An argument for always having a snorkel

[letterboy]

You should start a thread about that.....nah probably wouldn't get any replies.

I thought about starting a thread . . . but I had the same thought, who cares about an exploding tank when we have great threads about snorkel or no snorkel, or even MOF/NMOF ohh or my favorite is the split fin threads. . . .

 

[Teamcasa]

This is almost as much fun as the split fin debates. I actually found this thread in a search I was doing, trying to determine if there are boats/shops/agencies out there requiring divers to have snorkels or if in general they are leaving certified divers alone to make their own decisions on that.

Since you are in SoCal, I'll assume you were looking a SoCal boats. None that I have been on require snorkels.

SlowRain, I feel the same way. Who cares if I use one or not. It’s your choice and it’s your preference. Others may think you should not need one but who, other than the few here, really cares?

 

[seaducer]

I agree with you totally, and disagree with others who said you should use your reg. Shore entry can be very difficult, especially if you had to assist a buddy in distress. I would have save the reg for the last minutes. The more reserve you have for the last 100 yards in the tank, the better. And, no, I don't believe 500 psi is alot of air if you had to struggle through the surf assisting an injured buddy. A snorkel might help. The swim in is difficult if waves are hitting you, and I have never attempted it on my back. Have anyone done a shore entry with 6 ft waves finning in on your back? I would like some comment.

Exits yes, entrys no. But I wouldn't wear my snorkel for 2 reasons in those conditions. First is that when a wave comes I breath out of my reg, constant switching in heavy surf is a recipe for a lungful of water. Second, all that turbulance will rip the snorkel off your mask and or pull your mask off your face. Wear one if you really want to. I have been in and around heavy surf my whole life. I choose to leave the snorkel home.

The only time I ever miss it is on long surface swims in Bonaire, just because there is still stuff to see shallow...

 

[fisherdvm]

Exits yes, entrys no. But I wouldn't wear my snorkel for 2 reasons in those conditions. First is that when a wave comes I breath out of my reg, constant switching in heavy surf is a recipe for a lungful of water. Second, all that turbulance will rip the snorkel off your mask and or pull your mask off your face. Wear one if you really want to. I have been in and around heavy surf my whole life. I choose to leave the snorkel home.

The only time I ever miss it is on long surface swims in Bonaire, just because there is still stuff to see shallow...

It was a typo, or misspoken. I changed it from entry to "exit" on the post. I meant exit.

Somefolks are not proficient rhythmic breathers, and have a hard time dealing with waves hitting their face while swimming on their back. Perhaps they'd feel more comfortable swimming face down with a snorkel when swimming ashore. Each person has their own handicap, I think.

 

[Teamcasa]

.... Shore exit can be very difficult, especially if you had to assist a buddy in distress. I would have save the reg for the last minutes. The more reserve you have for the last 100 yards in the tank, the better. And, no, I don't believe 500 psi is alot of air if you had to struggle through the surf assisting an injured buddy. A snorkel might help.

It is totally irrelevant how much air you leave in your tank if you are in a help or rescue mode. I could careless if I breath all the air out if I have to in order to rescue someone.

.... The swim in is difficult if waves are hitting you, and I have never attempted it on my back. Have anyone done a shore EXIT(was entry) with 6 ft waves finning in on your back? I would like some comment.

Surf exits are difficult enough with 2-3’ waves. If you are exiting with 6’ breakers, front, back or otherwise, even two snorkels won’t help much. When you know are going to take a ride in the Maytag – keep the regulator in until you are safely on shore.

 

[seaducer]

It was a typo, or misspoken. I changed it from entry to "exit" on the post. I meant exit.

Somefolks are not proficient rhythmic breathers, and have a hard time dealing with waves hitting their face while swimming on their back. Perhaps they'd feel more comfortable swimming face down with a snorkel when swimming ashore. Each person has their own handicap, I think.

Snorkeling IN through surf is worse. As the wave runs you over it can hold you down and now you are fumbling U/W trying to find your reg which is who knows where in the turbulance and...

I swim in on my back through surf. It is actually where I learned about swimming in on my back.

#1 rule of the surf zone, never turn your back on it. I will fin in on my back, as a wave approaches I will flip my feet under me, put my reg in my mouth and submerge. Over sand I like to face the wave, over rocks I prefer to face the direction of travel. Repeat through the set, then when the coast is clear reg comes out I am on my back finning towards shore again. Rogue waves are common, keep an eye out.

If I find my self in the shallows with a set bearing down get on your hands and knees and breath off your reg, if the wave rolls you your air supply is not lost.

 

[seaducer]

Surf exits are difficult enough with 2-3’ waves. If you are exiting with 6’ breakers, front, back or otherwise, even two snorkels won’t help much. When you know are going to take a ride in the Maytag – keep the regulator in until you are safely on shore.

Yep. Biggest I have done is a thick 4. But 2 or 20, I do not want a snorkle on my mask with any kind of waves. Granted I wear my mask a little loose, but still...

 

[Doc]

At Coco view the second boat dive is a drop-off dive on either Newman’s Wall in the southwest or Coco View Wall in the Northeast side of the channel. You then swim to shore. On this dive we were dropped at Newman’s.

The photo below is looking North. Newmans, where you were dropped is in the foreground. Then you'll see the channel (home!), and to the right is CoCoView Wall.

We, group of 4, were coming in with the wall to our left and were at about 90 ft. Somehow, we crossed the channel and were headed out Coco View wall. Bad mistake in that we all assumed the wall was still on our left and didn’t check our compass heading.

Don't feel bad- I did the same exact thing on an afternoon CCV Wall drop-off... I led my group past the channel out SW toward French Key. Same dive as yours, only in reverse.

I swam them deep because of the limited visibility up shallow- completely missed the obvious underwater landmarks... because I was to deep to see them. All of a sudden 140' wrecks became easy to miss!

I had made this dive maybe 400+ times. Complacency is a mother.

Luckily it was a delightfully flat late afternoon back-stroke return to CCV~ no snorkels required :14: The nice thing about the resort is that if you float there long enough, they'll send a launch out to drag you back. Luckily, no one in your group got the bright idea to try to crawl in over the reef.

Not because I am PADI, not because I have an equipment fetish- but I have been adrift in heavy seas for prolonged periods- I always stuff a collapsable snorkel in my BC. Snorkels are standard gear for military rescue swimmers, let's all do the math. It's a survival tool.

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6079410-description.htmlIn The collapsable snorkel in this case- it has zero drag and takes up no space:

 

[fisherdvm]

Snorkeling IN through surf is worse. As the wave runs you over it can hold you down and now you are fumbling U/W trying to find your reg which is who knows where in the turbulance and...

I swim in on my back through surf. It is actually where I learned about swimming in on my back.

#1 rule of the surf zone, never turn your back on it. I will fin in on my back, as a wave approaches I will flip my feet under me, put my reg in my mouth and submerge. Over sand I like to face the wave, over rocks I prefer to face the direction of travel. Repeat through the set, then when the coast is clear reg comes out I am on my back finning towards shore again. Rogue waves are common, keep an eye out.

If I find my self in the shallows with a set bearing down get on your hands and knees and breath off your reg, if the wave rolls you your air supply is not lost.

Thanks for the tip. That was the hardest thing for me to do, swimming in the last 30 yard in rolling surf. Can't see the waves coming, and it knocks the wind out of me swimming. I'll have to try swimming on my back some time. Swimming out is easy, as you can see the waves coming. It is the swimming back that kills me. Literally.

 

[seaducer]

Thanks for the tip. That was the hardest thing for me to do, swimming in the last 30 yard in rolling surf. Can't see the waves coming, and it knocks the wind out of me swimming. I'll have to try swimming on my back some time. Swimming out is easy, as you can see the waves coming. It is the swimming back that kills me. Literally.

Cool, hope you find a way. What I do may not be orthodox, or maybe it is, never took the shore diver class. It is however what works for me...