Snorkle Use while diving

[R A Diver]

OK, I'm a newbie, 15 dives logged, five certifications. On last two salt water trips I was one of the few on the boats to have a snorkle. On my last trip to Palm Beach, Fl, only one other newbie had a snorkle attached to their mask.
I've had it drilled into me: snorkle, snorkle, snorkle.
Which is it?
I know the rough, choppy seas can make a snorkle irrelevent, but why the emphasis if no one is going to follow through.
Robert, A Diver

 

[spectrum]

Many of us use snorkels and find a lot of use in them, especially in shore diving.

Pete

 

[rongoodman]

There are no dive police-after your classes you can do what you want. I find they interfere with deploying my long hose, so I don't wear one.

 

[rstofer]

You didn't try the search feature, did you? This has been argued endlessly - I don't think it was civilized enough to be called a debate.

Those who like snorkels (and I think I am in that group) claim that surface swims are easier with a snorkel, particularly if a diver is low on gas. On the swim out, you may not want to use your precious dive gas. It's for diving, not swimming.

Those who hate snorkels say they serve no function and just get in the way. They also point out that the sport is called 'diving' and that a snorkel is useless underwater. So true...

I'm starting to take a harder look at my use of the snorkel. I want to dive with my double hose regulators and the snorkel really gets in the way. I also have a DSS BP/W and this has a particularly short inflator hose. It too collides with the snorkel. I'm thinking about it.

I spent too much time bobbing on the water diving from boats to just toss the snorkel. I used it on every boat dive. Now that I am doing beach entries, maybe using the regulator is better. I know, it's counterintuitive but that's where I'm coming out.

I have always believed (and preached) 'always have something in your mouth - a regulator or a snorkel'. I still believe in that but I'm slowly getting to 'keep your regulator in your mouth - always'. Swallowing sea water is always distasteful (pun intended).

There are no scuba police (unless the boat operator has policies) so do what you want.

Richard

 

[sink-er-swim]

I find my snorkel gets in my way (unless I'm snorkeling.) But I know guys who wont dive without it.

 

[redstrom]

There is no rule --just different opinions. Personally, I never use a snorkel for scuba. If seas are rough you may want to time your dive so you have a tiny bit extra air when you surface so you can keep the reg in your mouth if you have to wait for other people to enter the boat.

 

[H2Andy]

it really doesn't matter either way

i don't wear a snorkel because in high currents it makes my mask leak ... and i almost always dive in high currents here in Jax

so instead of having it some times and not having it others, i just decided to take it off. i haven't needed it in eight years

 

[drydiver]

I think it is highly dependent on the type of dive condition /personal preferences. Long surface swims in current/waves likely, snorkel is useful. Personally, I am relegated to the quarry diving for many of my weekends and no one needs a snorkel there. If you are confident of boat/anchor placement/nav skills/current then you may not find it comes in handy. I have long hair and it gets tangled and to mirror another posters experiences, on a down/hang line have seen them mess with divers masks, I pack one for surface usage. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer here, unless you are an instructor certifying people, my personal experience, is that is a combination of personal/dive condition preference.

Donna

 

[kanonfodr]

I've done some amazing surface swims on the way to where we dropped down and a snorkel certainly made it better. I also like having it for the "just in case" scenario. But my current dive buddy wants the one that folds up into his pocket for only when he needs it.

It can go either way. I like the extra bit of security of having mine attached to my mask full-time. I don't mind it.

Peace,
Greg

 

[heavyjeffd]

I like having it, as mentioned earlier, for surface swims to save my tank for the actual dive.

Beyond that, it is nice to have some of backup if you run out or low on gas and have a bit of a return journey. A snorkel would certainly make that swim a lot easier.