Do you dive with a snorkel?

[scywin]

I have one of the folding snorkels in the pocket of my BC. If someone on a boat asks, I have it. If I ever needed it, I could use it, but it is not the world's best performing snorkel. Generally on the surface I float on my back.

If I am intending to go snorkeling, I use a different snorkel.

 

[DennisS]

I do a lot of beach diving and always have my snorkel on my mask. I inflate my wing and float on my back with the snorkel until I get to where I'm going.

I've never run out of air on a boat dive but I sure would want a snorkel if I did, swimming upcurrent into a 3-4 ft chop without one would suck.

I wear it on the unapproved right side so it doesn't get in the way of my inflator. It swivels and I just flip it out of the way when I'm using the reg.

If I did caves or wreck penetrations, I'd take it off.

It works for me the way I dive.

 

[khel]

For dives with long surface swims....

 

[Big Blue One]

... when I need to and when I can. Good air supply on surface and for some reduces the stress sometimes felt from the reg.

I take it off on wrecks and will tend to take if off in ripping currents.

Personal choice - some schools teach with it but give up on charters that require it.

 

[element]

I checked mostly on the poll as I like to snorkel around while waiting in the water for the others to get in when I shore dive up in NE. I get hot quick in my dry suit and like to get into the cold water right away durring the summer months. When I was in warm water recently drift diving I stuck the snorkel in my pocket after the first day. 90% of time its's on my mask, 10 % it's in a pocket. Always with me so far. May change , may not

 

[BluJuJu]

Maybe it's because I'm an old NAUI diver certified in the primitive '70s, but I've always dived w/ a snorkel, usually in kelp infested waters and have never gotten it tangled. It's just a habit now to pop the surface, spit my reg, and snorkel to the boat.

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Do a search via the word 'snorkel.' You'll find countless prior threads on this issue...

 

[Washy]

I used to dive with the ol' snork attached, thinking that it was a valuable bit of kit - it just gets in the way...

Leave the snorkle for snorkling that what I say...

 

[scottsthillier]

I feel that it is a good tool to have and may be useful sometime. I agree that it is generally not useful on "most dives". It is easy to store on your person and can remain there almost un-noticed if you stick it in the rite place! Just my .02.

 

[Wristshot]

because I always have my snorkel mounted on my mask. I was taught that way, and old habits are hard to break, good ones and bad ones.

I like many of the opinions given here, and I particularly agree with Scubascott and PhotoTJ.

I like to use the snorkel at the surface to conserve air before the descent. Some of that is habit, some of it is trying to squeeze every extra second more of bottom time out of a tank without compromising saftey margins. Many of my dives are in Monterey Bay where 3 foot swells are considered "calm seas". I go the extra wuss level by having a "dry" snorkel, but I haven't "swallowed a gobful of blue water" yet.

I have thought about removing the snorkel from my mask, and carrying one in a pocket, but it hasn't happened yet.

(Anecdotal info) By the way, there are places in Southern California where you can be cited if you dive without a snorkel, so the foldable snorkels are very popular there.

Wristshot