How many of u use a snorkel ?

[John C. Ratliff]

PS--I just noticed in an old photo of myself diving with the Salem Junior Aqua Club in 1964 or so, that I was wearing an AMF Voit flexible snorkel. Note that we had no BC's then, and that my wet suit (A White Stag wet suit) was bright yellow on top. We used a snorkel a lot in those days. Oh yes, and a single hose regulator was a single hose regulator

 

[Joe R.]

I got certified in 73. My first gear included the double hose reg. and a Voit mask. I met some 'old timers' back then and they did'nt use bc's. They just weighted 'properly'. Then along came the 'May West' safety vest with CO2 inflation. Of course they dove snorkels, due to a lot of long swims no doubt. Now even though I'm heading in the dir direction (again trying to make things simple) there is a still a lot of stuff...

 

[Irishdiver]

Seldom use it but I'd hate to be without it. Makes surface swims bearable...just...and can help save air at the start of a dive when your buddies are settling themselves in the water.

What bugs me is the price...they're just a piece of plastic tubing right? So why am I expected to pay upwards of Eur20 (that's about US$20) for one in my LDS? Ripoff or what?

 

[Texass]

Howdy, Irishdiver !!!

Not tryin to steer off course, but my niece headed your way (Dublin) about 6 hours ago. Great how y'all allow ANYONE to reclaim their citizenship at the drop of a hat - even my family.

 

[Irishdiver]

Texass once bubbled...
Howdy, Irishdiver !!!

Not tryin to steer off course, but my niece headed your way (Dublin) about 6 hours ago. Great how y'all allow ANYONE to reclaim their citizenship at the drop of a hat - even my family.

Hmmm... Ireland of the welcomes. Seems immigration controls need to be beefed up!

Hope she brought her own dive gear with her. Prices here are through the roof.

 

[goyan]

Nope - except when taking classes.

I do snorkel quite a bit, but I have a different "rig" for that.

 

[jeffcali]

different strokes for different folks again...such is life. i love my snorkel. every chance i get to save air i use it.

the shore dives here in socal can be long sometimes so you just snorkel to the site. every chance i get to stare under water while on the surface, i take it. it's much more piecefull breathing through the snorkel than through the reg.

either waiting for people to get in or out of the water, i always have my face in the water check'n stuff out (while listening with one or both ears out of the water for any surprises)...never know what you're going to see passing by underneath you.

 

[The Pirate]

wazza once bubbled...
Do u use a snorkel ??
and is it import in every dive???
If yes why and if no why ??

Snorkel's are for snorkeling; not for scuba. A snorkel serves no purpose on a diver. And don't give me any of that "you need it at the surface in choppy water crap." Why would you use a snorkel when you have a tank and regulator. Keep the reg in your mouth if you're worried about breathing. Leave the snorkel at home unless you're going snorkeling.

 

[Blue Space]

I have and use a snorkle because thats what I was taught in class maybe i'll chage with experience who knows.

 

[Groundhog246]

The Pirate once bubbled...
And don't give me any of that "you need it at the surface in choppy water crap." Why would you use a snorkel when you have a tank and regulator. Keep the reg in your mouth if you're worried about breathing.

That's great until/unless your reg has freeflowed 500 feet from shore and it's choppy and you're going somewhat into the wind. Normally wouldn't surface that far out, but my buddies reg free-flowed at 55 feet and underwater return to the beach was NOT an option. Mine did fine till I lifted my head up to check on my buddies position and mine froze open too. Stuck my snorkel in, reached back and turned off the tank and snorkelled back to shore. Could I have made it back without the snorkel, probably. Would it have been a lot less pleasant, definitely.