Should I wear a snorkel or not

[Celt]

It must be difficult for those that can't progress past using a snorkel to becoming a diver

It must be even more difficult for those who missed the opportunity to learn to use a snorkel.

 

[maj2]

I ditched my snorkel shortly after certification.

Then, on a trip to South Africa, I got to do a dive at Sodwana Bay. Halfway to the dive site, the captain spied a whale shark, and killed the engine for us to spend some time snorkelling with it (nobody was fully geared up for scuba at that point). Everyone else on the boat had a lovely time snorkelling. My snorkel was in Canada, so I was the guy swimming around, looking underwater as long as I could hold my breath, and then huffing for air so I could get my head back underwater. Really wished I had that snorkel.

After 10 or 15 minutes with the whale shark, we got back in the boat and proceeded to the planned dive.

I never wear the snorkel in my doubles (long hose), but when diving singles, the snorkel is always in the bag, just in case I have a need for it.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I ditched my snorkel shortly after certification. Then, on a trip to South Africa, I got to do a dive at Sodwana Bay. Halfway to the dive site, the captain spied a whale shark, and killed the engine for us to spend some time snorkeling with it (nobody was fully geared up for scuba at that point). Everyone else on the boat had a lovely time snorkeling. My snorkel was in Canada, so I was the guy swimming around, looking underwater as long as I could hold my breath, and then huffing for air so I could get my head back underwater. Really wished I had that snorkel.

After 10 or 15 minutes with the whale shark, we got back in the boat and proceeded to the planned dive.

I never wear the snorkel in my doubles (long hose), but when diving singles, the snorkel is always in the bag, just in case I have a need for it.

Yup on the way to a dive site other people who didn't have a snorkel, still had fun though. Thing was on the boat we had people coming to the dive site to snorkel over the reef. They got the trip of a lifetime being able to swim in the wild with a whale shark.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

I ditched my snorkel shortly after certification.

Then, on a trip to South Africa, I got to do a dive at Sodwana Bay. Halfway to the dive site, the captain spied a whale shark, and killed the engine for us to spend some time snorkelling with it (nobody was fully geared up for scuba at that point). Everyone else on the boat had a lovely time snorkelling. My snorkel was in Canada, so I was the guy swimming around, looking underwater as long as I could hold my breath, and then huffing for air so I could get my head back underwater. Really wished I had that snorkel.

After 10 or 15 minutes with the whale shark, we got back in the boat and proceeded to the planned dive.

I never wear the snorkel in my doubles (long hose), but when diving singles, the snorkel is always in the bag, just in case I have a need for it.

Amazing. Nearly the exact same thing happened to me on a Red Sea liveaboard some years ago. I was thinking about putting a post in this thread in favour of having a snorkel 'available', but you beat me to it.

I'm a pretty good breathholder, but I too was chuffing out of my arse trying to keep up with her whilst continuously needing to surface for air.

I would've paid good money for a snorkel then. Oh well, another lesson learnt!

 

[Blackcrusader]

I would've paid good money for a snorkel then. Oh well, another lesson learnt!

Are you promoting to those who don't bring a snorkel that one day they may wish they had always brought one with them? I don't mean wearing it as I always do but at least bringing one in their pocket.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

You guys should have shared air with your buddies snorkel..

Is that what they call it these days?

 

[Graeme Fraser]

Are you promoting to those who don't bring a snorkel that one day they may wish they had always brought one with them? I don't mean wearing it as I always do but at least bringing one in their pocket.

Yes. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow. But soon.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

You guys should have shared air with your buddies snorkel..

I believe it was called a 'blow back', back in the day...

 

[Dody]

I throw mine in the bag on every trip but I haven't actually worn one since my last PADI class, whatever that was. If nothing else, they can get tangled when deploying the primary to an OOG diver.

I thought that it was standard to have the snorkel on the left side and the regulator and octo on the right side. I am a newbie. I might be wrong.

 

[Storker]

I thought that it was standard to have the snorkel on the left side and the regulator and octo on the right side. I am a newbie. I might be wrong.

The problem with snorkels and long hoses isn't the mouthpiece. It's that tube sticking up above your head, too easily interfering with the long hose as you duck your head to let the loop slip over. When you donating gas wearing a long hose, you donate the reg you've got in your mouth, while you switch to the backup necklaced under your chin.

And yes, you're right about reg to the right, snorkel to the left.