Do you wear a snorkel?

[The Logic Theorist]

Being a novice diver, I sometimes pay attention to what people around me are doing to try to find cues for things that weren't taught in courses. On my last boat trip, I noticed no one else was suiting up with a snorkel attached to their mask. I thought about it, and our instructions for entering and exiting the water were to keep the reg in from the time we strode off the boat until the time we were back on the platform with our fins removed. So, I figured people weren't taking them as they weren't going to be used at all in the dive.

I thought maybe this was unique to this boat or to boat diving in general, but then I saw some people posting things about snorkels being for newbies.

But I also thought about what would have happened on my boat dive if I had somehow lost the line and had to free ascend, due to one of the 2 million OMG YOU'RE GOING TO DIE disaster scenarios and had to wait for the boat to pick me up, and realized that had I been LOA or otherwise had to wait a long time, being without a snorkel would have been a pain in the *** at best, and a potential problem in really choppy seas.

So, do you still bring one? Only on certain dives? Why or why not?

 

[Dave Zimmerly]

This subject has been debated many times before on this board. Do a search and see what other divers have said.

Regards,
Dave (aka "Squirt") http://www.scubaboard.com/images/smilies/deadhorse.gif

 

[The Logic Theorist]

My bad, I didn't come up with anything really relevant on a search.

 

[kirwoodd]

I missed all the other debates...
I dont wear one, and it bugs me to no end.
SO, why dont I wear one? Wearing one bugs me to no end....

I just cant win.

 

[The Logic Theorist]

Well, now that I've posted the thread, there appear to be 2 in "similar threads" at the bottom.

So, looks like I'm off to read

 

[J.R.]

Yep... every dive.

RATIONAL:

1: It's just habit...
2: It's handy for breathing in chop when ya' don't wanna' sip off yer' tank...
3: My dive-buddy wife likes it because she can find me easy on the surface...
4: Nice for suface snorkelin' in the shallows (look down... see da' fish?)
5: I'd feel nekked' without it
6: It's yellow... adds nice contrast to my black/blue color coordination look (sorta')
7: It's MY snorkel and I can bloody well wear it if I wanna'...
8: I like snorkels... it's kinda' like a security blanket...
9: My snorkel likes me... (it's a very mutual association...)

and

10: It doesn't hurt anything to wear it...

... my two PSI

 

[SteveFass]

You may find this interesting. I was taught to wear one in OW (probably like everyone else), used it for my first dozen dives, learned at SB that I won't get a ticket if I don't use it, and from then on didn't use it.

Earlier this summer I took a SSI Deep Diver class (recreational) from a shop I hadn't dove with before, and the instructor (an old salt who supposedly is very respected, has decades of wreck diving experience in the Northeast including deco diving) gave me no end of grief for not using a snorkel! He also didn't like by BCD (it was a back inflate, not a vest style).

 

[Mountain Dog]

I take my snorkel when I'm boat diving, beacuse as JR says, it's handy when hanging out on a choppy surface and I want to leave my psi's in the tank.

I don't take it on quarry dives because I'm never more than a few kicks away from shore.

Mountain Dog

 

[Cacia]

yes.

yes.

yes.

make sure it is a good simple one, no folds, valves, etc. (one that works, and that you can clear easily)

 

[lmorin]

What do you mean by 'wear?" I have found a very pleasant compromise to the traditional "on your mask strap" location by rigging a storage spot on my BCD behind my right shoulder (top point is a loop of bungee cord attached to the weight pocket), extending to the bottom of the BCD where an octo holder (made from more bungee) holds the mouthpiece. The snorkel is almost completely out of sight (hidden by the overlying bladder), but easily removable with one hand. Out of sight, out of mind (at least, until needed).