Snorkel

[fooks]

I have a friend who doesn't believe in useing a snorkel as part of his standard equipment. I was always told that your snorkel is your backup for when your on the surface and a good piece of equipment to have on hand. Any thoughts on this? Should a snorkel be optional?

 

[Rick Murchison]

Again, the answer is dependent on the kind of dive you're doing. Cave - no snorkel at all. Recreational open water, I wear a snorkel. Wreck penetration, I carry a fold-up snorkel in my pocket full of goodies.
Rick

 

[Walter]

.........but unless I'm teaching or the situation dictates it, I leave it in my bag.

WWW™

 

[Texass]

Most of my diving is confined to the local lakes so I quit carrying a snorkle with me. I do pack one when I get to take a trip to the ocean, but rarely use it.

 

[DennisW]

I think it depends on what you are doing. I personally like having my snorkle. If I am on the surface and need to make a long hard swim to the boat, I can breath much easier through the snorkle than my regulator and I still have the extra air in my tank if I need it.

 

[Mario S Caner]

The ONLY time I use a snorkel is when I'm teaching. I transit on my back and therefore don't need the snorkel. Most of the time it just gets in my way. But when it comes time for making recommendations, especially to beginners, I always recommend they carry a snorkel with them. Those of you whom use minimalist B.C.'s that don't have a great deal of lift, can benefit from them as well.


Sea you in the Deep Blue!

 

[Lost Yooper]

I'm not even sure I own one anymore. Most of my diving is boat diving. For surface swims, I swim on my back. None of the guys I dive with use them. The only time I might consider a snorkel would be in the tropics on a shallow reef. I just don't like them at all anymore.

Mike

 

[Jonathan Starr]

I'm about 50-50. When I do long surface swims, I like to switch from my back to snorkle position every once in a while for a change of pace. When I descend, I usually tuck it in my wet suit against my chest.

If I'm diving off the boat, I leave it in my dive bag.

Yesterday I used it for about a quarter mile in and a quarter out through shallow reef with coral heads sticking up at Olowalu, where I would hit my tank swimming on my back.

We had a great dive, by the way. We were out from the beach for over two hours, and down for about an hour fifteen in mostly shallow water, maxing out at 35'. Conditions were great and the colors of the reef and fish and mountains and water were brilliant. My wife was kayaking around and my friend Norm was free diving with his dog along, so we would link up every once in a while to chat and hang off the kayak.

Aloha,

JOnathan

 

[100days-a-year]

It sure is fun to watch those back floaters from my boat as they meander all over the ocean on thier way back to the boat.I consider it a piece of safety gear.But if your not diving in current or choppy conditions it's not a neccesity.

 

[old_mike]

i used to religiously wear a snorkel on every single dive in every part of the world, because my original NAUI instructor said to. Then, when the paradigm shift caught up with me, i was used to swimming on my back (and making a beeline for the boat was never a problem...just use the sun, clouds, landmarks, compass for a reference point). Also, i had never had a problem with the thing snagging in the kelp (which we have a lot of in So Calif). Big water is not a problem either, as i just ride up and over the swells on my back.

one day, when i finally did leave the thing home, a big 250 pound Napoleon Wrasse was hanging out under the boat for a half hour snarfing the chicken bones that we were throwing overboard. It was then and there that i realized how much you miss something when opportunity swims by! Now the snorkel stays on the boat, but at the ready.