Should I wear a snorkel or not
- Thread starter Happyladydiver
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OP
Happyladydiver
Contributor
My post wasn't directed to you at all, it was meant as a general observation on what some others have said in this thread and the MANY other threads that discuss the same topic, To use a snorkel or not to use a snorkel.
That’s what I thought but I was just mentioning it anyway.
Blackcrusader
Contributor
So mask, snorkel, wet suits, weight belts and weights, fins, booties, gloves all used for skin diving.
"Taking that gear scuba diving is plain stupid".
Got it.
I learned by experience the hard way that you don't need a snorkeling snorkel for diving, meaning my regular dry snorkel that doesn't fold up. In my early days, after my mask was leaking and fogging up so much, it was suggested to me by someone more experienced that having a rigid snorkel attached to your mask creates a bit of a drag or resistance on your mask thereby breaking the seal around your face. Problem solved. I no longer dive with a snorkel attached, but I have a cheap rollup snorkel ($11 USD on Amazon) in my BCD pocket for the "just in case" situation on the surface. I always travel with my snorkeling snorkel on the boat. There are some occasions during a surface interval that you may get to snorkel. A couple of years ago in Cozumel, during our surface interval, a friendly sea turtle was hanging around our boat, so I slipped quietly into the water with just my mask and snorkel and had a close interaction with this sea turtle. It was pretty cool!
Blackcrusader
Contributor
No it doesn't. Makes no difference to the seal for a mask and I dive into plenty of strong currents. Fogging up certainly has nothing to do with having a snorkel attached.
Julius SCHMIDT
Contributor
Hey it's his story
Cutting devices and surface signaling devices are very useful things to have when diving, and they can be lifesaving. I always carry them, but it never occurred to me to attach them to my mask.
I personally never do the kind of diving where you would actually need a snorkel (long surface swim), but it seems like a reasonable thing to take for that very small subset of divers who do that. I'm not sure why the major dive agency feels that they are required for EVERY dive, but I'm not an instructor or anything.
Yes, I suppose that IF you had a long wait for a boat you could use one, but I'm still not sure I understand why that would be helpful. Are we talking about an "Open Water" type situation where you have to constantly look for sharks for several hours? Otherwise just float on the surface. Even with long waits, I never felt the need for a snorkel. You use so little gas on the surface, that unless you surface with a near empty tank, you should have plenty of gas to use your reg for the occasional glance underwater. Or just hold your breath when you want to look down.
I personally never do the kind of diving where you would actually need a snorkel (long surface swim), but it seems like a reasonable thing to take for that very small subset of divers who do that. I'm not sure why the major dive agency feels that they are required for EVERY dive, but I'm not an instructor or anything.
Yes, I suppose that IF you had a long wait for a boat you could use one, but I'm still not sure I understand why that would be helpful. Are we talking about an "Open Water" type situation where you have to constantly look for sharks for several hours? Otherwise just float on the surface. Even with long waits, I never felt the need for a snorkel. You use so little gas on the surface, that unless you surface with a near empty tank, you should have plenty of gas to use your reg for the occasional glance underwater. Or just hold your breath when you want to look down.
Blackcrusader
Contributor
OK Wearing a snorkel makes your mask fog up. OK lol
Julius SCHMIDT
Contributor
No! Constantly clearing your mask because a snorkel is breaking your skirt seal makes your mask fog up.
Shhhhhhhhh!
OP
Happyladydiver
Contributor
Tha
Sounds awesome with that turtle and a quick internet search turned up several articles that also mention the snorkel may create drag. It makes sense. I don’t need to be a scuba expert to see that what you’re saying is accurate. Thank you for your feedback.sou
Sounds awesome! I believe that in some cases that could occur as it makes sense. The drag issue I mean. It may not happen to other people due to a variety of reasons such as the type of mask, conditions etc but it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen to you. Sounds like you fixed it by not keeping the snorkel attached in this instance.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Sounds awesome with that turtle and a quick internet search turned up several articles that also mention the snorkel may create drag. It makes sense. I don’t need to be a scuba expert to see that what you’re saying is accurate. Thank you for your feedback.sou
Sounds awesome! I believe that in some cases that could occur as it makes sense. The drag issue I mean. It may not happen to other people due to a variety of reasons such as the type of mask, conditions etc but it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen to you. Sounds like you fixed it by not keeping the snorkel attached in this instance.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
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