Why dont many SCUBA divers use a snorkel?

[elmer fudd]

I keep two in the bottom of my dive bins. One for me, one for whoever else wants one. 98% of the time however they just stay there in the bin. Sometimes around jetties or rock walls it's fun to snorkel after a dive or get a few crabs. Once in a while I might even opt to take one on a long surface swim if the visibility is spectacular.

The rest of the time they stay in the vehicle.

 

[pjones]

I think there be leg pulling creatures in these waters

Yes you've got to be weary of those critters when playing in this pool...

However on an entirely different note:
I hereby hold no responsibility to the accuracy (or lack there of) to the facts within the statement mentioned in my prior post to be relevant or correct. :geek:

Wow, I just knew the name, I didn't realise the whole story. Thanks

Besides I was always taught it was John Blowhard?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If I'm boat diving I never use one.
If I'm shore diving I will sometimes use one.
The times I find it usefull are when doing long surface swims and in particular belly crawling over kelp. I don't roll over on my back unless I can see that there is no kelp for the tank valve to get hung up on. I've seen many people get completely wrapped up in the stuff trying to swim in on their backs, and every time they roll over to try and see where they are going or to see if they are caught up even more kelp gets caught on the tank valve.
Surface swimming on your belly is a lot more efficient too (provided you keep your front side clear of danglies) because you don't have the tank hanging down causing drag.

I don't use a long hose anymore so deploying an octo to someone while wearing a snorkel is a non issue.
Look over to the left at my avatar and notice the straight snorkel I use. It must be ingrained training from my skindiving days. But then I don't always use a BC either so I must be a real freak.

 

[Stu S.]

who the hell invented the snorkel anyway?

Pliny the Elder. NASDS training said so.

Teaching snorkel is probably worthwhile, and an old tradition. In the pre-BC era, a snorkel was useful. With no BC to raise your torso, the waterline was across the mask. You could breathe through the reg while resting on the surface or use a snorkel. The 72 cu. ft. tank had to be used sparingly, so the snorkel was put to use.

I rarely use one today.

 

[steeplejack]

who woulda ever thunk it!!

 

[Prostar]

I saw a snorkel being used a year or so ago. It was something to do with a snorkel and a beer. I still don't know how it was done.

 

[TSandM]

I had no idea why a diver would want a snorkel, until Peter got himself a double hose regulator. You can't surface swim on your back with one of those, because it freeflows. So you have to swim face down, with a snorkel.

In Puget Sound, swimming face down with a snorkel is simply stupid. You can't see anything below you, and you can't see where you are going. At least swimming on your back, you can line up some landmarks to stay on course.

In choppy water, I found having a wave break over the top of the snorkel much more distressing than simply facing the wave and preparing for it, and breathing during the troughs.

I have just not found a compelling reason for a snorkel while diving, except the day the dolphins came to play around the RIB, and I jumped in in my dry suit and mask and no snorkel, and had to keep coming up for air.

 

[Deefstes]

We do most of our diving from boats which follows out buoy line and picks us up where we surface. I don't know about the extra drag or entanglement issues that a snorkel introduces but I think it's rubbish. I just don't like having one more thing to take care of and that dangles off me throughout the dive - especially as I really see no need for it.

I can understand that on long surface swims to a dive spot it can be useful but I don't understand why you can't breathe off your back gas for long surface swims back to shore. If you didn't surface with enough gas in your cylinder to even make that surface swim then really, I think you deserve the punishment of a strenuous surface swim without a snorkel or back gas. Maybe next time you'll remember to keep a closer eye on your gas throughout your dive.

 

[OceanLover91]

I personally hate my snorkel and will probably not use one after unless in a class of some sort once I finish my open water this weekend. I don't like it because:
a) it gets tangled in my hair, which is very painful
b) it flops around awkwardly when above the surface but don't need it in my mouth
c) my mouth gets incredibly dry and I feel like I have a hard time breathing
d) it's really hard to purge when it gets water in it, which is all the time...

I might try another snorkel or two in the future, I like the idea of a fold up one to put in my BCD pocket for the just in case times but I honestly hate it attached to my mask...

 

[DaleC]

Egbert Snorkopolous.

Yes Very True! He actually invented it so he could sleep with his head under the covers at night. It wasn't until 1932 that Samuel Scubatate Saw the use in the invention for under water use

You two are refering to the invention of the modern snorkel of course.

According to "Man Under Water" by Henry Billings, William Beebe (of Bathysphere fame) describes the actions of the Rat tail maggot which extends a breathing tube underwater up to the surface. The perfect insect prototype of the snorkel. Travellers of the past describe elephants crossing deep rivers totally submerged except for a few inches of trunk extending above the water and ancient drawings of swimmers using reeds to remain submerged exist.
In the beginning of the 16th century a drawing of a greased leather helmet/tube combination was made though there is some question as to whether such a device was ever practically used. In the 17th century Buonaiuto Lorini drew up plans for a large leather tube into which a man would stick his head; again it is doubtful it was ever actually used.
After that, efforts to remain underwater focussed on diving bells and surface supplied diving dress until the Germans introduced the "Schnorkel" during WWII.

Then Egbert Snorkopolous and Samuel Scubatate took over and stole all the glory.