Do you Need a Snorkel

[UCFKnightDiver]

No, snorkels are for snorkeling not diving!

 

[Sas]

Don't know about Victoria.

Nope. Though I did have to have one for SSI training that I did. But no charter or anyone else has ever required it.

 

[Sas]

Snorkels are essential for all but cave diving

Why are they essential? I have never had a use for a snorkel when diving. Perhaps for other places they might be useful but I can't think of a situation in which I wanted a snorkel in the types of dives I do. So like other equipment I find no use for I do not bring a snorkel.

 

[knowone]

Wore one in class maybe, must have can't remember. Never used one, never will, never think about it. Wear one sometimes with double hose for the look. Never use it never will. Think about it because it is there never to be used only for equipment vanity. Own thirty or forty and have used some for snorkeling, always will.
What is a dry snorkel.
WTF is a scuba park? Is it like a trailer park or Luna Park or Central Park?
Snorkel?
No snorkel?
Snorkel?
No snorkel?
Thread was informative till the extremists escaped from the asylum.
Snorkel? No snorkel?
Used to never think about it. Hope to never think about it again soon.

 

[Thalassamania]

No, snorkels are for snorkeling not diving!

Without some elaboration, that is a nonsensical statement. Would you care to elaborate?

Nope. Though I did have to have one for SSI training that I did. But no charter or anyone else has ever required it.

Rather irrelevant, charter requiring it or not, the point is: "why don't you choose to dive with one?"

Why are they essential? I have never had a use for a snorkel when diving. Perhaps for other places they might be useful but I can't think of a situation in which I wanted a snorkel in the types of dives I do. So like other equipment I find no use for I do not bring a snorkel.

As I stated in post #27:

Without getting into detail let me say that have been in situations were having a snorkel made the dive easier, where having a snorkel made the dive more fun (e.g., longer), and even where having a snorkel played a role in performing a rescue of another diver as well as a role in what you might call self rescue. If you weigh all that against the nanogram of inconvenience that a snorkel rarely causes ... the intelligent conclusion is rather obvious.
​

 

[Scott L]

I like Thal's manner of affixing the snorkel but as several others have stated I maneuver on the surface on my back. I haven't seen my snorkel since my last day of PADI AOW class in 1999...

 

[Thalassamania]

There's nothing wrong with swimming on your back, I do it all the time. It's just good to have several tricks in your bag, and you need to practice, it is a use it or lose it skill.

 

[Sas]

Without getting into detail let me say that have been in situations were having a snorkel made the dive easier, where having a snorkel made the dive more fun (e.g., longer), and even where having a snorkel played a role in performing a rescue of another diver as well as a role in what you might call self rescue. If you weigh all that against the nanogram of inconvenience that a snorkel rarely causes ... the intelligent conclusion is rather obvious.

Yea I was hoping for more detail with that question

 

[Thalassamania]

A few examples:
A snorkel:

• lets you look at the bottom whilst swimming out the dive site.
• lets you steer around shallow obstructions.
• helps you to preserve air whilst shore diving and swimming to your submergence point.
• permits mouth-to-snorkel breathing and transport in an emergency, by far the fastest and most efficient way.
• can be used in place of a mouth-to-mouth barrier in an emergency.
• makes it much easier to swim in heavy chop that would banging against you and over you if you were on your back.
• is essential if you ever need to swim under a helicopter that is hovering over the water.

 

[Sas]

A few examples:
A snorkel:

• lets you look at the bottom whilst swimming out the dive site.
• lets you steer around shallow obstructions.
• helps you to preserve air while shore diving and swimming to your submergence point.
• permits mouth-to-snorkel breathing and transport in an emergency, by far the fastest and most efficient way.
• can be used in place of a mouth to mouth barrier in an emergency.
• makes it much easier to swim in heavy chop that would banging against you and over you if you were on your back.
• is essential if you ever need to swim under a helicopter that is hovering over the water.

Ok fair enough. With me, I put my reg in my mouth to swim out to dive sites as I always have heaps of air (can't remember the last time I ended a dive based on my remaining gas). This might be needed in other places but for the diving I do, if I want to see the bottom whilst swimming out, reg is fine, just don't need the extra air

With the heavy chop, I have had long waits on the surface and if it is choppy I keep my reg in my mouth or I time my breath with the waves. For the former, I have never been in a situation where I couldn't sit on the surface breathing off my reg for a long while. So I guess if a helicopter flies past me, I will just keep my reg in my mouth also.

On the other points, to clarify, for the mouth to mouth, are you talking about in water transportation for the first point on this?