Are you a snorkle keeper?

[PhotoTJ]

Al Mialkovsky once bubbled...
I suspect one day the certifying agencys will actually ban the use of snorkles. They just don't make sense.

R-i-i-i-i-i-ght...

I dunno, all the reasons I hear for not wearing one , (c'mon, you tried to inflate with your snorkle? Know your gear! The threat of entanglment? What, you're diving in a gill net?), still don't outweigh the reason to have one.

At some point, you will need it.

 

[Padipro]

There are only two times I carry a snorkel

1. When I'm forced to by some dive boat captian.

2. If I'm doing a drift dive because I know I'll be on the surface for a while waiting for a pick up.

Other then those two reasons I never carry one. I mostly dive wrecks and having one on inside a wreck is asking for a flooded mask. I also have 100 cuft tanks and rearly have less than 1500 psi at the end of the dive so if I have to be on the surface for some unexpected reason I have plenty of air.

Scott

 

[DennisW]

I can't understand how the snorkel can be confused as a power inflator. It isn't anywhere close to the power inflator if it is clipped to your mask, and it is also nowhere near the dump valve line on my BC. I must be missing something, but even narc'd out of my mind (and I have been narc'd pretty good in the past) I've never mistaken my snorkel for my power inflator. However, I use my dump valve exclusively to release air from my BC. I doubt that except for my open water dive skills tests, I've never used the power inflator hose to dump air from my BC.

Just curious, not trying to start an argument.

 

[Bob3]

I almost always have a snorkel along, though its never on my mask while underwater for the obvious reasons.
I also wear mine on the right, a carry over from the double hose days.
We sometimes spend hours in the water getting towed around behind the boat while looking for bug habitat, sure don't want to waste a couple tanks of air in water that shallow.
Never could figure out those "back swimmers", too much stuff to run into where I go diving, or else you'd miss the good stuff you were looking for.

 

[diverbrian]

My power inflator on my doubles is on a short LP inflator hose (15" I believe) to minimize the bend in the line for venting. I rarely use the rear dump on my b.c. Typically, I look up and vent the air. As a result, the inflator in my doubles sits just a little off of my left shoulder. When a snorkel is clipped to a mask it happens to be in about the same position as that inflator. That particular power inflator is shaped like a small "T", if I am able to think clearly, I can tell between the two. However at this time, I was narced and had never been narced before. Try telling the difference by feel between things like this with a few beers in you on the fly. Better yet, obviously do not try it, because none of us dive when we are drinking. But, my point is when I am going to a deep depth, the simpler the equipment, the better to avoid any confusion if the mind gets a little "foggy." Besides, my air consumption and gas management is such that I seldom am low on air on the surface, even in recreational gear. I have plenty of air in my tanks and it tastes a whole lot better than diesel fumes from the boat when I am climbing back onto the boat with my regulator still in mouth.

 

[_Kurt_]

I know for a fact that you also keep a small SUV, a kitchen sink and a spare BC attached to your BC when you dive:rofL: !!!
Just kidding, but close!!!
Kurt

 

[Eco-Dive]

As for diving with a Snorkel, Never do I attach it to my Mask; it’s always in my left pocket of my BC. It doesn’t hurt to take it along; it’s good for getting the attention of your buddy (waving it). When swimming to the dive site, I am always on my back.
But it could also come in handy, so take it along and use your judgment.

Nathan

 

[Dryglove]

Here is my solution for surface swimming with no snorkel. In case your wondering, that is me at the top and ERP at the bottom of the pic.

 

[Braunbehrens]

lal7176 once bubbled...
Here is my solution for surface swimming with no snorkel. In case your wondering, that is me at the top and ERP at the bottom of the pic.

OK, here's my bet. When Lobos kelp is in full bloom, let's see how long it takes with and without a snorkel to swim all the way through the channel to the mouth of whalers.

Aside from it taking longer, it wastes a huge amount of energy to keep getting tangled in the kelp and having to untangle yourself.

In relatively kelp free water I agree, there is no need for a snorkel. Even in moderate kelp I don't bother with it, and certainly I don't use it when boat diving (which is 99% of the time).

As I said, I don't have my snorkel attached anywhere on my mask, when I bring it I put it in my pocket.

 

[ERP]

I haven't worn a snorkel since not long after my OW class, but then I did most of my diving until recently in the puget sound where Kelp isn't an issue.

I can see that using a snorkel to swim out with heavy kelp would be a plus. Although I usually like to take my time on the surface swim, unless the current doesn't want me where I want to be.

Braunbehrens, I'm interested in what sort of snorkel your using?, mine might fit in my DS pocket, but something more compact would be better.