Snorkles

[String]

So, what's your game plan in a low air situation--that leads to an OOA surface situation when you're floating on the surface for (up to) several hours in a 2 to 5' choppy sea??........Please don't tell me you're that good of a breather when your head constantly remains slightly above the water line in that kind of a sea...

No. As my weight is correct and my kit suitable for the job i simply inflate my wing, float and wait. 2-5 foot seas really arent a lot at all. If the seas are 5ft an 8" plastic tube isnt going to help you at all.

Its far from uncommon to have to drift around on the surface waiting for the boat to pick up the other divers. 30+ minutes is quite common if its a busy day. Not one person carries a PADI-tube, the swell height of 2-3m is common, force 4-5 winds are common and despite that not one person has the slightest difficulty in staying on the surface and breathing. In all the missing diver incidents from the last few years here that lasted several hours in conditions the same or worse not one of the divers had a snorkel. And yet amazingly they were all fine and not one person has even suggested its needed.

Snorkels on the surface are a diver looking for an excuse to make up for his incorrect choice of kit or weighting. They are of no use in extreme conditions and the only conditions you could possibly use one are the same conditions that you dont need one in anyway.

 

[tridacna]

Snorkle, snorkel, snorekell, snorkell, snorrkell, snorckel, snorckle, regulator, regulater, regulatre. Anyone not know what I am talking about? Do you understand the definition of ANAL? This is a test.

Wait. I read your initial post again. And yes, you failed the test. You don't seem to be able to spell anything correctly. My apologies. Butt yoo nooes wot i meen..cos yoo reely cont spelll :mooner:

 

[Underwater Ogre]

Been there, done that. I've made many many dives out of the Friday Harbor Lab, used a snorkel, as usual, with no problem. I loved it up there, I'll take you up on the invite, if my ancient snorkel doesn't put you off too much.

The offer is still out there...but please have a look at a map before you head up here...Labrador is approx. 7500km away from me I think that's something near 4500miles? That like saying I am near Miami, Florida. Which I wish I was sometimes...its 46F today.

On the opening post,
I have been noticing that "most" of the divers that don't care for "candy canes" are cold water divers and cave divers.

Stay safe,
U/O

 

[diver 85]

No. As my weight is correct and my kit suitable for the job i simply inflate my wing, float and wait. 2-5 foot seas really arent a lot at all. If the seas are 5ft an 8" plastic tube isnt going to help you at all.

Its far from uncommon to have to drift around on the surface waiting for the boat to pick up the other divers. 30+ minutes is quite common if its a busy day. Not one person carries a PADI-tube, the swell height of 2-3m is common, force 4-5 winds are common and despite that not one person has the slightest difficulty in staying on the surface and breathing. In all the missing diver incidents from the last few years here that lasted several hours in conditions the same or worse not one of the divers had a snorkel. And yet amazingly they were all fine and not one person has even suggested its needed.

Snorkels on the surface are a diver looking for an excuse to make up for his incorrect choice of kit or weighting. They are of no use in extreme conditions and the only conditions you could possibly use one are the same conditions that you dont need one in anyway.

lol...You're close, but no cigar.....Hope you don't find out one day---the hard way....Always remember , 'It ain't rare if it's in your chair'---think about that one for a while(if you need help with it, let me know).........

 

[Thalassamania]

The offer is still out there...but please have a look at a map before you head up here...Labrador is approx. 7500km away from me I think that's something near 4500miles? That like saying I am near Miami, Florida. Which I wish I was sometimes...its 46F today.

On the opening post,
I have been noticing that "most" of the divers that don't care for "candy canes" are cold water divers and cave divers.

Stay safe,
U/O

Sorry, I read Vancouver Island, Canada, and made a "natural" mistake.

Actually I've spent some time in Newfoundland staying with friends from Memorial, did a bit of diving there, made two cruises up the Davis Straight to the edge of (what was then) the summer icepack and one expedition to Ellesmere Island. Snorkel always went with me.

 

[WarrenZ]

I have found that it is less stressful in some situations to leave the snorkel on the boat and go on tank air from the time you jump off the back until you are back on board and in the tank rack. However take this with a grain of salt we were diving the Yukon in 6-8' seas and the waves were breaking over us on the surface. Other times for a long surface swim I usually float on my back and swim I havent worn a snorkel for 5 years except if I wasnt wearing a tank.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Ahhh, the perpetual snorkel debate.

Strong opinion on both sides and not much chance of a change of heart, regardless of the strength or logic of the opposing argument.

My "local observation" here in Hawaii is that those most likely to use a snorkel PROPERLY have been trained to do so and have seen a reason to continue doing so. By "trained" I mean much more than the simple PADI requirement of having one strapped to their mask to pass the class: I mean actually to rig it and HOW TO USE IT in the ocean.

Those who are anti-snorkel have never seen it's utility, thus see it as a pain and a hassle, and therefor regard it as a total waste of time and are puzzled or amused by anyone they see wearing one.

I was a free-diver before becoming a scuba diver. I was trained in the '70s. I mostly shore dive. I have been in rough surface situations that while not really "life or death" were much, MUCH easier to handle because I had a snorkel.

But I do occasionally dive without one It just depends on the dive site.

Put my name in the WITH SNORKEL column

 

[Thalassamania]

LeadTurn SD, are you having the termidity to suggest that people who do not like snorkels have never learned how to use them properly? My goodness ... I never thought of that.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

LeadTurn SD, are you having the termidity to suggest that people who do not like snorkels have never learned how to use them properly? My goodness ... I never thought of that.

Whooops, I was thinking it, but did I actually blurt that out??

That's more politicaly incorrect than I usually tend to be... 1,000 apologies, and off to my dungeon to flail my bad self with a no-frills old Scubapro J-snorkel as a form of penance.

 

[Underwater Ogre]

Whooops, I was thinking it, but did I actually blurt that out??

That's more politicaly incorrect than I usually tend to be... 1,000 apologies, and off to my dungeon to flail my bad self with a no-frills old Scubapro J-snorkel as a form of penance.

I tend to agree. I never snorkeled much and every time I do, I dive down and take a few breaths...dont seem to get much out of it except for a coughing fit...go figure.

There doesn't tend to be much cold water snorkeling, so most of us never get use to it. And our instructors dont really like them either.
Its like anything that you don't use, or don't like using...why have it on you if it just going to cause grief or be a PIA. In that case, we learn how to dive (get use to) diving without it. I think neither is right or wrong...just different things for different situations.

I do want to put together a "feed the Sea Lion candy canes day" they really like playing with snorkels. No one go ECO on me they don't actually eat them.

U/O