Editorial: Saying no to full-face mask

Sometimes, plain old common sense dictates the business decision, not government regulation.

A growing number of snorkeling-tour companies are banning the trendy full-face snorkel mask, due to rising concerns about its safety and possible link to mishaps. The full-face masks have grown popular because they allow snorkelers to breathe fairly normally via nose or mouth, as opposed to the traditional eye-nose mask with separate mouth-breathing tube.

But anecdotal incidents have water-tour operators concerned, and several have banned the full-face snorkel masks, including the Pride of Maui and the Hawaii Ocean Project in Lahaina. And Bob Wintner, whose Snorkel Bob’s rents snorkel gear but not the full-face version, was adamant in his appraisal: “We did buy one and test it, and it proved to be a terrible thing.”

Two of the most recent full-face-mask incidents occurred just this month: a Texas man, 64, died while snorkeling in flat waters off Kaanapali Beach; and a Canadian man, 33, was found unresponsive at Hanauma Bay.

Of course, Hawaii’s record tourism numbers do mean more people at beaches, which increases the potential for mishaps. From 2009-2018, Hawaii averaged 21 fatal drownings among snorkelers each year, the majority being visitors. The number of annual fatal snorkeling drownings nearly doubled between 2014 (16) and 2018 (31), state stats show.

A state committee was formed several years ago to review whether snorkeling equipment was a contributing factor to drownings, but has yet to draw conclusions. Meanwhile, check out the state’s hioceansafety.com website, which educates about drowning risks. Better safe than sorry.