This lovely couple died snorkeling on Maui on a calm day. *Full face snorkel masks are a grave risk to life* Do not use!

[mahina]

There are seemingly endless ways to die or be injured when we play in nature. This one is completely avoidable.

Being unaware of and not knowing how to get across rip tides, just getting tired, panic from seeing a shark or thinking you did, a zillion ways...

Always ask a lifeguard or someone who knows the area well what is happening that day.

Stop and watch the water for a while before going in.

Please for God's sake use reef safe sunscreen.

And definitely never use one of these terrible full face snorkels.
These terrible devices must be eradicated.

Coroner warns against full-face snorkel masks after fatality - Hurghada, Egypt
https://scubaboard.com/community/threads/coroner-warns-against-full-face-snorkel-masks-after-fatality-hurghada-egypt.632430/

Full-face snorkel mask causes IPO fatality
https://divemagazine.com/scuba-diving-news/full-face-snorkel-mask-causes-ipo-fatality

Snorkel Bob's, Hawaii's leading snorkel retailer refuses to sell them. Tour operator Hawaii Ocean Project won't allow their guests to use them, even if you bring your own.

Full-face snorkel masks raise safety concerns
in 2023 10 people had died at the time of filming

[LauraInLA]

1. This is a very sad story. It doesn't sound like it was definitely the full-face masks that were the problem, though?

[mahina]

2. Yah it was.

Lots of people have drowned with them.

We shall see.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. I Ggogled...

..."dangers of full face snorkel masks". I got at least 20 articles about why they're dangerous or incidents involving them. (From credible news sources.)
I'm going to agree with you on the risks of using these.

[LauraInLA]

6. Oh, how awful! I've only been snorkeling twice, once in Maui. I'll have to look up full-face masks.

I’ve always used the ones with a thing in my mouth, and I still suffered from anxiety.

[mahina]

8. I'm sorry to hear it. Posted links to more info above.

It's happened often here and I do not understand how anyone can sell them. Hawaii is ground zero for the snorkeling accidents from these. Listen to Ralph Goto who used to run the Hawaii Lifeguards for decades.

Full-face snorkel masks raise safety concerns
in 2023 10 people had died at the time of filming

[pat_k]

16. Risks of full faced masks include CO2 build up, . . .

. . .something about the breathing mechanism that causes people to take such small shallow breaths they suffer from hypoxia, and the design makes it difficult to clear water.

With enough lawsuits, perhaps they'll stop making and selling them altogether.

[obamanut2012]

3. They weren't

[mahina]

4. We shall see.

It was a calm day. Those masks have drowned many people.
I've added these links to the post:

These terrible devices must be eradicated.

Coroner warns against full-face snorkel masks after fatality - Hurghada, Egypt
https://scubaboard.com/community/threads/coroner-warns-against-full-face-snorkel-masks-after-fatality-hurghada-egypt.632430/

Full-face snorkel mask causes IPO fatality
https://divemagazine.com/scuba-diving-news/full-face-snorkel-mask-causes-ipo-fatality

Snorkel Bob's, Hawaii's leading snorkel retailer refuses to sell them. Tour operator Hawaii Ocean Project won't allow their guests to use them, even if you bring your own.

Full-face snorkel masks raise safety concerns
in 2023 10 people had died at the time of filming

I'm curious to know more about your decision, if you care to share. Mahalo.

[Fiendish Thingy]

7. I've snorkeled at Ahihi

It’s a beautiful, somewhat secluded site, that depending on the season and weather, can have strong tidal surges that can smack you against the rocks and coral if you aren’t familiar with the layout of the bay and aren’t aware of your surroundings. Because dolphins can frequent the area, some folks are tempted to go beyond the mouth of the bay, then get too tired trying swim back in.

I noticed the man in the photo has a beard, which is often a reason some folks try a full face mask, because their moustache causes water to leak in under the nose. Depending on the model of full face mask and the cut of the beard,, beards can also cause leaks.

Getting slammed by a surge and having your full face mask flood could certainly increase the odds of drowning.

Sad, tragic story.

[mahina]

14. word

[allegorical oracle]

9. Such a lovely family -- so sad. Have snorkeled all my life in Fla., and

have never seen anyone use a full-face snorkel. Can't imagine wearing one. Looks suffocating, especially as you exhale. Thanks for the warning, Mahina.

[mahina]

13. you bet

stay safe out there. Salt water heals, I really do believe. Aloha kaua allegorical oracle.

[LeftInTX]

27. Those things appear more comfortable than the snorkeling masks that press on your face.

Maybe they thought they were more secure?

I wonder if they were beginning snorkelers? It looks like it would appeal to beginners.

I have never snorkeled, beyond something in a pool or local river/lake. Our rivers here are usually only about four feet deep, they would likely be known as creeks in Florida and many other states. There are spots that are 6-8 feet deep, but that's where the water runs faster and there is less to look at on the bottom. Fish etc usually hang out in the wadable parts.

[Freddie]

10. A good friend died in a snorkeling accident

In the Bahamas. He was only 62.

[mahina]

12. I'm sorry to hear it.

We had losses during snorkel accidents before these things came on the market but when they arrived it skyrocketed.

[pat_k]

15. Risk of CO2 build up, hypoxia, hard to clear water. Why aren't these things banned?

[mahina]

17. precisely!

[mountain grammy]

18. It doesn't appeal to me, too claustrophobic.

[iscooterliberally]

19. I've never even seen those types of snorkel masks and I grew up in South Florida.

I once got to see a giant manta ray while snorkeling off of the Bahamas. It was surreal. I tried to keep up with it, but it flicked its tail and shot up over the reef. I started out being bummed because my friends were diving the James Bond wreck. I didn't have my card so I was only allowed to snorkel. My friends were all jealous of what I saw. They had been diving for way longer than I and had never seen a manta. They were a hundred feet down and missed the entire experience. Stay safe out there!

[mahina]

23. Thank you for that!

Two summers ago my swimming buddy and I drove up to Waimea bay and waited around for parking for an age. Had time to ask people how the water was...there were lots of dolphins that day! Grew up here, never saw anything even close to so many since I was little. Nobody I know has ever seen anything close to that many in the bay.

There was a bait ball of oama hiding under the catamaran anchored in the bay, and I swam out to see them. Found myself further out than I'd meant to go following the bait ball when a *gorgeous* bubble the size of a basketball rose from he deep right in front of my face, close enough to touch. It was unspeakably beautiful, blue light in the deep. Astonishing. What the heck?

Slowly as I reached for it, no less than 30 dolphins came into focus, paused, looking at me, all around me. I think they tried to get my attention to keep me from going out too far which I was just about to do.

Again, born and raised here, lived away for a bit during school but here for the whole time otherwise, swim at Waimea as often as possible, never in my life saw anything like it. I hope to God I never forget.

One day I will see a ray, I hope! Maybe out in Kona...you never know. Thank you for sharing your story. A hui hou, see you again. Salt water heals!

[iscooterliberally]

24. Nice!

I hope to visit Hawaii some day. I've been many places on the world, but I have never made it out that way. From your story, I would love to go see Waimea!

[ecstatic]

20. Wow. I can't believe that information wasn't being collected

Better late than never, I guess.

[Ms. Toad]

26. It may be being collected.

That comment was made by a grieving husband who offered the information to the coroner (and for no response). It is very likely that the coroner already had that information (rather than that they didn't want it/weren't collecting it).

[Disaffected]

21. Here's an excerpt from one of the articles which explains it:

"The larger volume of the full-face snorkel masks makes it more difficult to expel exhaled carbon dioxide from the mask, causing the wearer to breathe more heavily in an attempt to bring more oxygen-rich air into the mask. The increase in respiratory effort creates a pressure imbalance in the lungs, which exacerbates the effect of immersion pulmonary oedema."

IOWs, the CO2 level builds up in the mask as an insufficient fraction of exhaled air is expelled from the mask due to it's large retention volume.

I dunno, I've never used one but I imagine condensation of breath vapour on the inside of the mask could present another issue, depending on water temperature..

[pansypoo53219]

22. dry suffication. ooh. shmart.

[canetoad]

25. I'm glad you posted this

I snorkel in summer. I've seen those masks in the shops and wondered how good they were. This answers my question, so I won't be wasting money on one.

[Prairie_Seagull]

28. Where they rentals or where these fubar masks owned?

These masks should come with staunch warnings. I am not a fan. As a diver I have tried a lot of masks. Settled on a tri-view with of course a separate snorkel. When submerging while snorkeling one knows to stop breathing.

Law suits to follow, I am sure.

Diving and even snorkeling each have their risks. You will enjoy the time you spend doing either if you take it seriously and inform yourself.