Giving up the snorkle

[dwashbur]

I don't see what the big deal is about snorkels. You'd think by reading some posts that snorkels are the anti christ or something.
I use a straight very simple J snorkel. I find it a very valuable piece of equipment for surface swimming face down over kelp beds keeping my tank valve from getting caught up in kelp.
I suppose if you use a long hose and have a five or seven footer wrapped around your neck that could create problems with deployment, but I use a regular octo length hose under my arm so there isn't anything around my neck. I haven't had to share air going single file out of a cave or a wreck around here in years so I figure a slightly shorter length hose will work just fine.

That's the way I have my octo set up. Now granted, on my third OW dive I had a big problem involving my snorkel: they had set me up with an Air II BCD instead of an octopus, and when I tried to do an exercise sharing air with my buddy I managed to grab the snorkel instead of the Air II and thought I was going to drown for a moment. But I blame that on the Air II thing, not on the snorkel. From that time on I refused to have an Air II and always insist on having an octopus that goes under my right arm (opposite side of my snorkel) so I don't have to take my own reg out to share air (I have had to share air on two occasions, both because of a buddy's equipment problems) and haven't had any difficulties at all. And on the surface, I can still use my snorkel and save my tank. Again, I have no problem with those who don't want to carry/wear/use one, but this setup sure works for me.

 

[pedo]

In an emergency you don't remove the bp/w, you cut it off

I can't remember who it was but there is a SB poster who answered the question of "when do I know to cut it?" with "Start cutting, if I stop you then it isn't an emergency" or something like that.

Sound like RJP.

 

[Thalassamania]

I should have stowed the snorkle. That was the only time in class I thought I was in real trouble, I approached my instructor, he signaled he was out of air and I went to grab my primary to hand to him, it got stuck on my snorkle, pulled my mask so it flooded, tried a couple times to get my backup in my mouth and found the snorkle twice, instead of the backup. Thought I may drown. If I didn't have that snorkle, donating would have been smooth and I would have immediately found my backup.
Thanks for the congrats, Peter, it's been something I've wanted to do for a long time and I feel I got a lot out of the class.

Congratulations on your course. I've used a long hose on my primary for a lot longer than HOG RIG has existed and I've never had a problem deploying my long hose. Might I suggest that the problem is not with the snorkel, but rather with they way in which you are wearing the snorkel. If you move the keeper back toward the middle of the back of head and up toward the surface end of the snorkel you will accomplish two things: 1) your snorkel will work better and 2) It will be much less likely to foul when you deploy your long hose. Try it out:

 

[pacificgal]

I see what you're saying, Thal, it does appear that there would be less likelihood of snagging if it were closer to my head. You live and you learn, you make mistakes and you learn from them. Next up for me is getting my son certified

 

[Thalassamania]

I just always found my snorkel very useful for California Coast diving, I would not want to give it up.

 

[pacificgal]

If I hadn't thought I was going to drown, I might agree with you. Next time I'll move the snorkle and practice with donating over the snorkle.