DennisS
Contributor
Yep, there's a half dozen more................
snorkel yes, snorkel no
- Thread starter marcopalla
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Yep, there's a half dozen more................
UCFKnightDiver
Contributor
Why do we have 3 of these threads going on at once? A snorkel is silly for diving, it's for snorkeling!
OldNSalty
Contributor
In all honesty it is very simple. If YOU have found a use for the snorkel such as 'I enjoy snorkeling out to my dive site.' then it is in fact useful. If YOU have found a snorkel to get in the way such as 'It pulls my mask off when I try to squeeze into a cave.' then it is useless.
If you don't fit into either group then I guess the jury is still out for you but only you can decide on its usefulness (or lack).
If you don't fit into either group then I guess the jury is still out for you but only you can decide on its usefulness (or lack).
DaleC
Contributor
I think Peter Guy made sense in the other thread when he noted that snorkel use may be somewhat location dependant. Up here in the PNW there is very little to see when on the surface. We also tend to dive bigger tanks so using a little gas in those rare "wusdowndarepullinonmyfin?" faceplant moments isn't really a concern.
If I were diving on a shallow reef with good vis ala the tropics and generally had only the trusty rental Al80 to draw from I might be more inclined to bring along a snorkel.
If I were diving on a shallow reef with good vis ala the tropics and generally had only the trusty rental Al80 to draw from I might be more inclined to bring along a snorkel.
LeadTurn_SD
Contributor
Here was my reply to Peter several months ago in the other thread:
Hi Peter,
I'm obviously not Thal
, but as an old snorkel-dude I'll also chime in:
Location, but maybe even more significant, generation may indeed be determining factors.
Everyone used snorkels when I started diving in the 70's, and that is how I was trained. My friends and I were freedivers before getting into scuba here in Hawaii. A snorkel was just part of our dive equipment.
It may be that all of our dives were shore dives. Swimming out over shallow reefs required us to be face down on the surface to find our way through the coral heads (on your back you'd kick the reef or drag the bottom of the tank).
I think many divers do just fine without a snorkel because for better or worse they have never encountered a situation that mandated using one, and most "typical" vacation dives don't require a snorkel.
Those of us that have done dives that required the use of a snorkel are less likely to dismiss the utility of a snorkel.... but in the same breath I will admit that on the majority of the dives I've done I could have done the surface swim without a snorkel... but it would have been a PITA.
Again, I do sometimes leave my snorkel in my dive bag for the "easy" shore dives; but somtimes when doing this the wind has kicked up during the dive, and I wished I had my snorkel (but it was a PITA rather than a dangerous situation).
I think the majority of folks do just fine without snorkels because they are doing dives that simply don't require much of a surface swim, do not require a long face-down surface swim; they see the snorkel as a major PITA.... I've used one for so many years that I don't even notice it (unless I want it and don't have it).
Best wishes.
Hi Peter,
I'm obviously not Thal
, but as an old snorkel-dude I'll also chime in:Location, but maybe even more significant, generation may indeed be determining factors.
Everyone used snorkels when I started diving in the 70's, and that is how I was trained. My friends and I were freedivers before getting into scuba here in Hawaii. A snorkel was just part of our dive equipment.
It may be that all of our dives were shore dives. Swimming out over shallow reefs required us to be face down on the surface to find our way through the coral heads (on your back you'd kick the reef or drag the bottom of the tank).
I think many divers do just fine without a snorkel because for better or worse they have never encountered a situation that mandated using one, and most "typical" vacation dives don't require a snorkel.
Those of us that have done dives that required the use of a snorkel are less likely to dismiss the utility of a snorkel.... but in the same breath I will admit that on the majority of the dives I've done I could have done the surface swim without a snorkel... but it would have been a PITA.
Again, I do sometimes leave my snorkel in my dive bag for the "easy" shore dives; but somtimes when doing this the wind has kicked up during the dive, and I wished I had my snorkel (but it was a PITA rather than a dangerous situation).
I think the majority of folks do just fine without snorkels because they are doing dives that simply don't require much of a surface swim, do not require a long face-down surface swim; they see the snorkel as a major PITA.... I've used one for so many years that I don't even notice it (unless I want it and don't have it).
Best wishes.
1_T_Submariner
Contributor
Don't take one. Gets in the way, pulls mask off. OOA Snorkel won't do any good.
Can't find Nitrox compatible snorkel.
Can't find Nitrox compatible snorkel.
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I'd sure like to see a snorkel explode ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
smellzlikefish
Contributor
It is not uncommon for me to surface swim for a half mile or even a mile from shore before dropping on my site. For those dives, a snorkel is nice as it gives you something to look at besides clouds and your buddy's ugly mug, but I wouldn't consider it safety equipment, just nice to have.
C'mon, people! This is the INTERNETS! (Which, in case you didn't know, is a series of tubes, and if you send too many e-mails, they get clogged up...) Snorkels must either be RIGHT or WRONG! There can be no "in between;" there is no room for MODERATION in our opinions! TAKE A STAND, or... or...
OK, I don't really know what will happen if you don't take an irrationally committed stand on this issue, but I KNOW IT WILL BE BAD! VERY, VERY BAD!
OK, I don't really know what will happen if you don't take an irrationally committed stand on this issue, but I KNOW IT WILL BE BAD! VERY, VERY BAD!
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