Are dry snorkels dangerous?

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Most times I dive with a snorkel up here in NE - a dry snorkel. I prefer surface swimming face down rather than on my back and a regular J-tube would lead to more saltwater ingestion than I'd care for. Like TN-Steve, I prefer a dry snorkel than a wet one.

Perhaps there is some skill or technique in using a plain Jane snorkel, but I fail to see how the use of a dry snorkel would suggest not knowing how to properly use a snorkel. Is dry a gimmick? Many think so, but it is fairly common in New England waters from what I've seen and some work very well. I've used several and it has been my experience that the fancy, "gimmicky" snorkels with giant valves that you could sail with are the worst ones.

 

[Phantom Menace]

A question for those of you that have dry snorkels ...

What size bore do they have?

(I like large bore snorkels - easier to breath when swimming hard on the surface and I have never had problems clearing a snorkel).

 

[ballastbelly]

i am not advocating dry snorkel use while freediving,& yes i have a j tube which i remove while down.
when i first got interested in snorkling , my first snorkel was a dry model. the vacuum pull generated when a wave shut the valve mid breath
was enough to leave you in discomfort.

apart from one poster, I doubt anyone else replying had ever experienced using a dry snorkel at sea.

negative static lung loading is not some freediving technique to stay down longer. NSLL, & IME (immersion pulmonary edema) are terms used when there is a negative pressure difference in your lungs which pushes plasma backward into the alveoli. when i heard about it, i recalled my dry snorkle experience and brought this subject on the forum as a genuine question to learn more. Here is an article from this site:



ScubaBoard - Scuba Diving Forum - Diving Social Network - Diving and Immersion Pulmonary Edema

Another theory in the development of IPE is that forceful inhalation or acute airway obstruction may cause the capillaries to leak fluid into the alveoli, resulting in IPE. This type of strong inhalation may be in response to overexertion, over-breathing a regulator or snorkel, or a poorly tuned or maintained regulator, increasing the work of breathing.

 

[Arubandi07]

Are dry snorkels dangerous? ...

Thanks

Nope, just stupid.

 

[fire_diver]

Dry snorkels are in the same group as purge masks. Just useless gear sold to newbies that don't realize they are completely useless. To answer your question, no you can NOT drown in your own plasma from using one. :chairfight:

 

[ballastbelly]

To answer your question, no you can NOT drown in your own plasma from using one.

can i ask you why you are so sure? as it is pretty clear you never used one, nor attempted to read what i wrote beyond the thread title.

 

[Arubandi07]

can i ask you why you are so sure? as it is pretty clear you never used one, nor attempted to read what i wrote beyond the thread title.

I used to use one as a kid for a while, hated it for exactly the reason you mentioned, and soon moved on to a J type, which my Dad was using.
Never looked back ...

You might have better luck getting a more definitive answer, if you post your question in "Marine science and physiology", but off-hand I'd say, the suction created in an interrupted avg inhale isn't nearly intense enough, and more importantly, it is very unlikely that one would actually maintain that 'vacuum' state for long enough to induce the effect you're concerned about. Just my 2c, what the hell do I know ...

 

[minno]

Just switched from a semi dry to a j-tube, it's really nice to not be swallowing seawater any more, while I'm not sure if the problem with the semi dry was due to the semi dry system or the purge valve, I am sure that I'll never have either on any snorkel I use ever again.

minno