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39 thoughts on “A Connection Between Hawaii Snorkeling Drowning and Air Travel?”

  1. This unfortunate drowning was a man in a snorkel mask not described as a mask and snorkel.
    If correct, this is the full face mask described as easier to use and offered at Costco and rental snorkel shops.
    I am a PADI Divemaster and a former recovery diver for the National Park Service.
    My opinion is the situation of breathing recycled stale air in the full face mask when they are not breathing deeply
    From Surface Air.
    That explains to me why there is little or no struggle.
    They just Nod Out.

    A couple of years ago this was studied on Maui.
    They were tracking drowning events and types of masks.
    Then , you could rent them or buy them at a kiosk.
    Kids and adult size.
    I never heard a decision.

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  2. My brother had talked to one of the lifeguards when he was there and they implied that a big cause of rescues was the full face snorkel mask.

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  3. This is completely anecdotal, but I can almost guarantee that these deaths are mostly caused by those terrible masks that combine a snorkel into it such that your entire face is covered. I bought one from Costco for a trip to Hawaii and while using it, I had to lift it off my face every minute or less to catch my breath. I returned it as soon as I got home.

    Any time you snorkel you increase the “dead-air space” that you breathe in. These mask/snorkels must have a much higher volume of dead air than a regular snorkel resulting in a much higher percentage of carbon dioxide being inhaled. I recommend no one use those types of masks, Especially kids.

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  4. Thank You BOH, this informative article may help save lives. I say “may” due to the fact that many will believe that it can’t and won’t happen to them and that attitude contributes to the mortality rate. I’ve heard of drowning deaths, all ages, in fresh water due to cramping, over exertion, heart attacks and other causes. On another note, there Are Snorkels that Do Restrict water from entering.

    1
  5. I think the biggest contributor to ocean deaths in Hawaii is tourists don’t appreciate the difference between swimming in the ocean and their pools, lakes and ponds in middle mainland. They think that they are strong swimmers and don’t appreciate the differences between their local pond back home and Makapuu beach on Oahu. When we were kids we pulled several bodies from the surf at Sandy Beach and Makapuu. There were signs there warning “Servicemen” to stay out if the water.

    Somehow, we need a more effective method to educate visitors of the differences of swimming in the ocean and the more controlled environments they swim in at home.

    Aloha

    5
    1. Tourists around the tropical world snorkel right after getting off the plane without creating a high drowning rate in other regions. Sorry, not buying it.

      3
  6. Re snorkeling. Those one piece masks don’t allow enough air flow and have been linked to deaths. If you try to swim hard and snorkel you might not get enough air flow. They are death traps. Better to get a two piece high quality silicone mask and snorkel set. You won’t have that low capacity intake problem. Do some research and see what I mean.

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  7. I’ve snorkeled hundreds of times at dozens of locations in Maui. The first thing I check is the Maui Snorkel Report before I even take my snorkel out. It gives you a pretty good idea of whether or not you should even consider snorkeling on any particular day. I have seen many inexperienced snorkelers going too far out wearing the full face masks that are known to trap carbon monoxide inside the mask eventually causing serious breathing issues and loss of energy needed to return to shore. One time I had to flag down a kayak to rescue a woman who appeared to be near drowning. It’s better to stick to the basic old fashioned snorkel design.

    9
  8. Unfortunately this occurs all too often with visitors to Hawai’i and possibly the cause is ROPE-Rapid Onset Pulmonary Edema as your article states.  Carol Wilcox of Oahu did a phenomenal study on this a couple years ago. The Snorkel Safety Study website has very useful info about this. snorkelsafetystudy.com/ She and I have talked about this at great length and it is a very interesting topic. As a snorkeler and diver myself and a frequent visitor to Hawai’i, I have changed my snorkeling habits after I learned about this.

    4
  9. I was sorry to read about the drowning at Anini, my favorite snorkeling beach. I’d be curious to know if any of these ROPE deaths are possibly related to the type of mask being worn? I have heard the full face masks are not safe and can cause asphyxiation, but I have seen many tourists at Anini wearing them. Thanks for another informative article, guys.

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  10. Did anyone keep track of the deaths that were full face masks instead of the traditional eye/nose mask? The full face one never looked too safe to me.

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