Do you dive with or without your snorkel attached and why?

[Rick Inman]

I own several nice snorkels - all of which I've found while diving. If I could just invent a devise which actually keeps a snorkel attached to a mask (assuming one would want to do so) I could buy a nice boat. What is it with snorkels? I mean, I've never found a regulator sitting on the bottom in 6 feet of water. My buddy says that the reason I find so many snorkels is that no one else bothers to pick them up. I have collected two scubapro snorkels with Darth Vader purges in them that - to my total amazement - I discovered retail for fifty dollars each! For a snorkel! But my favorite one has a ping-pong ball at the top. Some day I'll wear it on a dive to see if the ball implodes.

 

[Snowbear]

I like snorkels. Before I was a scuba diver I really enjoyed snorkeling over the warm water reefs.

Now I'm a diver. If I ever make it back to a warm water destination I'll be sure to bring my snorkel for the off-gassing-before-I-fly-home snorkeling day

I was diving with an experienced and competent diver last year in the Seattle area. This guy always dives with a snorkel attached to his mask. We were diving the Mukilteo T docks. On the way back to shore there was a rope across our path that was a couple feet off the bottom. My buddy didn't see it and swam under it. After his snorkel momentarily hung up on the line, it caught his tank valve. I woulda thought the snorkel woulda been a perfect warning indicator in this situation?? Guess he wasn't paying attention ~ I had to unhook him

Anyhow... I attached a snorkel for my OW training as it was required by the agency. I found it extremely annoying while I was diving. I also found it a royal PITA when the water was choppy and I had to clear it before every single breath as the waves kept dumping water down the tube. Since then, I've found it a whole lot easier to just hold my breath when the chop breaks over my head and breathe in between waves. Waiting for a boat to come get me I just lie back on the World's Biggest Water Bed and wake up when I hear the boat's motor.

As a DM for the same agency I got my BOW from, it turns out I'm supposed to have a snorkel "available" during training dives. Thankfully, that doesn't mean it has to be attached to my mask, so I just stuff it in my drysuit pocket

When I'm not playing DM, I don't carry it. I don't even let it take up luggage space on my occasional trips to the relative warm waters of Puget Sound. I have yet to find an actual need for it while wearing scuba gear...

 

[ArcticDiver]

It looks like everyone has their own idea about using a snorkle. Here's mine:

-In scuba gear the most efficient surface swim position is on your back. In that position a snorkle makes a wonderful straw to suck sea water. If you like sea water have at it. Otherwise....

Other reasons:
-It seems to be an entanglement magnet.
-It really drags a low volume, frameless mask; which is what I use.
-It is really great when swimming in shallow water with no scuba gear and just playing; ie snorkeling.
-Except for meeting gear criteria for certain classes, or snorkeling with my SO I've never found a need for one.

Right after certification mine went away except for snorkeling. In fact on a recent trip to Hawaii except during a class I didn't see any of the many divers using a snorkle.

So, dive your own dive. Use or don't use. Neither any of us or your certifying agency has the final say; you do. Make up your own mind and don't be afraid to change it in the future.

 

[RiverRat]

Now all you have to do is ditch that huge console *wink* just teasing....

EDIT - after taking a second look, I have to apologize - that may be just be a spg with the house still on - my bad.

Just coming back at ya when I noticed your edit
Didn't take me long to rip apart my Sherwoood console (at least I bought the "mini" one) I have the pressure guage in a "single" mount and the depth quage is a spare/backup in a hose mount. Now I just need to get around to getting one of those nice brass tech looking guages.

 

[MSilvia]

I would never question your snorkel decision in regard to a long hose, because I have never used one. Nor would I ever offer any negative comments toward any type of diving that I don't have previous experience with.

Oh... okay, I must have misinterpreted your earlier post. No worries... my experience would lead me to agree that a snorkle isn't much trouble in open water without a long hose.

BTW, this is NOT something that I would do on a normal dive, where a safety stop might be indicated.

I'm glad to hear it! While I don't think running a tank down to 100 psi is a good idea under anything but emergency circumstances, you're right that under those circumstances it didn't put you in much danger... you had several bailout options.

I don't use a long hose, have never even considered such a thing. I don't do wreck penetration, just doesn't really interest me.

I haven't done any wreck penetration either, but I think the long hose makes air sharing more comfortable even in open water.

 

[mania]

Sometime ago I lost my snorkel. Since then I don't have any and although diving in different locations also in the sea with high waves or having to swim to the boat I never felt the need to use (or to own again) a snorkel. When I had to swim I do it on my back. If it's high wave I swim with my regulator something like a half meter under the surface.
The only time I use a snorkel - then I borrow one - is for snorkeling. After or this is a snorkel - so the name shows it's for snorkeling not diving
Mania

 

[Geezer]

One more vote for the "take it in my bag, but only use it during surface interval" group.

 

[michaelp68]

I fold it and keep it in my BC pocket.

As a brand new diver, I found it to be annoying. When I read on SB that many experienced divers did not dive with their snorkels, I felt like it validated my limited experience, so I stopped diving with it attached to my mask and kept it in my pocket.

I actually took it out of the pocket and used it last summer.

It was a boat dive off the coast of New Jersey, planned 55 feet maximum depth. Seas were relatively calm with a light current at the start of the dive.

Late in the dive, the current at depth changed direction and increased significantly. When my buddy and I followed the wreck line that had been laid on the bottom back to the anchor to ascend, there was no longer an anchor. After I made sure we were in the correct spot, and after I realized we did not have an anchor line for our ascent, my buddy and I began our ascent. We took it slow and did a safety stop.

During the ascent and safety stop, I had no idea where the boat would be when we surfaced. I figured the boat would hopefully be nearby and keeping a lookout but I also knew that there was the potential for being in the water for a long long time.

At the completion of my safety stop, I had about 750 psi left in my tank.

When I surfaced, the seas were pretty choppy and I could not see the boat anywhere nearby.

I decided I'd breathe from the snorkel in my pocket instead of my reg so that I would keep the gas in my tank in case I needed it. I didn't know if I'd be in the water for just a few minutes until found by the boat, or for many hours.

I had an air powered horn on my inflator hose, so I wanted to have the air in my tank to use the horn over a long period of time, if that became necessary.

So, I used the snorkel to conserve the air in my tank for what I thought were other potential needs. I was glad I had it with me.

Michael

 

[Randy43068]

Mine is hooked up ready for use. I actually use it during the surface swim. I want as much compressed gas for diving I can get.

R.

 

[liberato]

FYI - for dives that start with a long surface swim it's best not use a snorkle for the kick out. Espically for students, who often have CO2 issues anyways (from shallow, nervous breathing), it's best to avoid any risk of CO2 buildup before the dive which can result from the dead-space in the snorkle.

Can't use that as an excuse anymore. Look, a better mousetrap.