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Snorkel and mask

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  • 18-07-2013 11:47pm
    #1
    from_atozinc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,943 ✭✭✭


    Hello

    Not sure if this is the correct forum for this and I will probably get sneered as I'm not a scuba diver ; )

    Anyway,
    I'm just a learner swimmer and would like to buy a snorkel and mask to help me with my swimming. i.e. to allow me to concentrate on my arms and legs first without having to concentrate on breathing ( well for a while anyways )


    What kind of anorkle and mask should I buy. I see some of them have a thing that covers the nose, one have a thing to stop water ingress etc.

    Which one would you recommend for my situation ?


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    #2
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    Did you know that if you turn up to do your driving test in an automatic car, then the license you get will only allow you to drive automatics?

    It's the same with swimming. If you learn how to swim with a snorkel, then you will know how to swim with a snorkel. You still won't know how to swim. You want to learn how to swim, not how to swim with a snorkel.

    No swimming teacher worth their salt would allow you to use a snorkel and mask in classes. Goggles, yes. But a mask and snorkel, no way.

    Forget the mask and snorkel, and learn how to swim in the same way that humans have been learning how to swim for millions of years. Despite what your mother told you, you are not special and unique. You can learn how to swim like the rest of us.

    Once you can swim, then start thinking about the mask and snorkel to appreciate the underwater world.


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    #3
    from_atozinc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,943 ✭✭✭from_atozinc


    locum-motion wrote: »
    Did you know that if you turn up to do your driving test in an automatic car, then the license you get will only allow you to drive automatics?

    It's the same with swimming. If you learn how to swim with a snorkel, then you will know how to swim with a snorkel. You still won't know how to swim. You want to learn how to swim, not how to swim with a snorkel.

    No swimming teacher worth their salt would allow you to use a snorkel and mask in classes. Goggles, yes. But a mask and snorkel, no way.

    Forget the mask and snorkel, and learn how to swim in the same way that humans have been learning how to swim for millions of years. Despite what your mother told you, you are not special and unique. You can learn how to swim like the rest of us.

    Once you can swim, then start thinking about the mask and snorkel to appreciate the underwater world.

    Yeah. I know the driving test thing.

    Suppose you wouldn't allow learner swimmers use a float either : )

    I'm not saying I'm special and unique, I'm just saying at the grand age of 35 it is very difficult to learn to swim and there are so many things that you have to think of. All I was doing was asking could this be an aid to maybe help me.

    You probably learnt when you were young and its second nature to you but when you try and do this at 35 its a totally different story.


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    #4
    Zulu
    Registered Users Posts: 10,965 ✭✭✭✭Zulu


    AFAIK, most pools don't allow you to use a snorkel and mask. ...for "modesty" reasons.

    If you want to learn how to swim, forget the snorkle. Also, the mask will prevent you from breathing through your nose. Which will counter what you should be learning when swimming.


    ...but to answer your question: ebay, amazon, ...and the cheapest one available.


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    #5
    Ronnie Beck
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,452 ✭✭✭Ronnie Beck


    Swimming normally and breathing through a snorkel is pretty hard. Swimming is all about controlling and timing your breathing so it wouldn't help much really.


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    #6
    yankinlk
    Registered Users Posts: 2,731 ✭✭✭yankinlk


    ditch the swimming - its no fun anyway.

    Buy the snorkel, buy the mask, buy the fins - leave yer arms at your sides (u dont need use them with fins) and ENJOY! Swimming is work. Swimmers say they are having fun but they arent, don't believe them for a second.

    What area do you live in? most likely there is SCUBA club that would be delighted to have a snorkeler join their ranks.


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    #7
    from_atozinc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,943 ✭✭✭from_atozinc


    yankinlk wrote: »
    ditch the swimming - its no fun anyway.

    Buy the snorkel, buy the mask, buy the fins - leave yer arms at your sides (u dont need use them with fins) and ENJOY! Swimming is work. Swimmers say they are having fun but they arent, don't believe them for a second.

    What area do you live in? most likely there is SCUBA club that would be delighted to have a snorkeler join their ranks.


    Thanks for reply. Ah jays, I need to learn to swim before tackling snorkelling. Be the sounds of it snorkelling takes alot of practice also - for one not used to water.

    In in Dublin southside.


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    #8
    Zulu
    Registered Users Posts: 10,965 ✭✭✭✭Zulu


    from_atozinc wrote: »
    Thanks for reply. Ah jays, I need to learn to swim before tackling snorkelling. Be the sounds of it snorkelling takes alot of practice also - for one not used to water.

    In in Dublin southside.
    snorkeling is far easier than swimming


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    #9
    delos
    Registered Users Posts: 404 ✭✭delos


    from_atozinc wrote: »
    Thanks for reply. Ah jays, I need to learn to swim before tackling snorkelling. Be the sounds of it snorkelling takes alot of practice also - for one not used to water.

    In in Dublin southside.

    Take a look around for swimming classes for adults. Working with and training adults is completely different from working with and training kids and there should be instructors that specialise in working with adults.

    While she is a good bit older than you, my mother learned to swim in her late sixties, having been afraid of the water for most of her life. All it took was the right instructor....


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    #10
    from_atozinc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,943 ✭✭✭from_atozinc


    delos wrote: »
    Take a look around for swimming classes for adults. Working with and training adults is completely different from working with and training kids and there should be instructors that specialise in working with adults.

    While she is a good bit older than you, my mother learned to swim in her late sixties, having been afraid of the water for most of her life. All it took was the right instructor....


    Thanks for that. Yeah I think the right instructor is very important. Learning when young you don't give a damn but when older you tend to analyse everything, e.g. at this point where should my hand be, what angle, do I kick now or wait, when do I breath exactly, do I bend my arm a bit or keep it straight etc.

    On another note. The type of swimming I will do will be in a pool and also outdoors near the waters edge etc and in outdoor swimming pools abroad also.

    In regard to simple swimming goggles what lense colour would be best for bright and indoor conditions ?

    Aqua blue maybe or clear or something else ?


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    #11
    spaceHopper
    Registered Users Posts: 3,977 ✭✭✭spaceHopper


    yankinlk wrote: »
    ditch the swimming - its no fun anyway.

    Buy the snorkel, buy the mask, buy the fins - leave yer arms at your sides (u dont need use them with fins) and ENJOY! Swimming is work. Swimmers say they are having fun but they arent, don't believe them for a second.

    What area do you live in? most likely there is SCUBA club that would be delighted to have a snorkeler join their ranks.


    Ten people have lost their lives dudeto drowning in the last few weeks and we have people recommending that a noviceswimmer goes snorkelling. While you don’t need to be a fast swimmer or havegood technique to go snorkelling you do need have good water confidence. Whatif you breaks the strap of a fin, maskor lose the snorkel (all of which have happened to me) you need to be able to get yourself ashore.



    OP : Get goodlessons, in the mean time hit the pool and do breast stroke, front crawl, holdyour breath if you have to you should easily be able to do a length that way,then try taking a breath half way and keep working from there adding morebreaths.



    I use cheap smoked gogglesI bought in Ballinteer pool and that are fine, once they don’t leak anythingwill do .



    Have fun.




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    #12
    from_atozinc
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,943 ✭✭✭from_atozinc


    SpaceHopper

    Thanks for the reply, and yeah, I havent a notion of going near snorkelling until I can swim.
    And then as you say when you read about all these drownings, you want to be extra careful.

    " in the mean time hit the pool and do breast stroke, front crawl, " Problem is I cannot even do this really !!

    So in regard to me going to a public pool to "practice" swimming, as i said I cannot even do a length, I know that public pools just have people non stop doing lenghts etc

    Is there any pool in Dublin that caters for people that cant really swim and just want to practice.

    i.e. If I was in a public pool and there was people doing lengths, I would only get in the way of them as i cant even do a length and if I could do a length, I would be as slow as christmas.


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    #13
    spaceHopper
    Registered Users Posts: 3,977 ✭✭✭spaceHopper


    There is no problem going to a pool try the new broadford / ballinteer pool they have three lanes, slow, medium and fast. go in the slow on and you'll be fine after a while you'll be doing lengths, if you are a weak swimmer breast stroke is easyiest it do work on that as it can get you out of trouble.

    If they have an open swim you can usually do widths. You'd have less traffic in the deep end though, but if you stay close to the edge you can always touch off the wall if you need to. Same with the floats used as lane markets.

    Even bobbing around in the pool will improve your confidence in the water.


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    #14
    yankinlk
    Registered Users Posts: 2,731 ✭✭✭yankinlk


    I stand by my comments spacehopper. Even tho i was being tongue in cheek, i never suggested to swim alone or to jump in a quarry or even the sea. I actually suggested to seek out a club, which would provide the help and assistance including safety that is required. Jeez

    Op pm me if you want to find a club with pool time in your area or simply go to diving.ie and look up a club yourself. In 8 weeks time the dive clubs will all be starting winter training and access to a lane in a pool with the ability to wear all the kit will be there for anyone interested.


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