Do you bring a snorkel under with you?

[diverkim]

For me, I rarely carry a snorkel. If I'm boat diving, I usually decend soon after entry.
If I have to swim a little (or a lot) before descending then I swim on my back. I find this much easier than snorkelling.
If it is choppy on the surface I keep my regulator in my mouth. This uses little air and I shoul have at least 50 bar in reserve when I surface.
The snorkel is an irritant getting caught in hoses and making mask removal and replacement more troublesome.
How anout you?:mean:

 

[Dryglove]

It stays in my bag on shore.I usually swim out on my back.Ill take it sometimes if im gonna be diving in thick kelp.That way i can save my air when doing the kelp crawl.An example of this would be when we swim out to the metridium fields at breakwater in monterey.We usually do the kelp crawl out past the kelp then drop down to the metridiums.We usually surface with enough air to dive through the kelp bed on the way back in instead of crawling through it. Other than that 99% of the time it stays in my bag.

 

[norcaldiver]

Yeah, I do. I don't find that it get's caught in anything, but the snorkel I have is the dry snorkel and it's great for snorkeling, BUT, I don't have the one that has the fall-away rubber, so it sits there and bangs into my reg if I don't manually pull it down and turn it away from me. I have started hooking it in my cumberbund instead of having it on my mask. Less drag and less water in the mask from adjusting it on reg/snorkel exchange.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Mine is always on whether I like it or not! Diving in a current is certainly no fun if you turn your head to the side but I won't give up my trusty snorkel. Did look longingly at one of the folding snorkels at the LDS though, maybe I'll put that on my Christmas List!
Ber

 

[SDAnderson]

I carry one in my bag, but it rarely gets used. I've found that it's more trouble than it's worth - banging on my head, creating a drag problem, generally getting in the way. As a general rule, if surface conditions warrant having a breathing device in my mouth, I've got a pair of regulators that work much better.

Exceptions:

• Long surface swim. If it's desirable to swim face down (view/navigation) for a long distance a snorkel can be helpful. I'm a diver, though, not a snorkeler, so I try to avoid long surface swims.
• Assisting with or taking a class. PADI requires one, for instance.
• Charter boat requires one. It happens and it's not worth kicking about. Once I hit the water it usually goes under the waist strap.

Steven

 

[DocVikingo]

[NOTE: As your question does not seem related to General Travel, but rather to Basic Scuba issues, I have taken the liberty of moving it to this forum.]

I only wear one when snorkeling, but I do carry one on the boat for those magical situations like a passing pod of dolphin, whaleshark, manta, etc., where I'll need to jump in quickly for some surface action.

You might enjoy this article on the pros & cons of wearing a snorkel I wrote for the Nov/Dec '99 issue of "Rodales' Scuba Diving":

"Although major certifying agencies continue to teach use of the snorkel as part of basic recreational scuba gear, the device's necessity is openly debated by factions pro and con. As with many equipment decisions, in the final analysis use of a snorkel post-certification is a personal one. To make this choice an informed one, here are some issues you may wish to consider.

Pros: Divers expressing a preference for the snorkel cite such benefits as: (1) easing of long surface swims, especially in rough water; (2) eliminating cylinder air consumption while swimming to points of descent; (3) locating u/w markers on beach entries and exits; and (4) allowing quick surface positioning when on board and that pod of curious dolphins or squadron of playful mantas unexpectedly appears.

Cons: Divers expressing a preference to go without a snorkel argue that they: (1) cause drag which not only adversely affects streamlining but can pull the face mask allowing water to enter, or in heavy current tear the mask off altogether; (2) pose a threat of snag/entanglement, and can be an impediment to rescue attempts requiring rapid removal of the victim' s mask; (3) float into the diver's field of vision, or the photographer's shot; (4) are effortful and inefficient. This contention includes that using a regulator while doing a surface swim is much easier, and that even if this is precluded by a low or out of air situation swimming on the back gives the diver a superior field of view and places the fins in a more efficient kicking position. Also cited are a tendency to flood (with the subsequent need to clear), retain water even after clearing, and the inherent "dead air" not expelled upon exhalation and rebreathed on inhalation.

Okay, you decide to go with the snorkel. What can you do to reduce the drawbacks? You can: (1) place the snorkel in a BC pocket, strap it to your leg, or otherwise position it so as to be readily accessible reducing drag, entanglement risk and obstruction of vision; (2) purchase a collapsible or roll up model that can be conveniently tucked away; and (3) purchase a model designed to effectively reduce ease of flooding, residual water in the tube (e.g., purge vales, reservoirs) and breathing effort. Of course, gains in on area can mean losses in another, e.g., loner tubes less prone to flooding breath harder. Your own preferences should decide the optimal balance of features."

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[Spectre]

I have a compact snorkle that is flexible. it folds into 3rds and used to fit in my BC pocket [when I had a BC]. I don't always take it now-a-days, since I often only run with one thigh pocket, but when I run with 2, I stuff it in the bottom of one of the pockets....

 

[chepar]

but I'm currently looking into purchasing a folding one to keep in the pocket of my BC.

Most of my diving is from a boat, which is why I'm looking to get the folding snorkel. However, I prefer using the snorkel over the regulator on long surface swims or with large wave action.

 

[detroit diver]

Only when I'm required to by some DM on the boat. Only happened once, and I wasn't too pleased with it. I carry no pockets, and wasn't about to attach it to my mask. So I stuck it up my shorty wetsuit leg.

When I got back on the boat, people were looking at me funny....

 

[scorpionfish]

Hi,

After years of having one attached to my mask, I shed it on a shark dive. I have never put it back on. Like you, I swim on my back--which is a nice way to enjoy bundles of cumulus clouds, or streaks of high nimbus clouds or even a volcano with its halo of clouds!

I do put one in the kit bag, though, just in case I want to jump in and snorkle around on an SI or view Doc's passing dolpins.

I have considered a collapsable, but I saw another diver's break after only 6 months of use: That made me take pause. It is still under consideration, though, because whilst swimming out for a shore dive is also nice to look down instead of up as one churns along on the surface.

Scorpionfish