Snorkel when at a shore diving destination?

[Leighen]

Greetings forum members.

I have been reading lots of threads and I saw a post about someone asking about a backup computer on a liveaboard since they can't afford it and it reminded me I still have not solved my predicament which is that I have finally booked a week in Bonaire and will be shore diving but I am on a really tight budget and I cannot afford another single piece of dive gear and I don't have a snorkel. How important is a snorkel when shore diving? I figure I can always swim out on my back to the dive site and drop down but is there a lot of inherent risk in not having a snorkel should anything else happen that requires a long surface swim? Thanks for your help with this!

 

[Fyffer]

I never use my snorkel and I only shore dive. I do some long surface swims I do them alot so I do them on my back. If u do need one get a fold up one but u say u should be fine in your trip without it.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I don't usually dive with a snorkel but if I know there is going to be a long surface swim with choppy conditions, it is nice to have one and I use a roll up nautilus-style one and pull it out when needed. It is handy when you may not want to use your air by sticking your face in the water and don't want to fight keeping your face/head/nose/mouth above the chop or whitecaps.

 

[diversteve]

I don't have a snorkel

Send me your address and I'll mail you a new one, I've got some from a project that didn't work out It's this one - Sub Gear Curve Snorkel

obviously I'm not out a lot on it, But they seem decent,

 

[outofofficebrb]

Send me your address and I'll mail you a new one, I've got some from a project that didn't work out It's this one - Sub Gear Curve Snorkel

obviously I'm not out a lot on it,

you are amazing.

 

[TMHeimer]

Many snorkel threads. I at times put the foldable one in my BC pocket--only if it's a new site or if I know current exists that could be a hassle. Most of the time I don't take it with me on the dive.

 

[herman]

First off, there is no need to swim out to a site on Bonaire. Wade in chest deep, drop down and go. You are missing a lot of life in the shallows. As for not affording one, look around Craigs list for old gear or check the pool department for close out deals. You don't need one of the high dollar high tech gismos from a dive shop, a simple J tube from 1960 will work nicely.

 

[lamarpaulski]

Seems like I find snorkels at the beach so often they seem worthless. Got to be some cheap ones for sale.

They are often handy and could be critical. If you’re done diving but want to snorkel then you need one. If you want to check a site out prior to scuba, you need one. God forbid you get swept off by a current - you really really need one.

 

[Leighen]

Send me your address and I'll mail you a new one

Thanks! PM sent!

 

[Doc]

What with Postage and all, it would be cheaper to send cash.

Look in the pool clearance aisle at MallWart, they sell suitable plastic tubes for $5.

May PADI Lightning strike me dead, but I see no real application, need or requirement for a schnorkel at Bonaire.

A lot of other things you’re going to need to know, but right now your desire to depend upon hardware, albeit a simple plastic tube, that is a telling statement. There’s waaaay more process driven things that should be on your checklist, several are very Bonaire specific.

Bonaire shore entries have a pretty steep learning curve, not much that could kill you, but it’s no community wave pool either.