Are you wearing snorkel while SCUBA diving?

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I never have one attached while diving, it is just another piece of garbage to get entangled. Even for long swims I find it easy to flip on my back and avoid it.

I do have one strapped to my plate a times out of the way. It can be fun to swim in the shallows after a shore dive with a snorkel, but I just don't consider it essential gear.

 

[molina67]

I haven't wore a snorkel since I was certified mainly because I've been diving in the Florida Springs and rivers. When I go out in the ocean, I'll wear it.

 

[Rich Keller]

I always dive with a snorkel and a knife. Saves air when on the surface and in a survival situation where you are going to be in the water for a long time you do not need to keep swiming to keep your head above water.

 

[Gill]

Beaches in SoCal? Where are snorkels required? I could find almost nothing in terms of scuba diving regulations in San Diego.

Laguna Beach has a law requiring snorkels by all divers and a law requiring dive buddies (no solo diving). I never dive solo so that doesn't affect me. Laguna Beach can also close their beaches to scuba diving when conditions are hazardous. If the conditions were rough I wouldn't attempt diving anyways. Supposedly the City of Laguna Beach has the most stringent diving laws in the US.

18.21.030 Hazardous skin diving and scuba diving - Discontinuance authorized (A) Hazard to Others. No person shall participate in any skin diving or scuba diving, activity at any time in the Pacific Ocean within the city in a manner that constitutes a hazard to any other person.

(B) Authorized Orders to Discontinue Skin Diving and Scuba Diving. Police officers, the city manager, or other employees of the city designated by the city manger to enforce skin diving and scuba diving regulations and control skin diving and scuba diving activities, may prohibit skin diving and scuba diving at any time diving conditions become hazardous as a result of storm, congestion of persons, lack of proper equipment (such equipment to include mask, fins, snorkel, buoyancy compensator, and diving partner) , or other conditions which cause a present danger to the person skin diving or scuba diving or to others. No person shall fail, refuse or neglect to stop skin diving and scuba diving activities or to leave the water when ordered to do so by any such employee of the city.

 

[reo]

I use a snorkel when I'm helping an instructor teach. When doing recreational dives, I don't use one.

Ron

 

[Tyler2142]

I dont keep mine on my mask but it does stay on me. Stays rolled up in one of my BC pockets.

 

[ktomlinson]

I have a dive rite hip pocket that goes with me anytime I'm diving in the ocean or a large lake. It has a roll up snorkel, smb and compass in it.

 

[racerx_]

In some of the places where I go beach diving, snorkels are required by law. And I have seen life guards had out tickets for no snorkel. So yeah, I wear a snorkel.

Dude you should get one of those tickets just so you can frame it.. I'm sure we could raise money to cover the cost lol

 

[tstocum]

I stopped wearing mine last year for most dives. I figure for most of the diving I do it's not needed. If I plan a dive where a snorkel is needed, I'll take it with me and deploy it when needed.

 

[SandyRobinson]

Not sure I understand this one. How does a snorkel help in an air loss with current?

Personally I leave mine unless I expect to be able to use it on a swim out or back (for example: shore diving in Curacao)

Hi Sean, It was not very clear. If I surfaced without air and had a swim beck to the boat due to current, my preference would be to do so with a snorkel.