Snorkel tube in scuba diving

[george_austin]

As someone who just made the conscious decision not to use my snorkel this year, I'm curious of how you were actually using it in your situation? Why is not keeping your BC inflated enough to keep your head above the water? I've been in the water in heavy seas (sailing related) and get the whole spray thing that makes it hard to breathe, but why would you keep your head in the water when you want to keep a lookout for your boat? I'm just confused as to the whole point.

A lot of us dive without BC's - talk about a useless and annoying piece of equipment - I present to you the Buoyancy Compensating Device as Exhibit 1

 

[george_austin]

understood - snorkeling makes sense if you are an air hog or going deepish.

we tend to dive shallow so air consumption never becomes an issue, so i do not think about it.

I would think a bigger tank would be the appropriate solution?

Doesn't a snorkel weigh less than a bigger tank? Any dive you can't do with a Steel 72, isn't worth doing -

 

[george_austin]

Bottom line, it's no longer hip to carry a snorkel. It is so Open Water 1. That seems to be the subtext to a lot of these comments.

. The snorkel is currently uncool.

I personally have no use whatsoever for snorkels… except for the times when I do, such as hanging onto a current line with both hands in an afternoon chop, waiting for a pickup, waves breaking on me. (No way to get into my pocket then for a folding snorkel.)

Glad then that I have my unstylish snorkel clipped on and ready to use.

As well, The cool, black snorkel, especially when traveling, tells everyone that you are from California and you are a well qualified kelp diver.
Just listen to these Canadians and people from Iowa telling people to forget about snorkels . . OMG . . . LOL

 

[Dan]

Bottom line, it's no longer hip to carry a snorkel. It is so Open Water 1. That seems to be the subtext to a lot of these comments.

And yet, how little has SCUBA changed since the snorkel was considered a necessary item. The only material difference I can think of since I got certified in 1992 was going from BCs to BPW's, and yet if memory serves my BC held me even higher out of the water than my BPW does. In SCUBA like in fashion, there are fads and trends. The snorkel is currently uncool.

I personally have no use whatsoever for snorkels… except for the times when I do, such as hanging onto a current line with both hands in an afternoon chop, waiting for a pickup, waves breaking on me. (No way to get into my pocket then for a folding snorkel.)

Glad then that I have my unstylish snorkel clipped on and ready to use.

I've been in a situation where the surface current picked up to perhaps 2.5-3 knots in Gulf of Mexico (in South Padre wreck diving of Texas Clipper & reef diving of Flower Garden Banks, where we discent & ascent by constantly holding on & along the anchor line, until you got to the 80-100' bottom, where the current dropped to nothing) to the point of if you let go the current line, you'll probably be a mile away from the boat in a few minutes. However, I have never needed (knock on wood) to have both hands on the current line. One hand is enough. As long as you keep your arm straight (not bending at the elbow), you can hang on the line for a few minutes (this is the trick I learnt from rock climbing, keeping the arm straight), enough time to get your other free hand to find your dorkel & removing your fins, one at a time. Actually, I never need to put the dorkel on as all of my boat dives, as the boat dives mostly ended with a minimum of 750 psig (50 barg) in the tank. So that primary 2nd stage regulator was always on my mouth until I get on the boat. Plenty of air to use for getting back on the boat with the regulator on.

Any way, if you have both hands locked on the current line, how the heck you get your fins out of your feet? You will need to get your fins off and strapped them over your wrists in order to pull yourself towards the boat step ladder and get on the boat. You can't get on the boat with your fins on in the boat there.

 

[Ojai Diver]

if you have both hands locked on the current line, how the heck you get your fins out of your feet?

Swim step. Then you take off your fins.

Anyway, it's immaterial because I've also hung on current lines before dives, waiting for buddies in currents so strong it almost seemed like the boat was still moving. Even if I could hang on with one hand, IMO it would be impossible to open up a pocket, dig out a folding snorkel, and attach it to a mask strap for use, all with one gloved hand.

 

[Dan]

The lesson learnt from such situation for me is to thumb the dive or to surface early with plenty of air left in the tank (1000 psig). Any surface current of 2 knots or greater, I'm not going in. I'll ask the DM first about this before getting into the water.

 

[Ojai Diver]

The lesson learnt from such situation for me is to thumb the dive or to surface early with plenty of air left in the tank (1000 psig). Any surface current of 2 knots or greater, I'm not going in. I'll ask the DM first about this before getting into the water.

And all this to avoid carrying a snorkel?

 

[frndrfoe]

Politics, religion, and snorkels...

 

[TMHeimer]

Swim step. Then you take off your fins.

Anyway, it's immaterial because I've also hung on current lines before dives, waiting for buddies in currents so strong it almost seemed like the boat was still moving. Even if I could hang on with one hand, IMO it would be impossible to open up a pocket, dig out a folding snorkel, and attach it to a mask strap for use, all with one gloved hand.

I can be slow at times, but I'm trying to figure out why you would be taking a snorkel out of a pocket while holding a current line. Why would you need a snorkel if the dive is finished and you are on the line to re-enter the boat? Why wouldn't it be already attached (mine doesn't attach unless I add a snorkel keeper) if you think you need it before jumping off the boat?

 

[Storker]

I have a roll-up one in my pocket.

Same here. I like to carry one, but since I use a long hose, I can't have it dangling from my mask strap.

You're just completing another awesome dive. You're finishing your safety stop thinking about that cold one in the cooler. As you breach the surface with 500 psi in your tank you do sort of a pirouette and nothing, no boat. Seas kicked up a little bit so you try and time your search for the boat on the crest of the waves, still nothing. Sharks begin to investigate what this thing is making all of this racket on the surface, finally your tank is empty and now you need to tread water and keep your mouth above the surface. How long can you keep this up before you aspirate water?

This is my main reason for carrying. If the bovine manure hits the rotating ventilation device, I can use my snorkel to reduce the risk of inhaling water. If the manure avoids the ventilation system, I don't notice it.

The other is to remove your BC and "straddle" the tank which keeps your head farther above water and somewhat less subjective to the chop because the BC isn't floating with surface of the water.

How often have you done the Buckin' Bronco BCD?!?! The waves would catch that tank away from me and bonk my head with it just to be sure I got the message that this is a really bad idea for me!

I'm reminded of this little gem:

He came up again spluttering and clinging to the wood like a rat, but for all his efforts he could not scramble on top. Every time he tried, the barrel rolled round and ducked him under again. It was really empty, and floated light as a cork. [...] it was like trying to ride, without bridle or stirrups, a round-bellied pony that was always thinking of rolling on the grass.

(should I worry that I went over to the bookshelf, took out the book, and opened it less that half a dozen pages away from the quote I was looking for?)

I would advise buying a good quality snorkel that blocks waves from splashing in the top and has a bottom vent to blow out water. You can use it or not, but having in your bag could save a dive on a day with brisk seas.

Disagree. For me, the perfect snorkel is a simple J-tube. Preferably soft enough to roll up. Personal preference, YMMV etc., etc.