snorkel and DIR

[Cave Diver]

What's the DIR stance on using (or why not using) snorkel?

What's a snorkel?

Oh yeah, that thingy I gave to my nephew to play with in the pool!

Seriously tho, I can only think of one dive that I even remotely wished that I had one and even then it wasnt a big deal. Environmental conditions like long surface swims or rough seas are taken into account when planning the dive, so it becomes a essentially a non issue.

The only time i can remember wishing for one was during a SI on the Oriskany. Someone dropped lost a camera or something and it floated off way behind the boat before anyone noticed it. I jumped in with fins and mask after it and it took a pretty long swim to get to it.

 

[Rainer]

That plus all the other kicks.
Kicks are now practiced in the water rather than on picnic benches. The resistance from the water is much more realistic.

When we first practiced the kicks, we did them at the surface as well, but in our doubles and breathing off our regs. Think it's probably easier to demonstrate the proper kicks in a bathing suit with the snorkel. Like the idea.