An argument for always having a snorkel

[Aquatic Eagle]

Well said. Sounds like navigation was the issue with the OP, not the snorkel, but I'm personally done trying to keep the snorkel out of my face/way since I never use it in the first place...took it off my mask strap before I packed my gear away yesterday and I suspect it's going to stay in the gear bag for a very long time...

Why do so many people have trouble keeping the snorkel out of their face? I've worn my snorkel on every dive except aquarium dives and I don't even notice it anymore unless I'm using it on the surface. I would never dive in the open ocean without one because I think (my opinion) that swimming with my face in the water is much easier than swimming on my back.

As far as using your reserve on the surface goes, what happens if there's an emergency and you have to get underwater to help someone out after you have surfaced? Would you rather someone else on the boat have to suit up or switch your tank or would you rather be prepared and ready to descend to perform a rescue? I'd rather always have that reserve in my tank. It's there for back-up and emergencies only as far as I'm concerned.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

That i doubt. If you aren't overweighted you can float well above and with the waves without getting swamped especially if you put your back to them.

Without knowing how much lift is in the BCD, you can't really make that claim. One can be properly weighted and still ride low in the water if they're wearing a BCD that provides minimal lift.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[String]

It's a shame indeed that most basic OW certification classes don't spend time on snorkeling and freediving anymore, otherwise people wouldn't seem to be having such difficulty with them.

Why? People want to scuba dive and that involves depths far in excess of 6 inches. If i want to learn to freedive i'll do a freedive course and take the proper equipment. If i want to "learn" to snorkel i'll take a snorkel course and take the proper equipment. Likewise when i learn to dive i'll take a diving course with the proper gear.

Nobody taught me knitting on my driving test as it wasn't relevant so why would i want someone to teach me to freedive on my scuba course as that also isn't relevant?

 

[String]

What's a snorkel?

Small plastic tube that should cost pennies that dive shops sell to gullible newcomers for lots of money.

OR a device for getting lobsters out of holes

OR useful for snorkelling

 

[String]

Without knowing how much lift is in the BCD, you can't really make that claim. One can be properly weighted and still ride low in the water if they're wearing a BCD that provides minimal lift.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

So that introduces another problem - their BCD is inadequate for the job so the snorkel is merely a crutch hiding the real problem.

(and very ineffective at it).

 

[diver 85]

Snorkels SUCK.....

so does lead, a bag hanging on my back, a piece of glass dangling in front of my eyes, & a big ugly piece of rubber sticking in between my gums(get the picture)..........but...........all help keep me alive(get the picture).....

 

[shoturtle]

Like what?! A surface swim maybe? Sudden bombing raid by aliens forcing you to return to 100m depth to sit it out and hide? You're on the surface. The dive is over. You have air you dont need.



Unless you have a huge SAC that isnt true. Pretty normal SAC should see that reserve last 20-30 minutes on the surface easily. Probably more if just floating there. With a normal size tank you have about 420 litres of air. People breathe between 10 and 17 on average per minute. Simple maths.



Again you completely misunderstand what the reserve is designed for. You seem set in stone you have to get back on that boat with 500psi no matter what and that is just dangerous. Your dive is over, the gas is there to be used so use it. People get ridiculously fixated on the 500psi limit to the extent ive seen people blow off safety stops purely to be on the surface with that amount again neatly sidestepping the whole purpose of it.

OH the need to be right is overwhelming me. Yes you are all knowing, we all should dive with set up like yours. All others are should forget the comfort level and do push the limits.

Why can you not just accept that each diver should dive the way they are comfortable with. It make them more relax and not burn though the their as quickly underwater. And with a long surface swim with gear on, 500psi will not last 28 min.

 

[String]

OH the need to be right is overwhelming me. Yes you are all knowing, we all should dive with set up like yours. All others are should forget the comfort level and do push the limits.

Why can you not just accept that each diver should dive the way they are comfortable with. It make them more relax and not burn though the their as quickly underwater. And with a long surface swim with gear on, 500psi will not last 28 min.

Quite simply let people dive the way they want to dive until it gets dangerous then intervene. Totally misunderstanding the point of an air reserve and bringing something like a snorkel that is not only useless underwater can be dangerous crosses that line.

As for a surface swim, it may not last 28 mins but it'll get you 20 at least unless you have the SAC of a forest fire.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I've always been surprised that a simple snorkel debate can end up in such a heated discussion... every time...

Good God people, there are more important issues at hand, like the Mask Placement debacle!!!

Quite amusing though, CARRY ON!

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

Why? People want to scuba dive and that involves depths far in excess of 6 inches. If i want to learn to freedive i'll do a freedive course and take the proper equipment. If i want to "learn" to snorkel i'll take a snorkel course and take the proper equipment. Likewise when i learn to dive i'll take a diving course with the proper gear.

Nobody taught me knitting on my driving test as it wasn't relevant so why would i want someone to teach me to freedive on my scuba course as that also isn't relevant?

You probably didn't jump right into the highway when you start driving right? Maybe you started by learning the basics of parking, reversing, three-point turns, parallel parking, etc. This is the same for diving. Learn how to swim properly and comfortable on the surface and just below with the minimum equipment, then expand on that.

How can you compare knitting and driving to freediving and scuba? Obviously knitting and driving are completely separate things but freediving and snorkeling skills do carry over to good scuba diving. Any good diver (in my opinion) should be competent enough to do a surface rescue without all the heavy scuba gear. Believe it or not, not everyone in the world is a natural at snorkeling. It may not seem like a hard thing to do but try working with hundreds of cruise ship guests each week and then tell me that it's a natural skill for humans. Without learning the proper techniques for efficient snorkeling, it's easy to tire out quickly especially if you're towing another person who is too tired to help out.