Snorkel or not?

[ChrisEdwards]

I've snorkeled for many years and have been very comfortable using one in most ocean conditions.

A couple of weeks ago I did my OW Cert off West Plam Beach, FL. We were drift diving and there were about 15 of us. When we came up to the boat, they floated out a bouy from the back left corner of the boat and we all held onto that on the surface while we moved along the line and took our turn to get back on the boat.

Anyway, my turn comes, I'm about 4 feet back from the boat which is rocking upon and down in a 3ft - 4ft swell, hanging onto this rope and taking my fins off. The next thing I know, the rope from the boat is all tangled up in my snorkel, hanging off the side of my mask. My mask is now around my neck, the nylon rope is chaffing the side of my head and I'm been plucked up and down, with my mask acting as a noose, by the rope attached to the boat.

I won't be wearing a snorkel again. I've now got a fold up one that's going in a BC pocket.

 

[EastEndDiver]

I just don't understand why people seem to think that they need to use a snorkel when they are on the surface to breathe. We live our day to day lives without a snorkel. I swim in the pool withot a snorkel. I swim in the ocean without a snorkel. Why is it that becuase I have a tank on my back and a mask around my neck or over my eyes does it make a snorkel nescessary. The only thing a snorkel has done is make me choke on any water getting in there or get in the way when diving, i.e. flooding my mask because it got hung up, kicked, grabbed, etc.

If the water is choppy then I time my breaths so that no water is over my mouth when I breathe. I dive the oceaa all of the time. If the chop and waves are so bad that I cannot breathe while on the surface I call the dive. That would be a waste of time to try to dive that or at the very least not fun.

What is all this talk about conserving air on the kick out to the dive site? You have all the free air you need. Just breathe!



Use the reg underwater and your God given breathing talents we have all had since birth when above the water.

Why does that not make sense?

Diving less than a year............HMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

As someone else asked where do you dive and what kind of dives have you done?

 

[bisonduquebec]

I have a folding snorkel that I keep in my dive pocket. Never had to use it. Maybe if I get lost at sea with a lot of waves....

 

[JungleJoe]

I Ummm dont dive with one, Really cant, unless I take off my mask Nira Neptune II, I have a valve that allows me to breathe surface air, and in choppy waters or swells on the local lakes, I just turn my head so the surface valve does not get hit. I spose I should get a foldable as a just in case, I carry a regular mask in my drysuit pocket, so perhaps safety wise it might help. You can't predict what can happen to you, you can only prepare, and the more tools that you have with you, will help you... Just don't start carrying so much that your bogged down in gear either.

But I guess us FFM divers will remain snorkeless............heh

 

[Scuba Monster]

I dive and have a snorkel and so far no negative snorkel experiences to report. I like the snorkel to use at the surface. I have been in a situation where the dive master made everyone wait until all divers were in the water. The current was rough and I was one of the first people in the water, so I had a bit of a wait. I liked the snokel to keep salt water out of my mouth and check out what's below. And I didn't have to use any air while I was waiting.

 

[ckaspar]

Diving less than a year............HMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

As someone else asked where do you dive and what kind of dives have you done?

Firstly I have to apologize for my profile being out of date. My experience should say one year but I am sure that still won't make my opinion valid. Besides that I am sure that numbers of years diving would not make a difference in judging a person's beliefs in why "we do things the way we do in diving." I know very expreienced divemasters/instructors that I have gotten into debates with over turning the tank valve back a quarter turn "so when you do a buddy check your buddy will know your air is on." That is a ridiculous idea!

Secondly, and again I am only feeding your fire now I am sure, I dive primarily California shore dives. I have roughly 75 dives and as I stated before I have never wanted nor needed to use a snorkel. I have been in some rough chop and swells out in Catalina and I have also done tone of shore dives and I would consider 4-5 ft waves a large enough "Swell" to warrant a snorkel in your minds but I just breathe witouh inhaling water. If you are buoyant enough you will be well above any water that may get in your mouth. Keep in mind, the snorkel is not a "pipe to the heavens for that life giving breath." It only sits a few inches above your head.

Check out this link for where I got my beliefs from and maybe you guys will see where I am coming from.

http://www.stupiddivertricks.com/equipment/0410/index.html

 

[wallacm]

I use the snorkel when i'm diving a popular dive site and need something to differentiate my anchor line. Other than that, the damn thing just gets in the way.

 

[EastEndDiver]

You can learn so much from internet divers.

 

[ckaspar]

You can learn so much from internet divers.

And yet you read it...

 

[EastEndDiver]

And yet you read it...

Yes I did.........I always like a good laugh.

And if you haven't noticed I have NOT said whether to use a snorkel or not.I believe in people making their own choices in diving after they have experience ,NOT going by what other people say or do.I have 30 years diving experience mostly in the NorthEast doing Deep Wreck diving .Whats good for me may or may not be good for someone else.Yet with my experience I don't try to shove my way of doing things down someone else throat or consider them wrong if they do it differently.As you dive more and in different enviornments you will realize that sometimes you have to make changes in your diving patterns and equipment.But I am a dinosaur I just started using a computer last year and when I started diving "Horse Collar " BC's were just starting to be used.

Experience is the best teacher.