My first snorkelling experience left the bitter taste of sea water in my mouth;) No, neither my snorkel nor my mask got flooded. The water got in my mouth beside the snorkel. Not sure what I did wrong, thought I was biting on the snorkel strong enough. Also, my reaction was obviously wrong (I took the snorkel out, started suffocating so took my mask off - guess, I should have just put the bitter tasting snorkel back in my mouth?). I ended up swimming back to the shore with the mask and snorkel in my hand...
How to prevent it happening? And what to do if it happens anyway?
mallory
1
wonka_ski
Hmmm, could've been a couple things...
Your snorkel might have had a leak which let water into the mouthpiece or tube. Or water could have spilled in through the top. Or, maybe it came in around the mouthpiece - you shouldn't have to bite down so hard your jaw gets tired or anything, but try to keep a good seal.
If water does get in there are a couple things you can do to clear it out without taking off all your gear. The easiest (especially if you're floating on the surface) is just to blow a good hard puff of air out and pop the water out.
Don't be turned off from snorkeling, it's a great way to see what you're sharing the water with! You can always practise a little in a pool or ask some tips from a guide if you're on an organised trip...
Pro tip
Lonely Planet
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