Snorkel Use

[rx7diver]

Just wondering, how often do you need/use your snorkle when you dive?
When we did our OW, the snorkle was optional. The last boat dive we did, not one diver had a snorkle. This included a DM and instructor. I don't wear one yet because I have not had to and just think it will be in my way. Just trying to get a different point of view.

I posted this recently: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...364454-snorkel-what-s-good-8.html#post5656460.

If you have time, you might read the entire thread.

Safe Diving,

Ronald

 

[davetowz]

I wish PADI would revise the requirement for me to wear a snorkle as a DM, I hate when the dang thing twists and helps my mask leak a lil more, and who hasn't tried to dump air from the bc through the snorkle at least once. Snorkle is for snorkling IMHO.

 

[SnorkelLA]

My username may be misleading, but I am a scuba diver, and when I scuba dive I always mix up my snorkel with my BCD inflator, so I either don't dive with it or keep it clipped to my belt depending on conditions.

But I never snorkel without it!!!

 

[avatar]

Reasons I love my snorkle:

You get to be more like a fish for a little longer on each dive, rather than a bobbing cork.

Looking at the bottom rather than the horizon.

Hate the bubbles in my face using a reg on the surface.

Speed on a surface swim aiming for a specific point ? No contest.( just because it's cool)

Helps if prone to seasickness.

Face down helps protect against sunburn.

If you lose the boat, anything to conserve energy may help.

I have, however, descended without putting in my reg a time or two...

 

[Hatul]

I use the large bore Aqualung Impulse 3 when swimming on my back during shore diving in choppy water. I could breathe from my regulator but I'd use up a lot of air with the heavy finning.

On boat dives I prefer not to take the snorkel as it's not worth the entanglement hassle.

Adam

 

[Firewalker]

First off, there are no Scuba Police(so if you don't like wearing a snorkel, then don't, nobody cares).
Here's something right out of my old Pro-Manual "the snorkel takes away the biggest work in swimming, which is lifting your head out of the water to take a breath".
Scuba also takes away the biggest work in swimming, but scuba has a limited gas supply, a snorkel does not.
Here's something I have seen a number of times: Divers surface swimming back to boat (on their backs)in current . They don't have any gas left, and their legs start to cramp, so they put their snorkels in their mouth roll over and snorkel back to the boat (using different muscles).
We have kelp in this area. How would you get over a kelp bed, if you don't have any gas left in your tank?
A snorkel gives you an unlimited back-up gas supply (an is an essential piece of survival gear).

 

[Thalassamania]

As I said in another thread you need to be careful what you claim in absolutes:

I'm not carrying a snorkel for the teensy tiny chance I have to do a rescue with a long surface swim so I can shorten it from 15 minutes to 14 minutes. If I'm alone, and it's long enough for that to make a difference, there is a decent chance the best thing to do is just haul you in ASAP and it's moot. If I'm not alone, one provides propulsion and one does breaths. Not real useful there either.

I also remember that technique coming up in my training. I can't remember the reason why but we were advised not to do it.

Perhaps there is a reason to carry a snorkel, but that one doesn't convince me.

It'll more than halve the time for transport and the rescue breathing that is provided is damn near perfect, but then you, who have never done it and want to believe what you remember (perhaps) some random instructor saying would rather not listen to the truth. But that's neither here nor there, the point is that you stated:

It is not safety equipment. It is not required.

There may be one or two places where a snorkel is helpful. I haven't found those places yet. When I do, I'll take a snorkel diving. Until then the snorkel stays home.

... and I showed you where it might, in fact, be a piece of safety equipment.

... And using a snorkel for rescue breathing in the water, I call BS. Id like to see somebody due that on land let alone in the water. I'm listening.

Let me assure you (backed by Al Pierce's book "Scuba Lifesaving") that it works, really well. Try it and you'll find out that your B.S. meter is in desperate need of recalibration.

 

[farsidefan1]

For those asking to be persuaded to take a snorkel, long wait coming. I don't see anyone lining up to influence you. I carry a snorkel in my pocket. I like looking down at the fish at the end of a dive waiting my turn to board the boat. If you don't want to carry one - don't. I don't care. OP asked our opinons and rationales, not a bunch of arguments trying to convince anyone.

 

[gregdwulet]

I think the snorkel is like all of your gear in the sense that you need to think about your needs before every dive. A diver in the Bahamas is not going to need a dry suit, but if you go diving somewhere freezing cold, it's as essential as your fins. Similarly, a cave diver will not have much use for a safety sausage, but it's very useful for boat diving. A snorkel might be necessary for a shore entry with surf, but its only real use for boat diving is for use while waiting for your buddy at the end of the dive, at which point you should still have some air left in the tank, anyway. If not then you probably have bigger problems than the snorkel

 

[FinnWithFins]

I only use mine if the surface condition demands it.
And if weather seemes too rough, and would seem to require
lot of effort to get to dive spot or back to boat/shore, I'll skip the dive.
As a rescue diver, don't see the point in going out when all your
energy is spent outside of the dive itself.
Use your own assesment for dive to come if snorkle is needed.
Can always put it into your bcd pocked, "just in case", then its not
on the way during the dive...

Br,
FinnWithFins