
We very often snorkle between dives, and after the days diving is completed on private boats down here in South Florida.
We snorkle after we go fishing on good days on the way back to the marina.
Usually to cool off and wash off the fish guts, scales, and bait stench.
I think the term "Free Diving" is also appropriate. "Free Diving" means a little more effort to me.
I guess I am open to another term, but for branding it needs to be one word if possible, and no more than 3-4 syllables if two words.
By the way, my wife and daughter who are great snorklers think this is a dumb conversation.
But what do they know, they are just......Snorklers.
My wife is certified, but has not put a tank on in over 16 years. She does not enjoy the encumbered feeling of all the gear in SCUBA.
She just loves to keep it simple, and she cleans my fish, so who am I to complain?
Chug

 

[spectrum]

Let's face it these are loosley defined terms . The definitions are blurred by geography, culture and time. That being said for the sake of a discussion a definition is sometimes needed betwen parties.

To many non divers scuba diving is a risky dark sport they want to keep a safe distance away from. Even though snorkeling is a gateway sport to scuba the name is such that it's less intimidating. I have had a lot of folks say, "I'm not a diver, I just snorkel". Eventually some choose to extend their range into colder water or with deeper breath hold dives. With that they are on the slippery slope to scuba diving.

If it gets their face in the water it's all good.

Pete

 

[christo651]

I think the word "snorkel" is a fun word used to describe a fun experience and at the same time descibes itself, at least to those that know what it means and at the very least is easily described. nothing is good or bad, thinking makes it so.

 

[mtamborra]

let's leave it as an ugly word so it doesn't blow up in popularity & next thing you know you'll have snorkel traffic everywhere and it'll be a cattle boat fest on every reef

 

[freediver]

Surface Observational Assisted Kicking....I'm going SOAKing now...

 

[David Wilson]

The responses so far appear to suggest a lack of awareness of the origins of the word "snorkel". Take a moment to look at the following Wikipedia article:
Submarine snorkel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Still think the word "snorkel" is "dorkish"? The underwater swimming breathing tube takes its English name from the German word "Schnorchel". The English version of the word has sometimes, in the past, been spelled "Schnorkel", preserving the "sh" sound at the beginning of the German word.

Bill Barada is credited with the invention of the first "all-rubber snorkel" for underwater swimming use in the 1950s. Never heard of him? Have a look at his biography at
Bill Barada - NOGI
He was both an inventor and an entrepreneur, a very rare combination even nowadays, but he was much more besides. He's featured here too:
Scuba Hall of Fame
Doesn't match certain people's expectations of dorkishness or nerdishness, does he?

 

[Chad Carney]

Interesting commentary on a subject I have long observed while passing through the stages of diving. Gogglers are what my buddy Art Pinder said they were first called, and that was their only piece of gear, hand made of course. Masks provide the core necessity for all divers but never received any credit. Fins came next and finally snorkels, but it seems the snorkel defines the activity, holding the participant to the surface. As jogging is to running, snorkeling is to freediving. More passive and safer. "Soaking" - thanks Freediver - I needed a good laugh today! It would take a substantial effort to make even the slightest change to maybe "snorkel diving" and I don't see any change coming.

Chad

 

[RalphinOrmond]

My brief moment of we-can-change-the-world optimism has passed. However, since I plan to enjoy snorkeling for the rest of my life, I would like to have a name for it, at least for use within my own head, that suits the activity. David, do you speak German? Can you make one German word for "water stroll?" That might sound good. Any other German name suggestions?

 

[David Wilson]

My brief moment of we-can-change-the-world optimism has passed. However, since I plan to enjoy snorkeling for the rest of my life, I would like to have a name for it, at least for use within my own head, that suits the activity. David, do you speak German? Can you make one German word for "water stroll?" That might sound good. Any other German name suggestions?

Yes, I've a Masters in German, albeit dating from 1973, so I'm a little rusty. "eine Wasserwanderung" might do if you want a noun for "a water stroll", "wasserwandern" if you want the verb "to water stroll". Both have a nice alliterative sound to them, the "w" is pronounced like "v" in English, by the way. Neither will immediately suggest snorkelling, I expect German speakers would associate both with walking or sailing on or through water. A more apropos German expression, "Tauchen mit ABC-Ausrüstung", means "diving with ABC diving equipment" literally. "ABC equipment" is basic diving gear, namely mask, fins and snorkel, so it's another way of describing snorkelling. I have a book entitled "Tauchen mit Grundausrüstung" (Diving with basic equipment), which made me think of "basic equipment diving" as a possible alternative to "snorkelling" (Schnorcheln in German). I have an old pamphlet from the 1960s entitled "Snorkel, mask and flipper swimming": there's another possibility, replacing "flipper" with "fin" perhaps, but it's still a bit of a mouthful, while snorkelling is a single word, capable of producing a one-word verb (to snorkel) and one-word noun for the participant (snorkeller). I hope I've demonstrated too that "snorkel", far from being a "funny" or "dorkish" recent coinage, has an interesting military history behind it.

Don't lose your "we can change the world" optimism, Ralph. It's been a fascinating thread and a lot of interesting personal and historical information has emerged since you posted your original message.