Beginner Questions: Water Clarity & Fog

My family and I have started snorkeling and we absolutely love it. We just spent a few days in John Pennekampe and we're going on an Western Carrib tour in a few weeks. Roatan, Belize, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman.

I have a few basic question. So what affects water clarity so much? Is it rain, wind? One day at John Pennekampe, just off the beach, we could hardly see anything and two days later I could see 20 feet.

Second, of the four places above which are the best for snorkeling. Grand Cayman looks pretty amazing from the pictures. We're also considering West Beach in Roatan and I am still reading about Cozumel. Is the water/weather generally clear this time of year (I know weather can change at any time, just in general).

Finally, while snorkeling I can't seem to keep my mask free of fogging up. I have a new mask I got at a discount scuba place down in the keys (http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-TUSA-Sport-Snorkel-Silicone/dp/B00FRS6CLG/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1396365444&sr=8-11&keywords=tusa+mask+snorkel). The guy told me to wash my masks with toothpaste until my finger squeezed, then I use a couple drops of defogger, wet the mask, and then I don't touch it. But I was still fogging up a bit.

I also have no idea what self-purging mask is. I know how to blow/purge my snorkel, but the nose purge in my mask I'm not sure how that works.

Thanks!

Welcome to the world of water. I can’t and won’t pretend to be a snorkel expert, and I am sure the others who are snorkel pros on here will chime in shortly. However as a 30++ year diver who’s a divemaster, I can chime in on a few things.

You mentioned Pennekampe. If you’re a SoFL family, I can add a little about what impacts our visibility down here. So to answer the:

I have a few basic question. So what affects water clarity so much? Is it rain, wind? One day at John Pennekampe, just off the beach, we could hardly see anything and two days later I could see 20 feet.

.... the answer is "Yes." Down here it all does, although we tend to pay most attention to rain and surf conditions. If we have some higher tides and currents in the area, the visibility is often reduced for a few days after that – even in areas that are somewhat protected. There is no magic formula. If you become active snorkelers, get to know a dive shop where you are going to snorkel, and the day you’re going to snorkel give them a call and ask them if they have had any reports of the visibility near where you’re going. And download MagicSeaWeed on your smartphone for the current and forecasted surf conditions.

As for your cruise, I love diving Cozumel and Roatan (out of those 4) the best, but I cannot speak to the snorkeling. I will defer to others on the snorkeling. The viz was 150+ feet (without any exaggeration) last week in Cozumel.

Fogging is every snorkelers and divers dilemma. The guy at the shop offered some pretty common advice. All new masks have a film on them that must be (gently) scrubbed off. Many use toothpaste, the cheaper the better, for that. Defoggers arent good for the initial scrubbing, and they aren't designed for that. Good toothpaste can put micro-scratches on the lenses, thus I recommend cheap stuff. (remember, opinions are like..... and everyone has one). Many / most swear to never use toothpaste after that initial scrubbing. I have used the ultra high quality “Gleam” and “UltraBrite” for years on my Atomic mask and never had a fogging, or scratching, problem (plus my mask smells minty fresh). If that’s not your thing, there are some very good defoggers out there.

Self purging mask? I think they’re a total waste and encourage newbies and pros alike to breath through their nose, but everyone has their own opinion (see above on opinions!).

“Discount scuba place” in the keys? The Tusa makes a decent product, if it was fitted properly. Check some threads around here… especially from the divers… None of them will buy a mask without making sure it is a proper fit FOR YOUR FACE… A great mask for me may be total cr@p for you. That may be a reason for your fogging, although fogging just happens. Then we go back to the above, a decent defogger will make any dive/snorkel trip better. Also, I’d recommend to not even try to play with the self-purge. You trying to breath at all through your nose may be a part of the culprit. Again, I am speculating a bit here.

I know others with more snorkel experience will chime in… hopefully the conversation will get started soon!

Good for you getting the family involved in snorkeling. It's something you'll be asble to together for years....

Griff

Welcome to the world of water. I can’t and won’t pretend to be a snorkel expert, and I am sure the others who are snorkel pros on here will chime in shortly. However as a 30++ year diver who’s a divemaster, I can chime in on a few things.

 

You mentioned Pennekampe. If you’re a SoFL family, I can add a little about what impacts our visibility down here. So to answer the:

 

.... the answer is "Yes." Down here it all does, although we tend to pay most attention to rain and surf conditions. If we have some higher tides and currents in the area, the visibility is often reduced for a few days after that – even in areas that are somewhat protected. There is no magic formula. If you become active snorkelers, get to know a dive shop where you are going to snorkel, and the day you’re going to snorkel give them a call and ask them if they have had any reports of the visibility near where you’re going. And download MagicSeaWeed on your smartphone for the current and forecasted surf conditions.

 

As for your cruise, I love diving Cozumel and Roatan (out of those 4) the best, but I cannot speak to the snorkeling. I will defer to others on the snorkeling. The viz was 150+ feet (without any exaggeration) last week in Cozumel.

 

Fogging is every snorkelers and divers dilemma. The guy at the shop offered some pretty common advice. All new masks have a film on them that must be (gently) scrubbed off. Many use toothpaste, the cheaper the better, for that. Defoggers arent good for the initial scrubbing, and they aren't designed for that. Good toothpaste can put micro-scratches on the lenses, thus I recommend cheap stuff. (remember, opinions are like..... and everyone has one). Many / most swear to never use toothpaste after that initial scrubbing. I have used the ultra high quality “Gleam” and “UltraBrite” for years on my Atomic mask and never had a fogging, or scratching, problem (plus my mask smells minty fresh). If that’s not your thing, there are some very good defoggers out there.

 

Self purging mask? I think they’re a total waste and encourage newbies and pros alike to breath through their nose, but everyone has their own opinion (see above on opinions!).

 

“Discount scuba place” in the keys? The Tusa makes a decent product, if it was fitted properly. Check some threads around here… especially from the divers… None of them will buy a mask without making sure it is a proper fit FOR YOUR FACE… A great mask for me may be total cr@p for you. That may be a reason for your fogging, although fogging just happens. Then we go back to the above, a decent defogger will make any dive/snorkel trip better. Also, I’d recommend to not even try to play with the self-purge. You trying to breath at all through your nose may be a part of the culprit. Again, I am speculating a bit here.

 

I know others with more snorkel experience will chime in… hopefully the conversation will get started soon!

 

Good for you getting the family involved in snorkeling. It's something you'll be asble to together for years....

 

 

 

Griff

Thanks for the super informative response!

Just curious regarding fogging, when my mask fogs up I just pop my head up, rinse it out, and put it back on. I'm just snorkeling and it's only an annoyance taking me out of that magic water world I'm in for a minute or so. What happens when you're hundreds of feet down scuba diving and your mask fogs up? Is there anything you can do?

I don't think I'm breathing with my nose, I have the snorkel in my mouth but I suppose it's possible some air is coming out of my nose? I wasn't intentionally trying to breath through my nose or use the purge because i wasn't even sure what it did.

Here's hoping for great conditions when we get down there. 150'+ visibility must be amazing.

Discount place was probably Diver's Direct in Key Largo ... they carry a lot of TUSA. As mentioned they make some decent stuff so long as you don't buy their least expensive stuff.

When cleaning the mask the first time make sure you use a tooth PASTE and not a gel ... there is a difference in the abrasive. You may need to do this more than once, not unusual at all. I'm not a fan of 'defogger' aka 'artificial spit' ... good old spit works fine. But you need to reach back for the good stuff. Just saliva don't work . . .

Purge valve in the mask encourages exhaling thru the nose and that also causes fogging . . .

It wasn't Diver's Direct, it's before that (heading South). Kind of an outlet on the right hand side. Had tubs of cheaper stuff outside and then inside had a full dive shop. Not sure if the mask is good but I relaly liked it. Kept water out, it's much bigger than the other one I've used in the past (more glass, even on the sides which I really like) and it seems to fit. I have a slight amount of discomfort after snorkeling for a while between my nose and upper lip. Maybe I have it too tight, maybe that is a fit issue.

Why would I want to breath out through my nose, is there some advantage to that? Doesn't seem to make much sense?

So what affects water clarity so much? Is it rain, wind?

Lots of things. Recent rains can wash sediment down into the water, which causes the conditions to be much cloudier until they clear.

Active surf can kick up sand/sediment from the bottom and make the water cloudier. Of course, this is also affected by what's at the bottom. Sometimes it helps to move farther from shore, where the surf kicks up less stuff.

Currents and tides can also affect the cloudiness. I've heard a recommendation to snorkel when the tide is coming in, because that brings clearer water from the open ocean.

Second, of the four places above which are the best for snorkeling. Grand Cayman looks pretty amazing from the pictures. We're also considering West Beach in Roatan and I am still reading about Cozumel.

I've snorkeled several spots in Grand Cayman and one spot in Cozumel. I highly recommend either.

Cozumel has a spectacular reef that's probably a half mile off shore. (A boat takes you out.) There's a very strong current which provides very clear water. The reef is visually stunning. However, the reef (where we were) was 30' to 50' deep. Unless you're far better at diving down than I am, you're not going to get a close look at it.

Because of the current, you don't even have to swim. You just get off the boat and drift along as the current takes you on a tour of the reef.

Grand Cayman has several great sites you can swim to from shore. It also has some great ones that require a boat.

I also have no idea what self-purging mask is. I know how to blow/purge my snorkel, but the nose purge in my mask I'm not sure how that works.

That's mostly useful for people with mustaches (or other facial hair). The facial hair keeps the mask from fitting properly. Water leaks in. This gives them a method of getting it out.

I just make a point of shaving before I go out snorkeling.

Finally, while snorkeling I can't seem to keep my mask free of fogging up.

I don't think I'm breathing with my nose, I have the snorkel in my mouth but I suppose it's possible some air is coming out of my nose? I wasn't intentionally trying to breath through my nose or use the purge because i wasn't even sure what it did.

You're breathing through your nose without realizing it.

People normally breathe through their noses all the time. Even when you're breathing through your mouth, you're also breathing (a little bit) through your nose. About the only time we stop breathing through our noses is when we're completely congested with a head cold.

"Dat's why you soud fuddy whed you hab a cold."

You'll have to teach yourself how to intentionally avoid breathing through your nose. Even though I know how to avoid breathing through my nose, I still do it occasionally (by accident). It just gets easier with practice.

Hmm, I grew a beard about 6 months ago. Maybe I'll shave it off for my cruise. It's not often I get to snorkel these spots and i want to make the best of the experience. I never even thought of the beard affecting my mask fit.

Thanks for the super informative response!

 

Just curious regarding fogging, when my mask fogs up I just pop my head up, rinse it out, and put it back on. I'm just snorkeling and it's only an annoyance taking me out of that magic water world I'm in for a minute or so. What happens when you're hundreds of feet down scuba diving and your mask fogs up? Is there anything you can do?

 

I don't think I'm breathing with my nose, I have the snorkel in my mouth but I suppose it's possible some air is coming out of my nose? I wasn't intentionally trying to breath through my nose or use the purge because i wasn't even sure what it did.

 

Here's hoping for great conditions when we get down there. 150'+ visibility must be amazing.

Part of dive training is learning how to clear your mask underwater... You take it off (which of course floods it and takes care of the fogging), then put it back on, hold it so the bottom edge is slightly open and the top is sealed against your forehead, and exhale thru your nose. The air fills the mask and pushes the water out the bottom where you have it opened, when the water's out you seal the bottom back against your face.

My one warm-water dive was in Kauai. The charter called me a few days before we flew out there, to shuffle my arrangements because of the "terrible viz" they were getting after a big storm. "Terrible" for them, it turned out, was 50-60 ft... All the rest of my diving has been in Puget Sound around Seattle - anything above 15 ft is considered good, and above 30 would be terrific! Some of my dives have been pretty much end-of-my-arm viz... The time of year makes a big difference up here (algae/plankton blooms), no idea if that is an issue down there in the tropical waters.

Jim

Hmm, I grew a beard about 6 months ago. Maybe I'll shave it off for my cruise. It's not often I get to snorkel these spots and i want to make the best of the experience. I never even thought of the beard affecting my mask fit.

Well, that is very likely going to make a difference. Many mustache wearers put some lotion or Vaseline on their mustaches to help form a better upper lip seal with the mask.

But you need to reach back for the good stuff. Just saliva don't work . . .

Classic! LMAO, but very true...

I have snorkeled in Roatan, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman all just right off the beach and hands down I would vote Roatan is the best but both the others are good.

In Roatan, we went to Maya Key with the cruise excursion and the snorkeling was the best I have ever seen in the Caribbean or Hawaii and I have snorkeled all over both. The reef is amazing, very dense and tons of fish! The day we were there it was a bit over cast and windy with kind of a strong current, the viability was still great but we did get cut up on some coral because we were pushed into it by the current. I cannot imagine how great it is on a clear day.

In Cozumel we snorkeled right off the beach at Playa Palancar and although there is not a reef there were lots of fish and it was a good time. Same off of Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman.

If you go on a guided boat tour they will take you to the best places.

As far as fog I have always been fine with a defogger but I know on many snorkel boat tours we have been on they use baby shampoo and rub it around the mask then dip it once in the water.

I have a purge mask and hate it, I can't wait to get a new one. I don't see any benefit to it and it hurts my nose.

I have snorkeled in Roatan, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman all just right off the beach

there is not a reef there were lots of fish and it was a good time. Same off of Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman.

Don't try to snorkel at 7 Mile Beach in Cayman ... the reef is 3/4 mile off shore except at the 'ends'. Head to Eden Rock or Sunset House and the coral will be 'right there'

********

I shave my moustache for dive trips to get a good mask seal. It grows back fast . . .

and a p.s. on that cleaning of the mask with toothpaste .... you need to clean the ENTIRE inside, not just the lens' .... the chemical is all over everything and you want to get it off. A couple of good washes with DAWN and hot water is not a bad idea if you are still fogging.

I have snorkeled in Roatan, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman all just right off the beach

 

there is not a reef there were lots of fish and it was a good time. Same off of Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman.

 

Don't try to snorkel at 7 Mile Beach in Cayman ... the reef is 3/4 mile off shore except at the 'ends'. Head to Eden Rock or Sunset House and the coral will be 'right there'

 

********

 

I shave my moustache for dive trips to get a good mask seal. It grows back fast . . .

 

 

and a p.s. on that cleaning of the mask with toothpaste .... you need to clean the ENTIRE inside, not just the lens' .... the chemical is all over everything and you want to get it off. A couple of good washes with DAWN and hot water is not a bad idea if you are still fogging.

Thanks, I'll give the dawn a try. I only cleaned the glass with the toothpaste, not the entire inside.

Shaving just the mustache for the trip is a good idea but it will look a bit weird with the rest of my full beard. Not sure my wife would be thrilled for the formal night pics on the cruise, maybe after the first formal night :)

Water clarity is affected by the Turbidity or suspended particles in the water

This will explain it better than I can. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbidity

When you first get a new mask you have to remove the silicone residue from the manufacturing process. Take some toothpaste (not the gel) and put some on the inside of the lens of your mask. Then take a toothbrush and really scrub the toothpaste in. You won't hurt the mask. You may have to do this a couple of times. You will have to defog your mask every time before you use it. Make sure your mask is dry and then squirt some defog on the mask and rub it in with your finger.. If you aren't ready to use it right away, put some water in it to prevent the defog from drying out or you will have to start over. When your ready to use your mask, give it a quick rinse out and your ready to go. If you breathe through your nose while snorkeling, that will fog up your mask also.

For fogging, we use dishwashing soap. Bet the cruise line is trying to figure out why I have a small bottle of Joy in my luggage! It has always worked for us and its a tip we learned on one of our first snorkeling trips.