Do you dive with or without your snorkel attached and why?

[simbrooks]

I presume your concern was based on the fear that we would end up in an incident report having perished in the Milwaukee Car Ferry or some other venue clearly beyond our experience and readiness ... hope I have cleared that up!

Much clearer, just hate hearing of folks charging through training like its a right to become tech divers after they get certified. It seems you are taking your time and working up to it. I dont know that wreck, but have yet to dive the Great Lakes nor in fact any real wreck penetration beyond swim thrus, i will head back in a hundreds of feet in a cave, but dont trust ships yet

There are also wrecks you can shore dive to hereabouts, definitely good to have the the snorkel for (200 yards out, face down looking for the wreck, you see). Those who don't have pocket snorkels certainly don't want to take them into the entanglement hazard area, so clipping them to the reel anchor point seems eminently sensible, and also serves as just one more clue for the clueless that might happen by that the line is active and not a souvenir to take home or something to play with.

It's not that hard to do, and if I didn't have the dexterity and buoyancy control to do this with the snorkel, I expect I should indeed practice more before going inside with a reel . It certainly is a good entry-qualification test ...

If you dont know where you site is then maybe that is a use for a snorkel, i have found a quick roll over from my back and dip of the head will tell me if i am there, cant believe you can see that deep, nice clear water? As for the clipping off, it wasnt the action of doing it that would make for a funny picture, its what i would think if i came across that situation if i were outside the wreck - seeing snorkels tied up/clipped on to the line, would just look kind of an oxymoron as i havent really seen any wreck divers wearing snorkels due to the same issues discussed above, particularly using the long hose and more than likely doubles and the hassle of the thing slapping you in the head all the time when you arent using it. In general put it in a pocket if you want to use one.

 

[Diver0001]

I see a lot of divers without their snorkels, new divers tend to have them attached, and was wondering if the more experienced divers were not using them becsuse they didn't want to look like a newbie, or just don't see the need for them. How anybody would not wear one doing a drift dive is puzzling

I dive a Hogarthian configuration and the snorkel gets in the way of deploying the longhose. If I must take it (like when I'm assisting) then it's stowed.

R..

 

[MSilvia]

there are quite a few days where you can't even see that 5' ... not quite paradise

Good... you almost had me jealous.

 

[BigboyDan]

I always use a snorkel - I'm a Divemaster and need to convey exellent diving skills to those of whom I am responsible. A snorkel can be of paramount necessity at surface in seas, for all the reasons that you should know. I carry a folding snorkel, stowed, when diving wreck, cave, or kelp.

 

[mech]

I don't use one anymore but I did when I wasn't comftorble kicking out on my back.
If it makes you comfy then go for it.
The only reason I can see to use one woulkd be if the plan goes bad like if you had to kelp crawl back or if you had some serious distance swimming to do.
One of the most experianced divers I know wont even do a boat dive with out one but I think he's been in some harsh military enviorments.

 

[lamont]

The second arguement is over whether you want an additional safety measure (which the pocket version seems to solve).

I still haven't seen a good argument in favor of snorkels as a safety measure. They seem to be an answer for bad gas management and/or lack of redundant equipment.

 

[RP Diver]

I've worn a snorkel since I was certified, and will likey do so as along as I can still dive. Contrary to the opinions of many here, it doesn't get in the way, it has never unseated my mask, I don't try to inflate my BC with it . Since most of my diving is on trips to warm places, with generally good to excellent visibility, I like to hang out on the surface watching what's happening 50 or 60 feet below me. One of my best dives ever, playing with juvenile sea lions in the Sea of Cortez, max depth was 20 feet, and most of the dive was no more than 15. We stayed there until we had less than 100 pounds of air left, and hung out a while longer on snorkel until the critters finally went off, then had to swim at least a quarter mile around the end of the main island, under a natural bridge, and then across the anchorage bay to the boat. On that dive the snorkel was invaluable. I have had plenty of times when I spent quality time on snorkel before or after a dive.

And I too bought a "dry" snorkel. In fact this is my second one, and I wouldn't have anything else. It works. Stays relatively dry even in heavy chop, and is effortless to clear when it does have water in it, like coming up from a free dive.

 

[OE2X]

Never wear one except when I don't have diving gear on and want to paddle around on the surface - snorkeling.

ScubaFreak and BigboyDan I guess you guys have never tried to deploy a long hose with a snorkel on? If you did then you would see the limitations. Since I went Hogarthian, I haven't used a snorkel and frankly even if I changed my style back to a PADI style diver, I still don't see the need for it...

 

[MSilvia]

Contrary to the opinions of many here, it doesn't get in the way

So, any snorkle-related problems I might have encountered when deploying a long hose while air-sharing in crappy conditions are figments of my imagination because after you breathe your tank to 100psi on a shallow vacation dive you want to be able to snorkle 1/4 mile back to the boat. Am I understanding that correctly?

No offence, but I'd have thought a divemaster would have better gas management habits.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Are you diving or snorkling??? Some people like them on long surface swims.........