Snorkeling/SCUBA skills crossover?

[Ouvea]

Look around for a freediving course. A freediving course will teach you a lot of what you need to know to do it safely and have fun. A scuba course is going to be a lot o wasted time and money if your goal is to simply freedive/snorkel. You need to practice snorkeling with a wetsuit, weightbelt and hood, it will be different in cool water than floating in a warm pool in Iowa.

I don't know about this DD. The PFI Freediver Course has you perform a static breath hold of 4 minutes and will have you going down into deep waters. I couldn't frenzel worth crap so I didn't go down very far. However, those that could equalize via Frenzel ended up going down to 60-70 feet easily. Someone that cannot even tolerate a mask at the surface doesn't have any business being underwater where a panic attack can aggravate a poor situation into a potentially life threatening one.

@ Skittl1321:

You might just want to head over to your local pool and swim with your snorkeling gear. This will get you acclimated to being in the water with your mask and snorkel. I was in Maui recently had visibility in excess of 100 feet. While I did have scuba gear, there were times where I was quite happy to leave it behind in favor of simpler mask/fins and snorkel. The mask is giving your a crutch to lean on. Sit on your couch, pinch your nose and don't breathe for just 3 seconds. Nothing has happened and you're fine. Now pinch your nose and breathe through your mouth. It's the same thing as having a mask on your face. I wonder if the reduction in field of view is really what bothers you with the mask. I know that it bugs me at time.
O.

 

[Bob DBF]

If I was heading to the Galapagos to snorkel, I'd be working on my snorkeling and free diving and fan the SCUBA till later.

Contrary to Oveua's post, you can learn to free dive safely, without learning to be a competitive free diver. A buddy of mine does that kind of training for Abalone diving, but unfortunately we are no where near you. Check around the free divers in your area, you might find someone that can help you do the diving you want to do.


Bob
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I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

 

[Skittl1321]

I should probably clarify that when I say snorkel I mean on the surface and maybe a 3 to 5 foot dive. Not really "free diving".

I found out last night I can't swallow while my nose is pinched. Apparently most people can? That may be part of the issue...so scuba might not happen for me anyway. But I think for this vacation we will only scuba dive once leaving the other places to practice snorkeling. (I do practice in a pool, but it really isn't the same.)

 

[Arubandi07]

I should probably clarify that when I say snorkel I mean on the surface and maybe a 3 to 5 foot dive. Not really "free diving".

I found out last night I can't swallow while my nose is pinched. Apparently most people can? That may be part of the issue...so scuba might not happen for me anyway. But I think for this vacation we will only scuba dive once leaving the other places to practice snorkeling. (I do practice in a pool, but it really isn't the same.)

Interesting new detail; now, are you actually physically unable to swallow with your nose pinched, or really just feel that you can't, due to the sensation you experience when trying to do so?

 

[Skittl1321]

I can swallow, but then immediately respond by coughing, I have trouble drawing another breath.
Now, a mask doesn't pinch the nose, so I think I should still be able to overcome my nose breathing, but this does make me worry I won't be able to equalize and scuba diving will be out.

(Just tried it like 8 times and the last time I managed not to cough, so hopefully practice will help.)

 

[Arubandi07]

Do you have any musical background? Probably seems like a strange question, but I'd like to know whether you're familiar with, and able to sing/hum intervals(involves the muscles, moving your larynx up/down).

 

[Skittl1321]

Do you have any musical background? Probably seems like a strange question, but I'd like to know whether you're familiar with, and able to sing/hum intervals(involves the muscles, moving your larynx up/down).

No, not really. I played Viola for 3 years, but that doesn't really help. We did scales when I was in a musical, but I had an acting role, so I can't guarantee I was doing them right... my singing is atrocious.

But if it isn't really difficult to descibe the exercise, I'd be willing to try it. I mean, I can hum...

 

[Arubandi07]

More than enough ... Pick the lowest note you can comfortably sing, and go 'aaanggg'(silent g,should result in the back of your tongue rising). Once you get that, do multiple reps while sustaining the note. Done correctly, your exhale will switch from mouth(a...) to nose(ng...). Tell me if you're able to do all that, and we'll get to incorporating the interval stuff, won't be too complicated, I promise ...

Forgot, 'aaa' as in 'under', not 'and'.

 

[Skittl1321]

I think this might be beyond me. I'm not quite sure what it is supposed to be doing.

But thanks for trying!

 

[Ouvea]

Hi Skittll1321:

When do you have these anxieties? Say if you went to local pool and just swam or stayed stationary breathing through your snorkel, would you become uncomfortable to a near panic attack? Also, what are you trying to accomplish by swallowing with your nose pinched? Perhaps, we're overthinking things and you just need a period of acclimation to the water environment.

O.