i never wear one, i dont even posses one, i stick to the rule that if your in the water your reg stays in your mouth!! and before someone hits me with a reply about a surface out of air situation in rough sea , well a good diver should never let that happen!! hence no need for a snorkel they are awkward cumbersome and totally unecasary!!!
Snorkel
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What seemed to me initially to be a simple subject with a "personal preference" answer has turned into a bit more than that, and I sense a few misconceptions out there in the air...
First, a little history. When I started diving, no one that I knew or dove with had more than one tank, so a day's diving was one tank's worth. Air was truly precious. Our typical practice was to use only the snorkel on the surface - air was so scarce that we would snorkel over to directly above the site, hyperventilate a little and kick like hell for the bottom, only taking that first breath off the tank when we had to. Likewise, the switch to snorkel was immediate when reaching the surface. So, for me at least, the snorkel was an integral and important part of my early equipment - and I still carry one in open water today, where my role as an instructor often has me spending lots of time on the surface, and air is still precious.
Second, the presumption that you'll never need a snorkel on the surface in open water because of the way you dive is a bit naive.. statements like "a good diver should never let that happen" simply say "I've never had an "O" ring blow or had an out of air diver suck me dry at the end of my dive, or screwed up my navigation and ended up with a long, upcurrent swim to the boat - or, for that matter, had the boat screw up a drift dive pickup and leave me on my own for an hour."
All the arguments in the world one way or the other won't convince the die-hards, but an hour of sucking a little salt water every now and then will.
I'll continue to carry a snorkel in open water - at least in a pocket, ready to use.
Rick
First, a little history. When I started diving, no one that I knew or dove with had more than one tank, so a day's diving was one tank's worth. Air was truly precious. Our typical practice was to use only the snorkel on the surface - air was so scarce that we would snorkel over to directly above the site, hyperventilate a little and kick like hell for the bottom, only taking that first breath off the tank when we had to. Likewise, the switch to snorkel was immediate when reaching the surface. So, for me at least, the snorkel was an integral and important part of my early equipment - and I still carry one in open water today, where my role as an instructor often has me spending lots of time on the surface, and air is still precious.
Second, the presumption that you'll never need a snorkel on the surface in open water because of the way you dive is a bit naive.. statements like "a good diver should never let that happen" simply say "I've never had an "O" ring blow or had an out of air diver suck me dry at the end of my dive, or screwed up my navigation and ended up with a long, upcurrent swim to the boat - or, for that matter, had the boat screw up a drift dive pickup and leave me on my own for an hour."
All the arguments in the world one way or the other won't convince the die-hards, but an hour of sucking a little salt water every now and then will.
I'll continue to carry a snorkel in open water - at least in a pocket, ready to use.
Rick
egg007
Guest
Good for shore diving as conserves air and allows you to see where u are going.
However since i acccidently desended with my snorlel in my mouth instead of regulator and managed to do a breath hold till I found/recoivered my reg I no longer use a snorkel for boat dives
However since i acccidently desended with my snorlel in my mouth instead of regulator and managed to do a breath hold till I found/recoivered my reg I no longer use a snorkel for boat dives
I think I will continue to carry a snorkle when I dive "just in case..." (even though I don't use it). BUT, I can't stand the damned thing hanging from my mask!! A few of you mentioned attaching it to your BC's or putting it into a pocket. <-Are there any safety concerns about doing this? If not, I think I will go this route.
Fishkiller
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When I was at my LDS the new Sherwood Snorkel was shown to me it folds up and you can just place it in your BC when you don't need it..
TexasMike
Contributor
My buddy Corsair has one of the Sherwood Avid's that you mention. It does fold to a very compact design, and after using it for a few minutes on the surface, one that I definitely plan on adding to my gear bag!
greg somers
Guest
Come on Egg....you can't blame your snorkel for doing that and it is unfair to punish it by leaving it in the dive-bag.
The needs for a snorkel during boat diving are very apparent.Like Rick,I do alot of shore dives in remote areas where air is scarce or at least a drive away.I have snorkelled for over 2kms on the surface to get to and from a dive site to save air.In teaching it is invaluable to look down at your students performances without sucking back air and helps to rest on the surface when you are tired.The most relaxed position is not on the back but on the front with the head facing down and not extended up to the surface for gulps of air.As for the boat dives...when you are in a line to get to the surface in choppy conditions or in current the snorkel helps protect your breathing and you can concentrate on exiting safely with your companions.I have rarely been in flat calm conditions in my boat dives and there is just no replacing the snorkel.I have used it in caves and wrecks and it has saved my nog from a bump or 2 as it acts like cats whiskers and it hits objects before I do.
I don't see what the big deal is with not using one.Having a folded up one in a pocket is just another thing to lose.Mine's mounted on the left side of my mask and the only problen is my hair getting tangled in it and then I have to take the rest of the night to wash and condition it,blow and set and brush thouroughly so the image isn't tarnished...heheheh.Eat your heart out Fabio.....
Vidal Gasoon.
The needs for a snorkel during boat diving are very apparent.Like Rick,I do alot of shore dives in remote areas where air is scarce or at least a drive away.I have snorkelled for over 2kms on the surface to get to and from a dive site to save air.In teaching it is invaluable to look down at your students performances without sucking back air and helps to rest on the surface when you are tired.The most relaxed position is not on the back but on the front with the head facing down and not extended up to the surface for gulps of air.As for the boat dives...when you are in a line to get to the surface in choppy conditions or in current the snorkel helps protect your breathing and you can concentrate on exiting safely with your companions.I have rarely been in flat calm conditions in my boat dives and there is just no replacing the snorkel.I have used it in caves and wrecks and it has saved my nog from a bump or 2 as it acts like cats whiskers and it hits objects before I do.
I don't see what the big deal is with not using one.Having a folded up one in a pocket is just another thing to lose.Mine's mounted on the left side of my mask and the only problen is my hair getting tangled in it and then I have to take the rest of the night to wash and condition it,blow and set and brush thouroughly so the image isn't tarnished...heheheh.Eat your heart out Fabio.....
Vidal Gasoon.
Se7en
Contributor
Greg
The reason for not having a snorkle attached is when it may cause a problem. I've had my mask pulled off a few times by cray weed - and I'm going to blame my snorkle for them all. Not had it happen since my snorkle was relegated to freediving only.
Yeah - it may be nice to be able to swim face down on the surface - I like it for the view mainly. But I've also had my mask pulled of at the same time that I was tangled in weed and being washed around in surge (in 15m of water) - not fun.
So my snorkle can stay in it's bag. For those 2km swims you are talking about - can I suggest taking the snorkle and leaving the scuba gear? Makes the swim a lot easier, and some freediving is always fun.
Mike
The reason for not having a snorkle attached is when it may cause a problem. I've had my mask pulled off a few times by cray weed - and I'm going to blame my snorkle for them all. Not had it happen since my snorkle was relegated to freediving only.
Yeah - it may be nice to be able to swim face down on the surface - I like it for the view mainly. But I've also had my mask pulled of at the same time that I was tangled in weed and being washed around in surge (in 15m of water) - not fun.
So my snorkle can stay in it's bag. For those 2km swims you are talking about - can I suggest taking the snorkle and leaving the scuba gear? Makes the swim a lot easier, and some freediving is always fun.
Mike
ScubaBaby
Contributor
When I started diving I brought one of those ones with the valves at the top to stop letting in water, and one at the bottom to get rid of any that creeps in....it never even entered the water cause it was to much of a big lump of plastic.
I think the only time I really took a snorkel was during my Rescue Training so I could do mouth to snorkel resus.
If I was planning to do a lot of work on the surface then I would plan on taking a normal plain snorkel....but other than that, I just feel its a piece of equipment that I wont use therefore it gets in my way while diving and reduces my concentration on more important things...like that pretty little fish etc!
I think the only time I really took a snorkel was during my Rescue Training so I could do mouth to snorkel resus.
If I was planning to do a lot of work on the surface then I would plan on taking a normal plain snorkel....but other than that, I just feel its a piece of equipment that I wont use therefore it gets in my way while diving and reduces my concentration on more important things...like that pretty little fish etc!
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