Do you carry a snorkel on every dive?

[mafiajoe]

I don't even remember where mine is.

 

[Stichus III]

I used to carry a snorkel all the time. Now I only carry one (sometimes stored in my BCD) when there is a remote chance I might need to do a surface swim in choppy conditions.

 

[Atomic_Diver]

A collapsable snorkel in a pocket yes, on some dives, but do I wear one on my mask?- No...

 

[Puffer Fish]

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.

I've had that dive (well, except that the others were rescued) and having a snorkle is nice.

PS.. that lonely all night swim was not fun and don't expect to "walk" afterwards.. I know I couldn't.

However, if we are less than a mile from shore, I usually do not have a snorkle (I can do that on my back).

 

[rivers]

I keep mine attached to my mask, but the only time I have ever used it has been while snorkeling during a SI.

 

[Herk_Man]

You are kidding, of course. I just missed your sarcasm tag.

Well, I was being glib, yes. But overall not really kidding. There are many many divers, present company included, that have accidentally started their descent without switching from snorkel to regulator. I was in the water for a long time waiting for my buddy to resolve an issue with his gear. When he got in and was finally ready to go, he was a bit flustered and failed to honestly assess my readiness and missed the fact that I still had my snorkel in.

I had been periodically dunking my head in the water and watching the other divers below me while I was waiting so in my mind I was ready to be breathing underwater. Unfortunately I was only ready for about 12". But I didn't panic. I quickly inflated my BC while swallowing hard to fight off the choking. Got back under control, inserted my regulator and descended to find my buddy looking at me with a puzzled expression on his face. When I told him about it after the dive, he was extremely apologetic. But when it comes right down to it, I should have been responsible for myself and really had noone to blame but me.

It was a great dive and a fun story to tell. And it won't happen again because my snorkel is in my dive bag waiting for the day I go snorkeling. Which I can only see happening if I have an ear issue. Hopefully it will stay there forever!

 

[DennisS]

In over 30 years I never once made the mistake of descending with my snorkel in my mouth instead of my regulator. If I'm on the surface waiting, breathing through my snorkel, I have my regulator in my hand. It's second nature to put the regulator from my hand into my mouth before descending.

 

[tregrrr]

there has only been 3 times I have had cause to use my "mask removal lever" outside courses in the past 2 years:

3 cute girls wanted to go snorkling along the beach on my day off; joined them

my mother who is deathly afraid of water but wanted to try Caribbean snorkling...

M-O-B swimming fetch of a panic diver's kit allowed to drift off during the line-ladder transition while moored on a dive site


commonality?? all dedicated snorkle activities serviced well by the snorkle stowed in the kit bag

 

[muddiver]

I carry one some times. It is kind of hard to use when you have a full face mask on, but it also makes it easier to get a breath when hanging out on the surface waiting on sturents, your insta-buddy, the dive boat, etc....

It also really depends on teh environment. Warm water than usually, cold with FFM than maybe, rebreather: um, why?, surface supplied: already have a 300' snorkel, don't need a short one.

 

[Aquaviolator]

Always have one attached to my mask. Utilize it on almost all dives when hanging out at the surface waiting on a dive buddy or assiting others. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not! Especially if you have a dive buddy that takes forever to get into the water.