to snorkel or not to snorkel

[teknitroxdiver]

That was a movie....and they didn't get eaten because they were on their backs. If you're floating on your back, you have a better chance of seeing your rescuer or a point of land to swim to.

IMO, the fold-up snorkels are a wonderful thing to have, I would carry one if I had one, but that is on down my list a ways. Personally, I feel that having the snorkel on my head is a greater safety risk than not having one, so I don't carry one.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I have always use one. Back in the late 60's they were a must on every diver. A simple J snorkel could save your life if you have equipment trouble. I'm surprised when divers say they would never think about diving without an oct but complain about the other safety device ( the snorkel) getting in the way of their hair. If your 1st stage screws up or you run out of air and have a long swim back to shore or to the boat in choppy seas you wish you had that $10 piece of plastic to breath through. Not having a snorkel may interfere with your breathing. Look what happened to the two divers in "Open Water". They didn't have snorkels and had to swim around backwards to get anyplace .... they got eaten by sharks ... remember ?

The characters in Open Water did have snorkels. In some scenes they magically switched from the left to the right sides of their heads. Also, if you need to make a long surface swim you can breathe a lot easier by looking at the sky than you can trying to suck air through a one inch diamter tube.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

Don't wear one.

I dive the long hose and the snorkel would definitely be in the way. It also tugs at my mask in a current.

I do take one on every dive, I have a small folding snorkel I keep in my pocket. They are a good idea as others have indicated. The benefits are obvious. Unfortunately the small folding ones are not "dry" style snorkels, more like the old "J" designs so you do need to watch out for a wet breath.

Mark Vlahos

 

[OE2X]

Don't use one. I use a long hose.

 

[scubadoguk]

I would never dive with out one, My reasons are well known.

 

[Dive-aholic]

No for fun dives. Gets in the way. Not a good idea for overhead. Rather surface swim on my back.

Yes for training dives. Required by PADI.

 

[CUunderH2O]

The current on a lot of my dives is too strong to wear a snorkel, it would rip your mask off. Other dives are boat dives on wrecks and the descent line is right there, so no need for it. Any surface swims are done on my back. I'm thinking of getting a folding snorkel for those 'snorkel required' dives (PADI requires them on courses).

 

[redacted]

I wear a snorkel only when I am snorkeling. I usually caary a snorkel attached to my BP where it is out of the way but accessible. I believe I can survive a long float a lot easier with a snorkel than without. For inland diving where shore is readily accessible, I will leave the snorkel behind if I think about it.

 

[baitedstorm]

I don't wear one either. I think they are a pain in the butt in many ways, however, twice now I had wished I had had one with me. I think I'm going to have to op for the folding snorkel carried in my BC

 

[NauticalbutNice]

Don't wear one. I have one, and use it when practicing my finning in the pool, but it's pretty much gathering dust right now.

Nauticalbutnice :fruit: