Gagging when using my snorkel

[Howie411]

I only go diving about once a year, and usually don't use my Snorkel cause it seems to get in the way, but this year I decided to actually use it and I couldn't keep it in for more then like 10 seconds. I thought it was maybe cause I wasn't used to it, but I tried it the next day at the beach just for fun and had the same issue. I pretty much started gagging as soon as it was in my mouth.

I have an Aqua Lung Impulse Flex 3. I don't know if the mouth piece is to large or I'm just not used to snorkels. I have no issues with the smaller mouth piece of my AquaLung Legend Regulator.

Any ideas?

 

[divad]

Ditch the snorkel.

 

[Bubblesong]

Could the snorkel have mold, or worse, from storage?
What's in your snorkel?

 

[dbnewton]

I only go diving about once a year, and usually don't use my Snorkel cause it seems to get in the way, but this year I decided to actually use it and I couldn't keep it in for more then like 10 seconds. I thought it was maybe cause I wasn't used to it, but I tried it the next day at the beach just for fun and had the same issue. I pretty much started gagging as soon as it was in my mouth.

I have an Aqua Lung Impulse Flex 3. I don't know if the mouth piece is to large or I'm just not used to snorkels. I have no issues with the smaller mouth piece of my AquaLung Legend Regulator.

Any ideas?

Is there an odor? Perhaps you have mold or mildew inside the snorkel. If you don't have a different snorkel to try may be buy one, they aren't that expensive.

 

[tursiops]

If you are not moldy, the mouthpiece might be the problem. Is it a new snorkel, or maybe the one you used in training? You can change the mouthpiece on many snorkels. And of course you can get a new snorkel, the simpler the better.

 

[boulderjohn]

I had that problem with a snorkel years ago. It turned out that the exhaust valve in the bottom was leaking, so I was getting a little water every time I inhaled. The perfect solution was to toss the snorkel in the waste bin.

 

[chrisch]

Ditch the snorkel.

My first thought too.

"Snorkel, meet trash can"

"Problem, meet solution.."

 

[BoltSnap]

Sometimes this specific AL snorkel mouthpiece causes this issue for some people. Switch to a different snorkel/mouthpiece.

 

[Vicko]

Are you sure you are biting on the snorkel correctly? I had a customer barf their guts out after basically swallowing the mouthpiece, it's supposed to go between your lips and teeth.

 

[Howie411]

Thanks, I'm pretty sure I have it in my mouth correctly. It definitely isn't moldy, I actually bought it last year but have never used it until now. Prior to that I had an Aeris Dry Cuda Dry Snorkel and I didn't seem to have any issue, so maybe its the specific mouse piece.