Curacao-bound: What dry snorkel and mask do I want?

[sierra248]

I really like my Tusa Hyperdry Snorkel (SP-130), you use it just like a normal snorkel but it takes just a samll shot of air at surface to clear and you get no gurgling in the snorkel, which drives me crazy. Its a little pricey but I do allot of snorkelling and really do like that snorkel. As for mask read above, they do know what there talking about, i had a mask I just bought online and the fit just was no good for me. Buy one at a LDS..Have Fun.

 

[kidspot]

Some of my best "loaner" masks (my personal one is a prescription) came from Wal-Mart - I have 5 that are different sizes and shapes for different faces - especially important with all the kids and teens that I take snorkeling - of course if you are landlocked I don't know what kind of selection they will offer. . . LOL

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Get whatever mask fits the best on you.

As for a snorkel, you don't need a drysnorkel for scuba diving. Most are big enough to resemble nuclear cooling towers and might cause you to swim in a tight left circle

Seriously, get one that folds and put it in a BC pocket. This way you'll have it for whatever classes you may do and if you end up in rough seas, but you won't have to live with it constantly making your mask leak or snagging things.

 

[gqllc]

Curacao

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I went diving there last year for Kid's sea camp. The tugboat is an awesome snorkeling outing. Anyways find a mask that fits you well(try Seavision) expensive but seal is soft and supple. Also when you are snorkeling and diving down uw on your way to the surface tilt your head up as you are looking at the sky and blow air out your snorkel just before and as you break the surface. The air forces water out of your snorkel!!! I do not use a snorkel but I think US divers use to make a "dry" snorkel that worked well. I enjoyed curacao. We stayed next to the aquarium and could do shore diving there. We stayed at the Royal Resort (So did Tom Cruise, Penelope, and John Travolta was there as well. On wednesday's the aquarium is closed to private people to swim with the dolphins)
Steve

 

[Allspread Grapealo]

Thanks for all that answered this thread. Combined with reading other parts of this board and other scuba/snorkeling on the Internet, I ended up buying a Aqualung Impulse Dry Flex Snorkel last week. I have it in hand and will be taking it to Curacao on Friday. We'll see how well it works !

 

[kidspot]

Hope you have a great time there

 

[Allspread Grapealo]

Thanks for all that answered this thread. Combined with reading other parts of this board and other scuba/snorkeling on the Internet, I ended up buying a Aqualung Impulse Dry Flex Snorkel last week. I have it in hand and will be taking it to Curacao on Friday. We'll see how well it works !

Replying to my own message just as an FYI bump for people buying stuff....

I've taken the above snorkel on 3 trips to the Caribbean since fall '04 and am going to Curacao again at the end of this month. Nice little piece of gear, and thanks for the recommendations.