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Help! Can't snorkel!


jackalope12
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The second I put on the mask, which also covers my nose of course, I can no longer breathe through my mouth. I start choking and gasping. I am an otherwise normal person. I would love to be able to join my family on snorkeling excursions, but just can't do it. Any advice?

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The second I put on the mask, which also covers my nose of course, I can no longer breathe through my mouth. I start choking and gasping. I am an otherwise normal person. I would love to be able to join my family on snorkeling excursions, but just can't do it. Any advice?

 

 

Do you mean you physically cannot breath through your nose, or it is a mental thing? I totally understand the mental thing. When something covers your entire nose and mouth like that, your brain starts to panic.

 

If it is indeed a mental block, I would advise you to just keep practicing. Start using it out of the water. Use the snorkel without the mask and just practice breathing through your mouth. After you are comfortable with that, add the mask.

 

When you are comfortable with breathing with the mask on, try doing it in a bath tub or swimming pool.

 

Take deep, SLOW breaths. The main thing is not to panic.

 

Good luck!

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I bet it is mental. What if you smelled something really smelly and had to hold your nose closed, but breath through your mouth. :p Can you do that?

 

I kind of had the same problem. Getting certified for scuba, you are required to take your mask off underwater and breath only through the regulator. I always wanted to breath through my nose also, but that was exposed to the water so would always choke and have to surface. I just practiced in a big bowl of water and eventually got the hang of it.

 

Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...

These are all good suggestions. One thing you might need to check is the bore of the snorkel, how wide is the tube? You will be better off with a large bore snorkel as they are wider and easier to move the air through them. Because they are easier to breath with, you should have an easier time with it. I would second the suggestions to try it on dry land first and then try it in a swimming pool.

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The second I put on the mask, which also covers my nose of course, I can no longer breathe through my mouth. I start choking and gasping. I am an otherwise normal person. I would love to be able to join my family on snorkeling excursions, but just can't do it. Any advice?

 

You can still go -- just swim around with a swim mask and don't snorkel.

 

We seldom snorkel any longer but often take snorkel excursions. You still get to enjoy the sail part of it to lovely places. Often, it's amazing what you'll see just wearing swim mask. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~~

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Two options: Can you find a blow-up swim float with a clear plastic window to look thru?

 

My daughter used to love snorkeling, but 2 years ago got very sick, and was intubated for quite a long time. She now has problems using a mask, or even going to the dentist & using the oxygen over the nose mask.

 

On our next cruise, she will just use her swim goggles. Just covers the eyes, not the nose. She is fairly sure she can use a snorkel with her swim goggles. I suggested she might have to hold the snorkel in place, if it can't fit inside the goggle strap.

 

Find a public pool, and try things out before you cruise. Good luck....

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How good are you at holding your breath? My 4 year old (was 3 on her last 2 cruises this year) just used a mask, held her breath, and then looked under at all the fish until she needed to come up for air and then did it again. I've done that plenty of times too with no problems (even though we have our own equipment). Do you have any problems with holding your breath with the mask on?

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So-ooo, if you'd put on a snorkel/SCUBA mask and go face down in a Hot-tub while biting down on the mouthpiece of your snorkel tube and you try to inhale....you can't inhale air?? Or do you 'freak out' and feel like getting your face out of the water ASAP?? #1 scenario may be some sort of 'gag reflex' windpipe issue; but scenario is perhaps a mental claustrophobia/panic reaction. My wife can't SCUBA because of #2, but she LOVES to snorkel for hours...go figure. Locomotiveman TOM

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  • 4 years later...

Dredging up my old post so it might help others. This problem lingered through at least half a dozen cruises, but last time I just said enough is enough and did it. It was all mental. Every time I started to gag, I just stopped and breathed. Didn't give in to it. Eventually I stopped thinking and had a great time! It was 100% fear.

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When I was first snorkeling I had a similar reaction. I felt so anxious and my thoughts were "I can't breathe!" and my entire body tensed up (I'm not a swimmer either!).

 

Then a friend (a very patient friend) had me do some breathing exercises, and actually slowly repeat (in my head, like a mantra) "gently breathe, in and out, in and out" and after a short while (5 minutes or so) my entire body began to un-clench, and I began to enjoy the experience.

 

Last year I was due to snorkel after about a 10 year period of not doing so, and I was already worried about how I would do. I went, and reenacted the relaxation process and had a wonderful time. I will say this, I insist on either a "noodle" or flotation vest which takes the additional anxiety away.

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  • 3 weeks later...
why not try a full face mask. nothing in your mouth. order from Amazon and if you don't like it...no problem...easy returns

I was going to suggest that thinking it was a claustrophobia type reaction. I did start another thread about buying my wife one of those masks. She loves it.

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The second I put on the mask, which also covers my nose of course, I can no longer breathe through my mouth. I start choking and gasping. I am an otherwise normal person. I would love to be able to join my family on snorkeling excursions, but just can't do it. Any advice?

 

You might try using swim goggles. They will let you see clearly underwater. If the snorkel causes problems, don't use it. Just hold your breath when you want to get a little closer to the action.

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