Are dry snorkels dangerous?

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ballastbelly

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If you've ever used a dry snorkel you will be familiar with the vacuum sensation when mid breath a wave closes the valve.

My question is can it lead to
negative static lung-loading

Where blood plasma is drawn into the alveoli & you drown in your own plasma?

Thanks
 
I have never used one of these (I prefer a simple, low-tech tube) but I would say you are over-thinking this by a long shot!

You can generate the same effect while sitting on your couch by breathing in then closing off your airway mid-breath and continuing to try and breath in - hence creating this "negative pressure" you talk about. I just did this a few times right now and am still here to type a response (despite trying pretty hard to keep the pressure building).

How are your 2+ minute breath-holds going? That is quite impressive for an active free-dive (as opposed to static breath-hold) from someone who has not done too much of it (most of my club mates who are capable of 40m or more free dives don't get much past 2 min when spearfishing or free-diving)
 
They aren't dangerous anywhere but on scubaboard. The rest of the world either doesn't use a snorkel for scuba or they're probably gonna die using a dry snorkel.:D

Of the divers I know, most only carry a pocket snorkel and the one I have isn't a dry snorkel. I don't think the scenario mentioned by the OP would be possible, if it was when you tried to get that really thick milkshake through a straw you could be in trouble.
 
Well, I'd rather breathe through a dry snorkel than a wet one. I can't see how that could possibly cause a problem, anymore than, as dmoore19 pointed out, drinking a thick milkshake with a straw. Ummmm... Milkshakes.

Save you concern for Candiru fish. They scare the snot out of me, and I'm not anywhere near the Amazon. :)
 
My question is can it lead to negative static lung-loading Where blood plasma is drawn into the alveoli & you drown in your own plasma?

No.

The rest of the world either doesn't use a snorkel for scuba or they're probably gonna die using a dry snorkel.

Scubaboard, ficticiousville and soon to be Belize. In all three locations you must carry a snorkel.
 
Darn.. now I crave for milkshake..

Oh and my snorkel is in my bag, ready to be pulled out to spank any misbehaving buddies with. It hasn't been in the water since sometime in 2008 when I went snorkling at the local beach though..
 
No sense in getting hurt using dangerous equipment.:D
Darn.. now I crave for milkshake..

Oh and my snorkel is in my bag, ready to be pulled out to spank any misbehaving buddies with. It hasn't been in the water since sometime in 2008 when I went snorkling at the local beach though..

Another question might be, which is more dangerous, a big bunch of saltwater in your lungs or the possibility of something that doesn't seem to be possible?
 
:) BTW folks - this is the snorkeling and free-diving section of SCUBA board so I would imagine snorkels are de rigeur here ...

I would however also add that I have never seen a "dry snorkel" on a spearo / free-diving trip - ever. The group I free dive with recommend that the snorkel is removed from your mouth before you leave the surface (and for competitive free-diving we will usually ditch the snorkel at the surface). This serves two purposes:
1. makes your dive a lot quieter without the unnatural noise of bubbles leaving the end of your snorkel and therefore makes it easier to sneak up on certain species of fish when spearfishing
2. reduces the likelihood of ingesting water into your lungs should things go wrong - e.g. black out on the way back up, get hauled to the surface and then start to breath with your snorkel in your mouth and you end up with a snorkelful of water going in ...

Both of the above may be a case for considering a dry snorkel but the extra drag and "one more thing to maintain" kind of goes against the simplicity of free-diving.
 
Sorry, the moderators are free to remove my posts as they see fit.
 
I can say that i have never used a dry snorkle on a real dive. I learned to use one decades ago. My opinion is that dry is a gimmick. If you are going to use a snorkle tehn learn to use one correctly. I dont use one when i dive but have carried one in a pocket for a surface transit to dive point. What ever decision you are trying to make, "Dont make a simple thing like a snorkle into something difficult" What ever you get, after using it for a while,,, you will get another and it willl probably will end up in your pocket.


If you've ever used a dry snorkel you will be familiar with the vacuum sensation when mid breath a wave closes the valve.

My question is can it lead to
negative static lung-loading

Where blood plasma is drawn into the alveoli & you drown in your own plasma?

Thanks
 

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