Updated: Don’t Snorkel In Hawaii After Flying | Another Drowning

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48 thoughts on “Updated: Don’t Snorkel In Hawaii After Flying | Another Drowning”

  1. You should find some physiological proof of flight travel relating to snorkeling deaths prior to peddling such a story. As a medical doctor I have to tell you, you have no proof for such a story. This is a gross extrapolation from scuba diving medical issues related to flights. But that is due to significant changes of partial pressures affecting the compresses gasses in a dive tank. That phenomenon is well documented. But not relatable at all to simple snorkeling. You should correct your post and reframe from displaying mis-information.

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  2. My boyfriend almost died off Black Rock Beach from ROPE-per his MD at Maui Memorial Medical Center. We flew in, drove up & down Haleakala (twice-bike ride the 2nd trip) and snorkeled several times. Our big mistake was going around Black Rock & thank God we had our phones in waterproof waist bags And we stayed together. We barely got him onto the rock in the first place, he “couldn’t breathe” & was very weak. Called 911 & Maui’s amazing rescue guys found us on a rock. He was still talking & looked good But his pulse Oxygen level was 84. He spent the night at Maui Memorial with some oxygen level issues, by the next day all was normal. Note-he is a brass musician with abnormally large lung volume which may have saved him. We are both in our 60’s & out of shape but with lots of experience swimming.

  3. Aloha! I bought a full mask snorkel that doesn’t have the tube that goes up above the water. I’ve been reading bits & pieces that there may be a connection between snorkel drowning & low 02 from the masks. I will use it for Very limited time when I snorkel. I think there needs to be real studies on this. Mahalo & have a great day!

  4. In Bali and Costa Rica many tourists drown as well.People on vacation can be less cautious and many of them have little knowledge of the power of the ocean.

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  5. Hi guys , I see this sad incident is hitting All the news wires . I would be curious if the police are able to figure out who the thieves were, I imagine the police have suspects as this theft of personal belongings and cars is nothing new .

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  6. Safety advice for Snorkelers from the Snorkel Safety Study
    • If you can’t swim, don’t snorkel
    • Familiarize yourself with your equipment in shallow water
    • If you have a heart condition, consider not snorkeling
    • Avoid snorkels with constricted airways. Simpler the better
    • Swim with a buddy
    • Keep an eye on your buddy
    • Stay where you can touch the bottom
    • Be confident before moving to deeper water
    • Check your location frequently. Every 30 seconds.
    • Do not exercise or increase exertion while breathing through a snorkel
    • If you suddenly become short of breath or fatigued signal for help and get out of the
    water immediately
    • Consider waiting 2-3 days after extended air travel before snorkeling

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    1. All wise advice. I hope many people read your post. I was in Mexico on a snorkeling excursion out of Cozumel with two other people. We were taken a few miles from shore to snorkel. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I and a buddy kept swimming farther and farther from the boat without realizing we were drifting away. Thankfully another friend who joined us had swam back to the boat. The tour operator wanted to leave. Our friend kept telling the operator he could not leave because two people were still in the water. Thank God our friend was on board the boat to make sure it did not leave without us.

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  7. If it this bad tourist should not snorkeling at all! Gear is key! All the cheap kits should be illegal to sell! That cheap snorkeling kit is rubbish! I spearfish and my not beat but its good gear cause it’s my life! My mask is $85 fins $150 wetsuit $350 weight $50 gloves $20 ect. Also took classes on diving and breathing maybe tourist need to take classes. Also tides, current, swelles, wind, moon, time of day, color of water, play a part!

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  8. Thanks for the june 9 update on this subject . Using extreme caution in any water activity in hawaii is probably the best plan . Once I saw a family of 4 on inner tubes being pulled out to sea and not aware of the red flags on beach warning of dangerous current.Not sure if this is correct but I was told any military member doing body surfing in hawaii could face disciplinary action . Too many military members have been severely injured body surfing in hawaii . Obviously some beaches like Sandy beach are extremely dangerous. Use caution in ocean in hawaii and never go in ocean after drinking .

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