Gold Sniping Snorkel Recommendations

[northern_sierras]

I spent a day on the feather river gold sniping for the first time.. The mask i bought here...Amazon.com: Cressi Scuba Diving Snorkeling Freediving Mask Snorkel Set, Black: Sports & Outdoors fogs up nearly constantly and water gets inside of it. I burned the crap off the lenses and it helped but not enough. I had to drain the water out of the mask and spit on the lenses damn near every 4 min or so.Does anyone have any recommendations on a good snorkel for sniping? Do i need to have one custom fit to my face?

As far as sniping is concerned, do you guys just seek out cracks in the bedrock, or is there other things you look for? It seems the only gold i found today was in a bedrock crack that was hardpacked in.

 

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[beekbuster]

you found a good crack. put toothpaste on the inside lens. leave a film but also use the toothpase to clean the lense.

 

[Lanny in AB]

Not all masks fit all faces the same.

When trying on a mask, put the mask on your face (let the strap just hang below the mask). Suck air through your nose (not your mouth), then hold the breath you sucked through your nose and see if the mask stays stuck on your face through the inhaled suction. If it quickly loses suction, it doesn't fit your face properly. If it stays stuck, that's a good sign.

Go to a sporting goods store and try a bunch on in the aforementioned manner until you find a style that will stick to your face. As well, be sure to shave cleanly before trying on masks or before snorkeling.

The mild abrasive in the toothpaste removes a thin manufacturing coating from the lens, but it won't scratch it, and as mentioned above, it will help so that the lens doesn't fog by letting anti-fog saliva stick to it, or you can buy anti-fog drops from a scuba shop or online.

If you use spit, make sure you smear it completely around on the inside of the lens with your fingers to ensure the entire lens surface gets a coating of nature's anti-fog concoction, then rinse it gently in the water before you put the mask back on your face. Quickly enter the water so as not to heat the air in your mask too much before you submerge in the river.

Moreover, make sure the strap is tight enough, but not too tight.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[Hoser John]

NO SPIT as your other end is biologically cleaner than your mouth. Infections are nasty. Nothing works near as good as a tiny blob of toothpaste,rub all around,rinse good put it on immediately and your minty fresh smelling and NOT buger bad. Leaks?? got a mustache? trim /remove or a little dab of vaseline works just fine worked into it. GREAT snorkles out now that seal off when submerbed with a purge valve(just like your mask should have) and keeps nasty bug/biologics filled water out of your mouth as river /creek crud give you a amazing array of gastronomical maladies that requires 2 antibiotics for 10 day and NO SUN or your done--John

 

[Lanny in AB]

NO SPIT as your other end is biologically cleaner than your mouth. Infections are nasty. Nothing works near as good as a tiny blob of toothpaste,rub all around,rinse good put it on immediately and your minty fresh smelling and NOT buger bad. Leaks?? got a mustache? trim /remove or a little dab of vaseline works just fine worked into it. GREAT snorkles out now that seal off when submerbed with a purge valve(just like your mask should have) and keeps nasty bug/biologics filled water out of your mouth as river /creek crud give you a amazing array of gastronomical maladies that requires 2 antibiotics for 10 day and NO SUN or your done--John

Many hundreds of ocean dives, many hours dredging (though not as many hours dredging as you for sure John) and never had a problem with my own saliva, but it's good to know that it does affect some people. So, thanks for the heads-up, and that may be why companies make commercial anti-fog drops and sprays for those that have problems with their own saliva; now it makes sense to me.

All the best,

Lanny