Snorkel: Required or dangerous?

[bvbellomo]

Most dives, my snorkel sits unused and unnoticed on the side of my mask. I had one experienced diver yell at me for taking it, saying it was not only unneeded, but dangerous since it could get in my way. I've had others tell me it is an important and required piece of safety equipment.

Not sure why others feel the need to share such strong opinions. I don't mind if you are the operator - your dive, your rules, but if you are a paying guest equal to me, trust the operator and worry about your own gear.

I will use a snorkel if I am on the surface any length of time, but I don't need it, and can't imagine any situation having one could save my life. But it has never gotten in my way either. I wondered if anyone more experienced divers had similar experiences, or anything to share. Internet forums are a much more appropriate venue for discussing such issues than dive boats.

 

[Angelo Farina]

At beginning of my carrier I was keeping it attached to my mask, but effectively it often caused flooding, for example when removing the cylinders from above my head for pushing them in front of me, entering caves or wrecks. That was the way we were trained for narrow passages, years before side-mounting was even considered...
And yet this way you can enter in holes when you cannot go through with side mounts.
So I learned not keeping the snorkel attached to my mask, but storing it in a "safe" place, such as inside a pocket, or under the knife straps. I did even buy a telescopic snorkel, which was very minimal inside a pocket...
Is it is useful to have it available in case of need?
To me it was useful just once in a life, but it was very important in that case.
The sea was rough, no more air in the cylinders, and I had to swim for 300 meters for reaching the boat. Without snorkel it had been very hard, or even impossible.
Of course, the problem was to use all the air in the cylinders, but this is another story...

 

[RockiesFan]

 

[spoolin01]

Recommended. Frequently handy, occasionally important.

 

[M-Cameron]

do i dive with a snorkel...yes

is it terribly useful...no

do i feel they should be required...no

do i feel its "dangerous"...also no (as far as recreational diving is concerned)


ive havent been in a situation where i NEEDED a snorkel...but it has come in handy, i like using it to get my face acclimated to cold water, and i can snorkel around waiting for other divers in my party to get in the water. also when water is a bit choppy on the surface, i can pop it in and sit on the surface a little more comfortably.

i did have an issue with those flex tube snorkels....because they allow the mouthpiece to dangle, i did occasionally grab my snorkel while looking for my BC inflator...but thats been the extent of my issues with it.

i switched to a traditional j-tube snorkel and havent had any issues...sits out of the way until i need it

 

[Wookie]

Neither required nor dangerous.

 

[Oitzu]

Required? No.
Dangerous? Also no.
Most people that say that it is dangerous come from the long hose around neck point of view.
With that configuration a snorkel worn on the mask can hinder the deployment of the hose.

Personally: I carry a foldable one with me. It irritates me on the mask while diving.
But I couldn't be caring less what others do.

 

[BoltSnap]

I never dive without a snorkel unless I am doing an overhead dive, wreck penetration, and even then I stow it in a pocket. I use it when on the surface all of the time. For me, it is required and I consider it one of the safety "tools" I carry on me while diving. I don't find it "annoying" or a cause of any discomfort or confusion. If the snorkel causes you to get confused with other piece of equipment, then you aren't proficient as you should be with the snorkel and the other piece of equipment's use. I know where my snorkel is and how to use it and where my BC inflator is and how to use it.

 

[M-Cameron]

I never dive without a snorkel unless I am doing an overhead dive, wreck penetration, and even then I stow it in a pocket. I use it when on the surface all of the time. For me, it is required and I consider it one of the safety "tools" I carry on me while diving. I don't find it "annoying" or a cause of any discomfort or confusion. If the snorkel causes you to get confused with other piece of equipment, then you aren't proficient as you should be with the snorkel and the other piece of equipment's use. I know where my snorkel is and how to use and where my BC inflator is and how to use it.

Well maybe one day we can all hope to be as proficient a diver as you are

 

[BoltSnap]

Well maybe one day we can all hope to be as proficient a diver as you are

If you try hard and pay attention, you may become so in few years.