Should I wear a snorkel or not
- Thread starter Happyladydiver
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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.
David Novo
Contributor
I would not wear it during the dive. For surface swims, I swim on my back.
You can always have a foldable one in a pocket just in case you need.
You can always have a foldable one in a pocket just in case you need.
In my case I do a lot of shore diving and its more convenient to use a snorkel when swimming out to the start point, though I use my reg on the way back in. When diving on holiday and I’m waiting for other divers to sort themselves out I sit on the surface watching the nice fishies, the snorkel means I’m not using my gas.
As for mistaking the snorkel for the BCD inflator, there in completely different locations.
That said I’m normally the only person waring a snorkel (or even carrying one). It’s useful, but not essential for most dives.
Has a snorkel saved my life? No. But its definitely made a bad day manageable.
Its your choice.
I have a roll up one in my exposure suit pocket.
That way it doesn't interfere with my long hose, doesn't tug or bounce off my face etc.
But if I want to or need to use it I have it.
I've used it a couple times for surface swims.
That way it doesn't interfere with my long hose, doesn't tug or bounce off my face etc.
But if I want to or need to use it I have it.
I've used it a couple times for surface swims.
It’s a personal choice. Many experienced divers eventually ditch them but others keep wearing one on every dive. To each their own.
Personally I ditched it about 600 dives ago. I keep the reg in my mouth until I’m on the boat so I don’t need one at the surface. I hated the flapping and fluttering of the snorkel hanging from my mask during the dive. I realized it served no useful purpose. Now I use my snorkel when snorkeling and that’s all. That’s just me. You need to decide what works best for you. I’m not going to judge you either way!
Personally I ditched it about 600 dives ago. I keep the reg in my mouth until I’m on the boat so I don’t need one at the surface. I hated the flapping and fluttering of the snorkel hanging from my mask during the dive. I realized it served no useful purpose. Now I use my snorkel when snorkeling and that’s all. That’s just me. You need to decide what works best for you. I’m not going to judge you either way!
Pretty useless most of the time, I enjoy snorkeling/freediving at warm water locations but never with scuba gear on. On the surface in places like Monterey there isn’t a lot of viz so little to see but you can join the people who surface swim in every direction but the one intended often running to other people. Get a folding one if you must and a small pouch to put it in, leave it in your gear bag and in a few years you’ll feel good about leaving it home.
I have ALWAYS dove with a snorkel on for the last 45 years of diving except when diving in an overhead environment. No, I don't confuse my BC inflator hose with the snorkel or with any other piece of equipment. The snorkel never caused any issues with anything at all during these 45 years of diving. If any student of mine confuses the snorkel with the BC inflator hose or any other piece of equipment, they will need more training and remedial work and it won't be acceptable for them to proceed to openwater or be certified if they still confuse on how to use any piece of gear. When on surface, I use the snorkel and never waste any air from the tank using the regulator. Not being able to or know how to use any piece of equipment should not be a reason not to use it.
It depends.
If I'm doing a shore dive with a lengthy surface swim to the dive site, I'll wear and use one.
Most of my dives are boat dives, either for spearfishing or as a DM.
For spearfishing, I'll carry but not wear a snorkel in case I have a long swim back to the boat (haven't deployed it yet).
As a DM, it's counterproductive to wear one: when I'm at the surface, my face needs to be up watching the divers; when I tow a diver, my head is mostly up; the snorkel creates an entanglement risk when I'm in proximity to trail lines, granny lines, and divers struggling to navigate along them.
PADI's AOW course book suggests putting a snorkel in your mouth after you surface. The rationale offered is that if your feet get bumped or entangled and you look down to see what's going on, it's better to already have the snorkel already in your mouth. I don't find that persuasive. I suppose a snorkel is better than nothing, but I'd prefer to see customers keep their masks on and regs in their mouth the whole time they are not in the boat--unless it's absolutely flat calm.
I think boat divers who try to conserve air by using a snorkel for the swim to the descent line are either a) overestimating the air they're saving, or b) already destined to have short dives.
If I'm doing a shore dive with a lengthy surface swim to the dive site, I'll wear and use one.
Most of my dives are boat dives, either for spearfishing or as a DM.
For spearfishing, I'll carry but not wear a snorkel in case I have a long swim back to the boat (haven't deployed it yet).
As a DM, it's counterproductive to wear one: when I'm at the surface, my face needs to be up watching the divers; when I tow a diver, my head is mostly up; the snorkel creates an entanglement risk when I'm in proximity to trail lines, granny lines, and divers struggling to navigate along them.
PADI's AOW course book suggests putting a snorkel in your mouth after you surface. The rationale offered is that if your feet get bumped or entangled and you look down to see what's going on, it's better to already have the snorkel already in your mouth. I don't find that persuasive. I suppose a snorkel is better than nothing, but I'd prefer to see customers keep their masks on and regs in their mouth the whole time they are not in the boat--unless it's absolutely flat calm.
I think boat divers who try to conserve air by using a snorkel for the swim to the descent line are either a) overestimating the air they're saving, or b) already destined to have short dives.
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