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

[Warren_L]

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good bottom as much as the next guy

Who doesn't? LOL

 

[OE2X]

Dan - since a snorkel is a requirement on your boat, then I'm guessing you don't see many folks using long hoses.

I for one would avoid your operation if I had to wear a snorkel along with my long hose. I also don't do trust me dives, so I don't need a DM to hold my hand.

Thus far you still haven't offered a reason why snorkels are such good safety devices. The only thing that you have offered is black and white rhetoric from a book to justify having to wear one. Is it because it's a rule for the boat you work on? Does the rule always apply? What happens if a diver shows up with a long hose? Do you require him to still keep one attached to his mask, even though it will make deployment of his primary in an OOA, much harder? Just because the book says it, does it make it right?

 

[rje634]

rje634 do you ever have a problem purging the aqua lung rubber roll up snorkel? Its seems more compact and easier to stow in a pocket than a collapsing/folding snorkel.

The Aqua Lung roll up snorkel is for CALM WATER ONLY!! If I'm actually snorkelling I use a real snorkel with a purge. The roll up is just for the BC pocket, just in case...
And to answer your question, yes I do, it isn't the easiest snorkel to purge.

 

[SteveDiver]

Diving with a snorkle can be irritating. The only time I dive with a snorkle is if the water is rough, to me it would be better to use the snorkle then to try to keep your head above water to breathe. If the water is calm I ditch the snorkle. One time the snorkle irritated me so bad I ripped it off when I was underwater. A pocket snorkle sounds like something that I should invest in....

 

[SteveDiver]

Dan - since a snorkel is a requirement on your boat, then I'm guessing you don't see many folks using long hoses.

I for one would avoid your operation if I had to wear a snorkel along with my long hose. I also don't do trust me dives, so I don't need a DM to hold my hand.

Thus far you still haven't offered a reason why snorkels are such good safety devices. The only thing that you have offered is black and white rhetoric from a book to justify having to wear one. Is it because it's a rule for the boat you work on? Does the rule always apply? What happens if a diver shows up with a long hose? Do you require him to still keep one attached to his mask, even though it will make deployment of his primary in an OOA, much harder? Just because the book says it, does it make it right?

I agree! I would avoid the operation as well...All to often some boat operations feel the need to dictate what you can and cannot do. IMO if I pay an operation to take me out they need to do just that "take me out" I do not pay them for their demands and for them to critique me. Safety measures are important and are always respected. All to often the DM acts as if they are the God of diving and tend to be overbearing. DM's are good however, they need to hold the hands of new divers and leave the more experienced divers alone. I was on a charter last summer where the DM was critqueing every one on the boat and he was talking down to them- he had a Swollen head and thought he walked on water. I told him he needs to put a preparation H in is mouth to shrink his head....(lol). Most of my experience with dive operators have been very positive.

 

[kevink]

Until someone makes a snorkel that breathes better underwater (the often fabled snorkelator) mine is staying in the car.

The roll up snorkel is a nice way to comply with standards that require you carry a snorkel, but you better believe that for OW classes or rough water, the old stiff stick is on the left side of my mask.

 

[OE2X]

Until someone makes a snorkel that breathes better underwater (the often fabled snorkelator) mine is staying in the car.

The roll up snorkel is a nice way to comply with standards that require you carry a snorkel, but you better believe that for OW classes or rough water, the old stiff stick is on the left side of my mask.

Agreed a time and place for everything.

Question to you though: Why do certifying agencies make you the instructor teach snorkel use and demand that students use them?

 

[dlndavid]

Agreed a time and place for everything.

Question to you though: Why do certifying agencies make you the instructor teach snorkel use and demand that students use them?

In most cases I think that the students taking OW certification through their LDS have four dive gear items required to have, fins mask, weight belt and snorkel. Most are new to diving and excited. So they gladly buy these four items from their LDS (thus supporting their LDS). With the addition of the snorkel, there is more money to be made, helping to keep the LDS operation running. A good thing, no? After you become certified, there are no "scuba police", and the use of the snorkel while diving is up to the individual.

 

[kevink]

Question to you though: Why do certifying agencies make you the instructor teach snorkel use and demand that students use them?

I think the snorkel still plays a role in the OW class, and I don't think there is a great margin in a $20 piece of equipment. Until people are comfortable with their swiming and diving capability the snorkel is a nice safety net. You only need about two good gulps of salt water on a choppy surface to make a new diver long for their snorkel. Granted, with experience we have a ton of air left in our tanks, and we have chosen an exit to limit bobbing around like a cork, but the nOOb lacks this.

With experience also comes the know how of when to bring the stiff stick with you. It is no fun to tow a tired/stupid person back from a shore dive because they are out of air and have no snorkel.

I would say after about your 20th dive you should know your own ability and enough about conditions to judge when to bring the snorkel along (rough surf, shore dive, long swim).

 

[Warren_L]

And it's also hard to do the snorkel skills without them....