Snorkels in Florida?

[BradfordNC]

just remembered something i wanted to ask all you florida canned air breathers.

what is up with you people and snorkels?

didn't have a problem in Fort Lauderdale, they didn't give a damn that i left the snorkle in my gear bag.

but one boat down in Key Largo.
man they had a fit.
said it was the law that i was required to have the snorkle attached to the mask at all times. and not just tucked through the mask strap, it had to be attached.
you should have see all the zip ties and electrical tape on my set up.
then they said its required that as long as your in the water, you MUST leave your mask on your face, and your reg in you mouth.

so if the reg is always in my mouth, why do i need the snorkle?

lol, oh well, but i still want to return to Key Largo for more diving, was just curious if anyone could shed some light on these strange practices lol

 

[Dee]

We came across something similar in Islamorada a few years ago. We had to have a snorkle. Not required to wear it but required to HAVE one. For those without snorkles, the op would rent you one for $3! After a while there were so many complaints they quite charging rent but they wouldn't refund the money already collected from people of the samr boat. 98% of those required snorkles were thrown in bags, never to get wet.

 

[BradfordNC]

oh yeah, i own a snorkle just for that reason. but except for that dive in florida, it has spent the last 12 years tucked away in my gear bag.

Brad

 

[WreckWriter]

when I was a captain in Key Largo I was very strict about the snorkel requirement. Everyone had to carry, prefereably wear, one. I'm thinking the shop you had the trouble with was a large shop with several boats, near MM 100?

My legacy? If so, I'm sorry you had trouble but I must admit, for Joe Average Diver, I think the rule is a good one.

Tom

 

[Spectre]

I know a few of the boats in North Carolina don't want people doing deco dives.

Is it like that down there?

If so... have some fun. Take your snorkel and stow it away someplace safe on your decent. Do your planned deco dive.

When you surface, tell 'em it's a good thing you still had your deco profile 'cause you ended up entangled on the wreck by your snorkel!

 

[MSP Rescue Diver]

The rule might have something to do with an incident that took place in the Keys a number of years ago.

Apparently the captain miscounted and left the dive site with two divers still down. When they came back up the boat had left to the next dice site, and they were stranded. They managed to swim to a buoy where they hung on for over 24 hours until they were rescued by a another passing boat. Even when the boat returned to the dock and they discovered two gear bags left behind they didn't think anything was wrong.

As part of the lawsuit settlement, the dive operators were required to provide a safe operation course to all the other dive boats in the Keys. I guess they consider snorkel use a safety measure.

I guess it is a requirement if you need to keep breathing for 24 hours in the ocean until you get picked up.

Marc

 

[tombiowami]

A captain leaves 2 divers to die in the middle of the ocean and the fix is to have everyone wear snorkels?

The dives I have been on in NC they have asked for non deco profiles, but that is about it.

I can understand that one more as it seems fairly common for single tank rec divers to look at deco as not a big deal, and just a way to get more bottom time. Just follow your computer without understanding anything behind it.

Actual diving accidents are pretty rare considering the number of people diving and the conditions/environments being dove.


Tommy

 

[Rick L]

What's the problem with having a snorkel on your mask?
I have never had a problem I have one on all 3 of my masks!
Is there something im missing?
Rick L

 

[seaangel]

Safety it seems is an issue by previous posts for not wearing a snorkel?? Entanglement? I have made 96 dives in various situations, cenotes, rivers, oceans calm and rough, wrecks with ripping currents and I have yet to have my snorkel be problematic or cause me to become entangled. I have however, had to make some swims on the surface and wait on the boats in swells where I used my snorkel. Yes, boats will require you to keep your mask on and a regulator in your mouth, but if you are our of are that snorkel should be in your mouth. Why, same reason you need the fins on they are part of your Surface Support System, in case you don't make it back in the boat for some reason.

I also, use my snorkel when swimming out to a site on the surface to save air in my tank for the dive. I guess plain and simple I have never stopped using my snorkel so I don't see it as a big deal.

 

[WreckWriter]

the snorkel rule came around long before the left divers incident (the most well known one anyway).

Divers left at sea, while it might seem difficult to do, has happened several times that I know of. It happens because crews sometimes rely on head counts rather than roll calls. 20 divers on a boat, you're counting heads, someone moves, bingo. Crews should ALWAYS do a full roll call before moving the boat.

In the well known incident the 2 divers climbed onto Molasses light tower and were finally picked up. There's also been cases where divers got on the wrong boat (yea, that happens all the time). I once had 2 guys get on my boat, get completely ungeared, get a drink of water, and start sunbathing. The mate and I walked up to them and asked "do you recognise us?" Finally it dawned on them that they were on the wrong boat. Now, had I been missing 2 of my divers at the same time and not noticed these guys, AND relied on a head count....

No excuse for it happening but it does. Usually the Captain loses his license for a year.

As for the snorkle thing, the average diver in the Keys dives a couple times a year, less than 50 lifetime dives. They need every safety device they can get.

Many times I've seen panic situations averted by the crew simply telling the freaking diver "put your snorkel in your mouth". The act of doing so breaks the panic cycle. And yes, paniced divers will often respond to loud voice commands and panic situations often occur right next to the boat.

It's a good rule. For dives other than tech, snorkles should be required.

Tom