LiteHedded
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never
Do you carry a snorkel on every dive?
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I always have my snorkel in place on my mask strap even though it only gets used occasionally. I guess I'm a shameless non-conformist.... 
Sure, it's dispensable MOST of the time, but there are times I'm glad I have it, even if only to save a little tank air at the beginning of a dive or to do some snorkelling at the end of a shore dive.
There are other times I'm VERY glad I have it, such as when I'm going to be on the surface for quite a while in a severe chop and want to conserve tank air.... for whatever reason....
In those conditions, it's just too easy to mis-time a breath and aspirate water, possibly resulting in a choking spell leading to blackout. In the past, I've gagged once or twice when trying to time breaths with the waves, but never had any problems when using my snorkel.
So, I prefer using my snorkel....it's so much more RELAXING!
Dave C
Sure, it's dispensable MOST of the time, but there are times I'm glad I have it, even if only to save a little tank air at the beginning of a dive or to do some snorkelling at the end of a shore dive.
There are other times I'm VERY glad I have it, such as when I'm going to be on the surface for quite a while in a severe chop and want to conserve tank air.... for whatever reason....
In those conditions, it's just too easy to mis-time a breath and aspirate water, possibly resulting in a choking spell leading to blackout. In the past, I've gagged once or twice when trying to time breaths with the waves, but never had any problems when using my snorkel.
So, I prefer using my snorkel....it's so much more RELAXING!
Dave C
UCFKnightDiver
Contributor
Snorkels are for snorkeling, not diving
Scuba, short of a full face mask, always attached to the mask. I am pretty fussy about carrying extra crap. The snorkel is not on that list.
Paladin
Contributor
I was taught, many years ago, to always carry a snorkel when SCUBA diving and I still do. It comes in handy during a long surface swim and could, possibly, save your life in an emergency. Bear in mind that, in the old days, most SCUBA divers (myself included) started out as snorkelers and the snorkel was carried over as part of the basic equipment list.
A few years ago, there was this story about a couple who were diving about 13 miles off the coast of Trinidad (I think) and were left behind when the charter boat returned to port without them. A movie was made about it. I think it was called "Deep Water" or something like that. Any way, both divers died. When I read the story and, later, watched the movie, I couldn't help but think that a simple snorkel could've saved both their lives. The scenario goes something like this:
A diver and his buddy are diving twenty miles off the South Carolina coast. One diver (Mike) is old school and has a snorkel hanging from his mask strap. His buddy (Bruce) is new to SCUBA and is of the mindset that snorkels are useless for SCUBA. Their air supply low, they return to the surface to find their boat gone.
Mike looks around and makes an assessment of the situation. He knows that land is twenty miles to the northwest of their position and, from his previous snorkeling experience that he can swim, without pushing it, continuously at a speed of around one and a half miles per hour. He also knows that the Gulf Stream is carrying them to the northeast at a speed of about three knots. He makes his decision. First, he drops his weight belt. His tank goes next (along with his BC, if he is wearing one) and he puts his snorkel into his mouth. His own, natural buoyancy is augmented by the buoyancy of his wetsuit and he is now a streamlined, aquatic mammal ready for a long surface swim. He strikes out, gliding smoothly and easily over the waves. His kick is relaxed and unhurried.
Bruce, on the other hand, is loaded down with expensive, modern equipment and he is loathe to abandon such a sizable financial investment. He tries to keep up with Mike but the weight and drag are just too much. After awhile, near exhaustion, he reluctantly calls to Mike and has him drop his tank from his BC (which he is afraid to be without). His weights and tank gone, Bruce finds swimming easier but the drag from his BC and the lack of a snorkel inhibit his progress. Mike finally convinces him to dump the BC and Bruce finds swimming a bit easier but, without a snorkel, he finds that breathing itself is a deterrent to his progress.
The sun sinks below the horizon to the west and night settles over the Atlantic. Mike loses sight of Bruce and has no choice but to keep swimming to the northwest. During the night, he follows his compass and maintains his heading. He ignores the effect of the current, knowing that there is no way he's going to miss the entire North American continent. He rests often by simply floating on the surface and breathing through his snorkel.
Dawn finds Mike about two miles from shore. He looks around for Bruce but the other is nowhere to be seen. An hour or so later, Mike wades ashore at a public beach and asks a couple walking their dog to call the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard conducts a search for Bruce but he is never found.
To be sure, the above is a bit melodramatic, but I think you see my point. I will continue to dive with a snorkel and if that gives you snorkel haters a chuckle, so be it.
A few years ago, there was this story about a couple who were diving about 13 miles off the coast of Trinidad (I think) and were left behind when the charter boat returned to port without them. A movie was made about it. I think it was called "Deep Water" or something like that. Any way, both divers died. When I read the story and, later, watched the movie, I couldn't help but think that a simple snorkel could've saved both their lives. The scenario goes something like this:
A diver and his buddy are diving twenty miles off the South Carolina coast. One diver (Mike) is old school and has a snorkel hanging from his mask strap. His buddy (Bruce) is new to SCUBA and is of the mindset that snorkels are useless for SCUBA. Their air supply low, they return to the surface to find their boat gone.
Mike looks around and makes an assessment of the situation. He knows that land is twenty miles to the northwest of their position and, from his previous snorkeling experience that he can swim, without pushing it, continuously at a speed of around one and a half miles per hour. He also knows that the Gulf Stream is carrying them to the northeast at a speed of about three knots. He makes his decision. First, he drops his weight belt. His tank goes next (along with his BC, if he is wearing one) and he puts his snorkel into his mouth. His own, natural buoyancy is augmented by the buoyancy of his wetsuit and he is now a streamlined, aquatic mammal ready for a long surface swim. He strikes out, gliding smoothly and easily over the waves. His kick is relaxed and unhurried.
Bruce, on the other hand, is loaded down with expensive, modern equipment and he is loathe to abandon such a sizable financial investment. He tries to keep up with Mike but the weight and drag are just too much. After awhile, near exhaustion, he reluctantly calls to Mike and has him drop his tank from his BC (which he is afraid to be without). His weights and tank gone, Bruce finds swimming easier but the drag from his BC and the lack of a snorkel inhibit his progress. Mike finally convinces him to dump the BC and Bruce finds swimming a bit easier but, without a snorkel, he finds that breathing itself is a deterrent to his progress.
The sun sinks below the horizon to the west and night settles over the Atlantic. Mike loses sight of Bruce and has no choice but to keep swimming to the northwest. During the night, he follows his compass and maintains his heading. He ignores the effect of the current, knowing that there is no way he's going to miss the entire North American continent. He rests often by simply floating on the surface and breathing through his snorkel.
Dawn finds Mike about two miles from shore. He looks around for Bruce but the other is nowhere to be seen. An hour or so later, Mike wades ashore at a public beach and asks a couple walking their dog to call the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard conducts a search for Bruce but he is never found.
To be sure, the above is a bit melodramatic, but I think you see my point. I will continue to dive with a snorkel and if that gives you snorkel haters a chuckle, so be it.
Herk_Man
Contributor
Using a snorkel is just a good way to accidentally descend without your regulator in. Mine stays in my gear bag. Even in fairly good surge I don't really miss it. But that's just me, and I'm nuts!
Herk_Man
Contributor
Zieg
Contributor
And then Bruce wises up, rolls over onto his back, talks Mike into doing the same, and they both swim with an easy stroke, plenty of air, easily glancing at their compesses, talking to each other, reassuring each other during the night, and seeing the airplane that was sent out to find them in the morning.
But then Bruce remembers that he had a signal mirror in the pocket of his BC that that rat Mike talked him into dumping. He pulls out the BFK he had strapped to his leg and kills Mike in a huge frothy blood ball bringing in every hungry shark for miles and they both are just a couple more statistics.
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