Should I wear a snorkel or not

[Celt]

The important thing about the snorkel decision is that you never actually need one. They are occasionally nice to have, but if you can use a snorkel you can also just move your mouth out of the water and breathe.

That is simply not true. And in some sea conditions and particularly in the surf zone on the Irish coast thinking you can simply move you mouth out of the water is a good way to drown.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

You picked the wrong guy for this. As an ex-competitive swimmer and triathlete, I've swum many, many miles in oceans and Lake Michigan without a snorkel. Turn your head and breathe. It's not that hard to filter out the water from the air. Every swimmer does it. It's also a lot less effort to clear a mouth full of water than a snorkel full of water.

+1 Another former competitive swimmer here. Far easier than using a snorkel.

 

[BoltSnap]

I have not been keeping up with this thread, but wasn't it mentioned a hundred posts or more ago that a folding snorkel kept in a pocket can address this kind of contingency?

Did someone point out some deficiency of the folding snorkel?

Sure, it would do the job. No problems with folding snorkels.

 

[Celt]

Do you want to know how I would feel after a 300 m swim in rough seas without a snorkel? Exhausted. Do you want to know how I would feel after a 300 m swim in rough seas with a snorkel? Exhausted. I would not go diving in those conditions if I had to make such a long swim. I would not attempt that long of a swim after the dive -- I would have the boat pick me up. What kind of diving are you doing that requires such long surface swims? I've been diving in relatively rough seas from a boat before and have never felt a snorkel was needed. If anything, I inflated my wing more than usual to keep my head higher out of the water.

I’ve done 5 mile shoreline swims to get to and back from some dive sites before I had a boat.

 

[Celt]

Turn your head and breathe. It's not that hard to filter out the water from the air. Every swimmer does it. It's also a lot less effort to clear a mouth full of water than a snorkel full of water.

A snorkel used properly will not fill and you will not get a mouth full of water. One of the first things you need to learn is to keep pressure on the mouth piece and to anticipate a flood.

 

[lowwall]

I’ve done 5 mile shoreline swims to get to and back from some dive sites before I had a boat.

I believe that would qualify as a specific reason to use a snorkel. But it's not really applicable to a new diver.

I'm curious, other than the snorkel, what else do you need beyond standard gear for six hour swim and dive?

 

[Celt]

I believe that would qualify as a specific reason to use a snorkel. But it's not really applicable to a new diver.

I'm curious, other than the snorkel, what else do you need beyond standard gear for six hour swim and dive?

I was a new diver at least new to scuba. Photo is after returning from a 4 mile shore dive.

 

[lowwall]

I was a new diver at least new to scuba. Photo is after returning from a 4 mile shore dive. View attachment 635191

Great picture.

 

[Dody]

Just for the fun. Without a snorkel, how can you monitor the bullshark lurking underseas when you are alone at sea with no more gas ? Ok. I go.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I was a new diver at least new to scuba. Photo is after returning from a 4 mile shore dive. View attachment 635191

Nice!