Eh ?
I cant for one minute think of any reason as to how a snorkel would be essential for safety of life there.
Nice fully inflated BC and/or drysuit means no need for a snorkel what so ever when floating along.
use a snorkel? and how to dump air
- Thread starter SteveHall
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Eh ?
I cant for one minute think of any reason as to how a snorkel would be essential for safety of life there.
Nice fully inflated BC and/or drysuit means no need for a snorkel what so ever when floating along.
IndigoBlue
Contributor
If you always swim on your back, then you do not need a snorkel.
If you ever need to swim on your stomach, then a snorkel is really nice to have with you.
If you ever need to swim on your stomach, then a snorkel is really nice to have with you.
Steve, there will be no concensus on whether to wear or even bring a snorkel.
One helpful thing to do to keep the inflator where you think it is and avoid grabbing the snorkel instead: Try using a loose tie-on to attach the upper part of the low pressure inflator hose to the D-ring on your upper left shoulder. This also keeps the upper part of the inflator pointed down, which stops water from getting in.
I vote for snorkel on the mask, but then again, I am paranoid and think it is wise to have various pieces of life-saving equipment with me even if they are rarely used. Like on a long surface swim when there are sharks in the water, like those people left behind in Indonesia. No way I want to be on my back in that situation!!
www.underwatertimes.com
One helpful thing to do to keep the inflator where you think it is and avoid grabbing the snorkel instead: Try using a loose tie-on to attach the upper part of the low pressure inflator hose to the D-ring on your upper left shoulder. This also keeps the upper part of the inflator pointed down, which stops water from getting in.
I vote for snorkel on the mask, but then again, I am paranoid and think it is wise to have various pieces of life-saving equipment with me even if they are rarely used. Like on a long surface swim when there are sharks in the water, like those people left behind in Indonesia. No way I want to be on my back in that situation!!
www.underwatertimes.com
OK, as i thought re: Snorkel. I may get a foldaway one and keep it on me just in case.
RE: inflation/deflation, I will keep on practicing. Question is, when I get my new BC (am using old Glide 500 at the mo), should I get a traditional inflation hose type or one of them "fangled" cityboy BC's without the tube? Are they just a gimic or do they work?
RE: inflation/deflation, I will keep on practicing. Question is, when I get my new BC (am using old Glide 500 at the mo), should I get a traditional inflation hose type or one of them "fangled" cityboy BC's without the tube? Are they just a gimic or do they work?
Steve
Just my two pennorth worth on the subject of snorkels.
I agree with Diver0001 that the use of a snorkel is down to using your common sense. Experience will dictate whether a particular dive will require the use of a snorkel or not. Until you consider yourself experienced then I would suggest you work with what you have been taught.
As to whether it could be considered an item of life saving equipment the debate will continue.
Personally, I use a snorkel for training and always carry one on my dives. As an old "SAR (Search and Rescue) Diver" I served both with 771 and 772 Squadrons at Culdrose and Portland respectively. For a lost diver at sea I could give good arguments as to why a snorkel could be considered an item of life saving equipment.
Firstly, if you and your buddy surface and the sea starts to 'cut up rough' there is a good chance that your boat could miss you. In the UK for last year there were in excess of 25 incidents reported for missing divers. One buddy team surfaced with Delayed Surface Market Buoys less than 100 metres from the boat but were missed in the swells. They were picked up 4 hours later.
Just inflating your BCD or suit isn't going to keep water from entering your lungs. Remember that most conventional BCDs have a tendency to push the diver forward into a face down position. If you have found yourself in an out of air situation on the surface then the snorkel will give you the extension you need to keep your airway relatively clear of water. Yes, of course some water will be inhaled, but certainly not as much as not using your snorkel.
The worst case scenario is that an extended period of time in the water around the UK is going to bring on hypothermia and shock. Small amounts of water entering into the lungs will also bring on secondary drowning. One of the required training films that we were made to watch was "The Cold Water Casualty". In my opinion it is a pity that it is not available to the general diving public as attitudes might be re-formed after viewing!
This is, of course, a worst case scenario and one that you will not, hopefully, find yourself in. However, as that wise old scout once said "BE PREPARED!!"
Just my two pennorth worth on the subject of snorkels.
I agree with Diver0001 that the use of a snorkel is down to using your common sense. Experience will dictate whether a particular dive will require the use of a snorkel or not. Until you consider yourself experienced then I would suggest you work with what you have been taught.
As to whether it could be considered an item of life saving equipment the debate will continue.
Personally, I use a snorkel for training and always carry one on my dives. As an old "SAR (Search and Rescue) Diver" I served both with 771 and 772 Squadrons at Culdrose and Portland respectively. For a lost diver at sea I could give good arguments as to why a snorkel could be considered an item of life saving equipment.
Firstly, if you and your buddy surface and the sea starts to 'cut up rough' there is a good chance that your boat could miss you. In the UK for last year there were in excess of 25 incidents reported for missing divers. One buddy team surfaced with Delayed Surface Market Buoys less than 100 metres from the boat but were missed in the swells. They were picked up 4 hours later.
Just inflating your BCD or suit isn't going to keep water from entering your lungs. Remember that most conventional BCDs have a tendency to push the diver forward into a face down position. If you have found yourself in an out of air situation on the surface then the snorkel will give you the extension you need to keep your airway relatively clear of water. Yes, of course some water will be inhaled, but certainly not as much as not using your snorkel.
The worst case scenario is that an extended period of time in the water around the UK is going to bring on hypothermia and shock. Small amounts of water entering into the lungs will also bring on secondary drowning. One of the required training films that we were made to watch was "The Cold Water Casualty". In my opinion it is a pity that it is not available to the general diving public as attitudes might be re-formed after viewing!
This is, of course, a worst case scenario and one that you will not, hopefully, find yourself in. However, as that wise old scout once said "BE PREPARED!!"
tholt576
Contributor
1) I never use a snorkel; in fact I dont even own one at this point; I sold mine to a customer a while back when I was out of new ones.
2) Use whatever dump valve is most convenient. My BC has two dump valves besides the inflator hose. The nice thing about the inflator hose is that you can add air with it too. You can't do that with the other dump valves.
2) Use whatever dump valve is most convenient. My BC has two dump valves besides the inflator hose. The nice thing about the inflator hose is that you can add air with it too. You can't do that with the other dump valves.
I only use a snorkel (more properly called a head banger or CO2 generator) when I teach. I have a couple laying around the van in case I decide to snarkel. Not likely but who knows.
I don't have a problem with requiring entry level students to learn to use one. Who knows, they may decide to go snorkeling some day. They sure shouldn't make them wear them on every dive though. I try to teach a nice clean snag free equipment configuration and head bangers are contrary to that.
I don't have a problem with requiring entry level students to learn to use one. Who knows, they may decide to go snorkeling some day. They sure shouldn't make them wear them on every dive though. I try to teach a nice clean snag free equipment configuration and head bangers are contrary to that.
If the sea is cutting up and 4-5ft in swell as can be normal i cant see how a snorkel being only 2" above head height is going to be of any help what so ever. Separation from the boat i agree is common (have experienced it albeit not for long in rough seas myself) but again i was perfectly happy and held out of the water by my suit and BC.
Id take issue with the BC comment, mine and everyone else i know tends to be stable either vertical in the column and/or on their back with no problem. I cant talk about wings as i dont know anyone that dives one so they maybe different.
Again i cant see how a tube extending maybe 2" above head height is going to make a difference here. If the sea is very rough and breaking a tube will fill just as well as a mouth. If its not that rough theres enough flotation to ride it out.
This is, of course, a worst case scenario and one that you will not, hopefully, find yourself in. However, as that wise old scout once said "BE PREPARED!!"
Fair enough, again its personnel preference. I consider a snorkel a slight safety minus for my diving regarding the fact it can tangle, it can get trapped on wrecks and swim throughs, in currents it can make a mask leak and so on. Coupled with the fact i can still see no need for one on the surface AND i dont have any room left in BC pckets for one i opt not to take one.
A £20 strobe is the next safety purchase im going to make (Sunday in fact) having seen how effective they are.
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