If you need to do long surface swims,
then a snorkel is a very good thing.
Else, it is a nuisance.
Should I wear a snorkel or not
- Thread starter Happyladydiver
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If you need to do long surface swims,
then a snorkel is a very good thing.
Else, it is a nuisance.
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Or having to tread water in really choppy/big surf because the boat has disappeared (but that has been said). Or current took you too far out and you need assistance to get back in.
Anthony A.
Contributor
I've had to swim to shore a couple times and also do lots of shore diving. I swim backwards (on my back, face into the sky). Doesnt matter what type of weather conditions, it always works perfectly. A snorkel is cardinal sin in my book
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Yeah that's what I do too when I feel I'm a bit too far from shore, and I rarely take my snorkel along now, though at times in the pocket. But, back in my snorkel wearing days, it never hindered me while surface swimming on my back. I can see it's use in the situations I previously mentioned, though. For me, it's not a sin, just rarely ever useful. I haven't used the foldable one since I spent the $20 on it over 10 years ago.
Calling having a snorkel a cardinal sin is going a bit OTT imho. This is especially true when talking about new divers who might not have the knowledge/ experience to make informed decisions.
So you can't foresee any time you might want to swim out face down such as swimming over the top of a reef or spotting some wildlife below? On a site that is new to me I might want to scope the site from above to decide the best point for descending or to make a mental note of any "landmarks" (should that be seamarks?) en route.
I do spend the majority of my surface swims on my back (as you do) but I will still take a foldup snorkel with me in case I want it. If I don't use it it is out of the way, takes up very little space (especially when clipped to the BP&W) and has added a few grammes to my kit (not enough to notice).
I have certainly missed having a snorkel on one dive that I will always kick myself about - we were in the Red Sea on a rib coming back from the dive site to the liveaboard when a pod of dolphins swam alongside. Having no gas left in my tank (50 bar IIRC) and not having put my snorkel on my gear (I only had a rigid one as I didn't have the foldable one then - it was the first purchase I made on my return), I could only manage short bursts of having my face in the water whereas with the snorkel I would have been a lot more enjoyable..
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