Surface Swims

[adza]

Hi,

Just wondering - does anyone have any preferences as to how they swim when they're required to do a surface swim.

In training (with PADI) we had to snorkel for a certain distance, however - I see various people who don't wear their snorkles.

So - how do those who don't snorkel do surface swims. (Freestyle, backstroke, etc?)

Please share your thoughts

- What is your favourite method of surface swimming
- How many different techniques of surface swimming do you know of?
- Any comments?

 

[GA Under Water]

Lean back on your BC, keeps your fins in the water better, Fins out of water is like loosing torque on your tires on ice, once you loose torque you stop moving effeciently.

least that is what I have found.

 

[SDL]

Backstroke with a frog kick, because;
a) You can watch the scenery
b) You can listen for your buddy
c) You can have a chat with your mates
d) You can hear boats chuntering about
e) You can relax and breath normaly
f) You can muck about with your gear and check things are clipped on, comp set etc.

Why I dont carry a snorkel;
a) They get in the way
b) Have no use atall unless swimming face down at the surface
c) There's nothing to see swimming face down at the surface!!!!
d) They tangle with hoses, SMB line, overheads etc
e) They always get swamped by waves when swimming face down at the surface!

 

[spankey]

not sure about padi, but with naui there are a few swims

- 400m with no wet suit or snorkel
- 800m with wet suit & snorkel

I dont normaly use a snorkel but was required to have one for the 800m swim.

There was a bunch more skills we did, but this was for the nauo master divers

 

[mthirsc]

I do a lot of long (20 min each way) surface swims and alternate between snorkeling and swimming on my back (flutter kick). I don't get as tired that way. On a boat dive I leave the snorkel, but I always bring it on a shore dive. Plus, some of the coolest sea life I have seen has been returning from dive, snorkelling through shallow water... octopus, eels, lionfish, etc.

 

[rockjock3]

Carry my snorkel in my tub, but haven't attached it in about 100 dives (total of about 130 dives since cert). I do my surface swims on my back w/frog kick. Same reasons as listed by SDL.

 

[terrasmak]

One my back , or face down with backgas.

 

[thomjinx]

Different strokes for different situations. Coming in or out on a shore dive, I like to snorkel. It saves gas and I often see some cool things. I can see if I am about to run into something as well.

On a boat dive I have a special technique. I gear up with my snorkel on and then when I do a giant stride entry, my snorkel comes off and sinks to the bottom as soon as I hit the water and then it is out of the way for the rest of the dive. Haha.

There is a type of snorkel that I like, but it has a lousy clip. I have lost 2 or 3 this way.

Actually I will usually do a boat dive without a snorkel, or with a foldable snorkel in a pocket if I think I may need it. Leaning back onto my BC and using various kicks is very nice, but if I am pushing a video housing it is often easier to swim face forward with either a snorkel or reg.

 

[Kim]

What's a surface swim? Just kidding!

If I really have to I'll swim on my back. However - where I dive here it's worth submerging immediately and following the contours down. Mostly though I dive off boats...call me lazy!