forget your snorkel?

[Eckart]

on a recent dive trip I forgot my snorkel at my car.... needless to say it was a long way to my car and I thought it would be fine to try and dive without my snorkel... it was so difficult... but as luck would have it there was a reason I watched hours and hours of MacGywer  when i was younger! I made myself a snorkel out of some kelp...
and it worked great!
some problems is that you have to use the younger kelp to make one (because it's alot more flexible to slide and bend into your mouth!) but it can't be made out of the ends because they are to narrow making breathing and clearing really difficult... needless to say it could have been a terrible dive but I ended up really enjoy the dive and could appreciate the importance of not forgetting your snorkel!

 

[braailegend]

Just watch out, there are some foul bakteria/fungi in kelp which can affect your lungs. One of my friends had big problems with his lungs after he got it by blowing and whatever through some kelp. The doctors said its a common thing found inside kelp tubes

 

[jensent]

I kept a piece of kelp in the garage for years that i cut at Cape Maclears, and got my crayfish quota out with.

I used very hard, dry kelp, though and found that I struggled as it got softer - holding it in with my teeth, it closed more so I couldn't inhale later.  I had quite a sore mouth by the end of it, and couldn't breathe once it got soft - dunno how you did it with fresh kelp?

 

[Eckart]

Somehow it worked perfectly... didn't even use my teeth to hold it... next time I'm out with my camera I'll take a photo....