Ahhhhh…..the most controversial of subjects: snorkels (lol)

[TMHeimer]

There is no discussion nor controversy whatsoever with the snorkel. Always with me hanging in my mask. I use it many times when I'm in the water in the surface waiting for the group to enter the water or when swimming back to the boat. Fresh air not so cold from the tank. A lot of good reasons to use it.

No discussion or controversy......?

 

[Lorenzoid]

I mean, of course a snorkel is better for whale shark watching. But I wouldn’t pass on it just because I didn’t have a snorkel. I thought that’s what you were saying, that only the people with snorkels got in the water.

Sorry if I misunderstood.

In that case, no, you did not misunderstand. I didn't bother jumping in without a snorkel, and as far as I saw, everyone else who jumped in had a snorkel. I've snorkeled with whale sharks before, and while it is cool, I didn't think it was worth the hassle of being able to take only intermittent looks.

 

[Esprise Me]

Buy a snorkel. Your son may need it for the class, he may prefer to dive with it for any number of reasons, and he may want to just go snorkeling instead of diving sometime. And if none of those things turn out to be true, you're still only out the cost of a couple air fills at most. I say this as someone who never dives with a snorkel but is glad to own a couple.

 

[EFX]

After discarding the snorkel for last 7years as a distracting appendage always rubbing the sides of my face, I think I now need to to use one permanently on my dives. My new BP/W always topples me forwards face down and if I inflate it just minimally to prevent toppling forwards, I can only barely keep my chin above the water. This was in a pool test without waves so I think out in the open ocean with waves it’s going to be a necessity. The other thing that dismays me about the BP/W setup is that I’m afraid I will not be able to handle a “lost at sea on the surface for hours” scenario comfortably leaning back in a relaxed position with my neck out of the water like with a BCD - I expect to be struggling to recover from a face down position every minute on the surface… or keep the snorkel permanently in my mouth… yet to dive open water with it so maybe I’ll figure it out after a few dives … let’s see… possibly in a genuine scenario, dump the 2kg weights in the side pockets I got, and hope for a higher-up posture with minimal inflation?

The BP/W is not the problem. The weights in the side pockets are what's tipping you forward at the surface. I had the same problem when I dove with a ScubaPro Nighthawk (which is a back inflate design same as a wing), that had large side pockets on the waist strap. I also had the tipping forward problem while trying to hold a vertical safety stop at 15 feet. I had to constantly fight to keep from tipping forward. Eventually, I found that during the dive in a horizontal position caused the weights to fall down to the front of the weight pockets. When going vertical the weights stayed in the front of the pockets causing me to rotate forward. The solution was after going vertical I would lean back, grab the weight pockets, lift and shake them slightly so the weights would slide to the back, preventing the tipping problem you're complaining about. If this doesn't work for you try moving the weight pockets further back along the waist straps if you can.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Like any equipment, take it if you have a need for it; if not, then leave it behind. If you do need take it, know how to work around any issues it might present.

So we can ditch our dive computers for recreational and deco diving? Never been really needed. Tables and bottom timer are what divers should be trained to use anyway.

I like the claims that having a snorkel on my mask as I always do will mean getting caught up in something, ( maybe long hair ) or that it will cause drag. Yeah so much drag from a small round thing not like my head and the rest of my body doesn't cause drag lol.
I have never been on a dive where someone has said oh you shouldn't dive with a snorkel on your mask. Like many things it's up to the diver to decide if they want to put one in their pocket or on their mask or not bring one at all. I'm used to having mine on my mask it's never been a bother having it there. It does bother me if I don't have it there lol

I've been on many dives where other divers have not had a snorkel with them and at the end of the dive and regretted not bringing one.

 

[TheRealScubaSteve]

So we can ditch our dive computers for recreational and deco diving? Never been really needed. Tables and bottom timer are what divers should be trained to use anyway.

I like the claims that having a snorkel on my mask as I always do will mean getting caught up in something, ( maybe long hair ) or that it will cause drag. Yeah so much drag from a small round thing not like my head and the rest of my body doesn't cause drag lol.
I have never been on a dive where someone has said oh you shouldn't dive with a snorkel on your mask. Like many things it's up to the diver to decide if they want to put one in their pocket or on their mask or not bring one at all. I'm used to having mine on my mask it's never been a bother having it there. It does bother me if I don't have it there lol

I've been on many dives where other divers have not had a snorkel with them and at the end of the dive and regretted not brining one.

There are a number of people on this board that still use tables. I wouldn't want to, but that doesn't make either right or wrong.

I do think that hate on snorkels can be a bit over the top at times, but it's certainly within the realm of possibility to get hung up on a snorkel, as it is with tank valves, dangling bits, or the recent post on a tank holder, etc., etc.

As you said, it is ultimately up to the diver to decide what gear falls within their comfort zone. That said, I think that differing points of view are often good food for thought.

 

[doctormike]

In that case, no, you did not misunderstand. I didn't bother jumping in without a snorkel, and as far as I saw, everyone else who jumped in had a snorkel. I've snorkeled with whale sharks before, and while it is cool, I didn't think it was worth the hassle of being able to take only intermittent looks.

So in that case we would have the same options. I ALWAYS have a snorkel with me for just such an occasion. It’s just in my dive bag, and not tied to my head.

 

[TMHeimer]

So we can ditch our dive computers for recreational and deco diving? Never been really needed. Tables and bottom timer are what divers should be trained to use anyway.

I like the claims that having a snorkel on my mask as I always do will mean getting caught up in something, ( maybe long hair ) or that it will cause drag. Yeah so much drag from a small round thing not like my head and the rest of my body doesn't cause drag lol.
I have never been on a dive where someone has said oh you shouldn't dive with a snorkel on your mask. Like many things it's up to the diver to decide if they want to put one in their pocket or on their mask or not bring one at all. I'm used to having mine on my mask it's never been a bother having it there. It does bother me if I don't have it there lol

I've been on many dives where other divers have not had a snorkel with them and at the end of the dive and regretted not bringing one.

Yeah some good points. But as someone mentioned, it depends on what type of diving you do. If you need very long surface swims and then descend, then ascend to then have another long surface swim-- sure, it can be a big plus. My shore diving never has those long swims, in fact no real surface swimming at all to speak of.
As you said, it's up to the diver to decide-- kinda like the vaccines and masks. Oops, not The Pub.

 

[doctormike]

I think that most of the things we discuss could be termed "personal preference", but of course, the whole reason we have a forum is to exchange ideas. i'm not interested in winning a debate here, I'm here to learn. Sometimes something that I have been doing for years is called into question, and I change my practices. If you approach this with the idea that you are going to prove that you are right, you shut yourself off from the chance for improvement.

In this particular debate, I don't think that anyone on the "no-snorkel-on-mask" side is trying to stop people from doing what they want. They are just trying to point out that many of the reasons that people think that they need snorkels are better served by carrying one for the rare time that it is needed. And of course, there are many who do lots of very big dives in very rough surface conditions who never carry a snorkel, so it's hardly a necessity.

On the other hand, the pro-snorkel-on-mask team has many training agencies on their side, which implies that very influential people in the diving world feel that it's unsafe to go diving without a snorkel tied to your head, and they are doing something about it.

 

[Bob DBF]

On the other hand, the pro-snorkel-on-mask team has many training agencies on their side, which implies that very influential people in the diving world feel that it's unsafe to go diving without a snorkel tied to your head, and they are doing something about it.

Back before the BC, it was a lot more important, one could say unsafe to dive without one. With BCs, larger tanks, and the way diving is done now, the snorkel is not needed on the vast majority of dives.