Sucking in water tbrough my snorkel

[Still Kicking]

When the kelp used to be really thick in Norcal I always used a snorkel on shore dives.
It was better to surface swim out on your belly and push the kelp aside and pick your path. We used to do allot of freediving for abalone so snorkels are pretty common. Most used the straight tube basic freediving type with no valves or balls/gizmos. Using a snorkel for scuba surface swims was taught as a normal thing locally.
IMO, the dry or exhaust valve easy clear types are considered for amateurs.
So now there is no kelp. I don't really have a reason to use a snorkel anymore because I got into the habit if going down pretty early off the beach to see the condition of the weeds and kelp and critters including to see if abalone are coming back.
I encourage people not to think in absolutes and always say that snorkels have no use in scuba diving because they do under some circumstances in surface swims. You have to look at the specific condition snd application.
In boat diving, unless they anchor in some thick kelp bed, a snorkel maybe if no use. But if they do anchor close to kelp and for instance you pop up in the middle of the kelp bed and need to do the kelp crawl or navigate through the kelp to get back to the boat and you're low on air, a snorkel is damn handy!

Another excellent use for a snorkel!

 

[Waterwulf]

Sounds like a user error and an incompetent instructor. A bp/w with doubles will in most cases pull you on your back.
With a single cylinder it depends on the type of cylinder, weight distribution and setting of shoulder and crotch strap. You shouldn't faceplant even when the wing is fully inflated.
Or do you have an abnormal anatomy?

I guess you didn't read my post. Oh well. I'll repeat it just for you. Yes, I have an odd anatomy. No, the bpw or jacket absolutely would not work for me no matter what the instructor or several other people tried. I can not use them and will never try again. My Horse Collar BC never tried to drown me. I'll stick with it because it works for me.

 

[Waterwulf]

I do not know of any horse collar BC that was USCG certified for use as a life jacket. They are optimal for surface flotation but a wing is optimal for horizontal trim in use when submerged. As soon as any air is introduced into either for depth compensation of exposure gear or full tanks, a horse collar rotates head up and a wing generally does not. An Army surplus Mae West may have been an actual life jacket but they were not a BC.



Face planting is just not a problem, for one, keep your reg in your mouth and it does not matter and two face planting is very much a user error issue that can be largely corrected with practice and an open mind to a different way of doing things.

Next time I go diving in a few weeks I am taking my horse collar! I wish I had it a few days ago in Cozumel. It would have been dandy. I was in a 3mm shorty, 6 pounds and zero air introduced. Yes, a little light at safety stop but manageable. A horse collar BC would have been fine.

Uhh yeah that's what I said in my response. We stole our original "BC's" from Air Force Flight Crews. Of course they were life jackets. Yes, face planting is a problem for me. I don't like it and with my HC BC, I don't have to tolerate it. I never said that BPW or jackets were bad, just that they're not right for me. Use whatever you want to and so will I. And no, our early stolen Horse Collar BC's and even the later true BC's made for diving were not Coast Guard Certified. I said they were accepted as being life saving devices whenever they did boat safety inspections. They would spot those laying on top of our other diving gear in the back of the boat and not even ask to see life jackets.

 

[Waterwulf]

Absolutely bizzare rant with a even more bizzare "joke".... Sigh.

Precisely how many multi-hour surface drifts have you done during your incredibly storied years of diving? And what makes you think that some embarassingly ancient, obsolete, unused-by-literally everyone, horse collar would do anything that a BPW couldn't easily do?

If I'm floating for hours, god-forbid in your company, remind me what's preventing me from floating correctly on my back as I normally do with total ease? Additionally, if I pass out on the water - if only so I dont have to listen to your worthless jokes - even a proper life vest is of little use (waves, sunburn, heatstroke, disorientation, lack of signalling etc).

If I were you I'd take a moment with literally anyone that happens to be in the water, engage some basic physical ability, and learn (!) how to float properly. Even a log can do it, I'm sure you can.

Wow, so you're one of those Richard Craniums who has to resort to insults to make your point. It's a sure sign of an impeded brain development. You are obviously an expert on everything diving but I'm old and set in my ways and not really teachable anymore so I'll stick with what works for me. Have a nice day now, ya hear!

 

[boqurant]

Wow, so you're one of those Richard Craniums who has to resort to insults to make your point. It's a sure sign of an impeded brain development. You are obviously an expert on everything diving but I'm old and set in my ways and not really teachable anymore so I'll stick with what works for me. Have a nice day now, ya hear!

From that toddler tantrum of a response, I’ll assume that the answer to my question is _zero_. Zero times you’ve been flapping around uselessly at the surface for hours waiting for a boat, thinking only of your next big meal. As I initially speculated, if you’re faceplanting with a properly fitted BPW (or indeed a jacket) then you lack core strength. This can be worked on, perhaps you could try.

I’ve encountered the panicky old auntie archetype on dive boats before: try to avoid diving anywhere near them.

Indeed, talking of dangerous old things that shouldn’t go diving, back to snorkels.

 

[happy-diver]

Does anyone train breathing around the mouthpiece of the regulator

 

[Nemrod]

And no, our early stolen Horse Collar BC's and even the later true BC's made for diving were not Coast Guard Certified. I said they were accepted as being life saving devices whenever they did boat safety inspections.

The USCG will not accept scuba BCs of any type as a life jacket. If it does not have the tag it is not and does not qualify as a lifejacket. You may have gotten lucky, who knows, but for anyone else, please do not think a scuba BC, even a horse collar type, will pass an inspection as a lifejacket, the fine can be expensive.

I think the OPs question has been answered.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Does anyone train breathing around the mouthpiece of the regulator

What do you mean, breathing off the side of a freeflowing reg? yeah they're supposed to unless that has been scratched from basic training in these quicky two day courses.

 

[Waterwulf]

From that toddler tantrum of a response, I’ll assume that the answer to my question is _zero_. Zero times you’ve been flapping around uselessly at the surface for hours waiting for a boat, thinking only of your next big meal. As I initially speculated, if you’re faceplanting with a properly fitted BPW (or indeed a jacket) then you lack core strength. This can be worked on, perhaps you could try.

I’ve encountered the panicky old auntie archetype on dive boats before: try to avoid diving anywhere near them.

Indeed, talking of dangerous old things that shouldn’t go diving, back to snorkels.

I don't think you have to worry about diving near me. I make it a point to avoid people like you. You're so insecure in your own abilities and equipment, you have to insult others to make yourself feel better. I avoid people like you because you're dangerous. You're so wrapped up in yelling everybody else how to do it, you're not checking yourself. I know you. You're the loudest guy on the dive boat and always laughing at other people. Everybody knows you're just covering up your own fear. You're a keyboard Commando, worthless in the real world. Yeah, I avoid people like you.

Just think. All of your childish behavior and insults at me because I don't like BPW or jackets and prefer my Horse Collar BC. But, since that popped your cork, wait until you get a load of this. I wear a Big Flucking Knife on my inner calf. How's that huh? Does that insult your sense of self worth? Get ready now. Ready? I use a J valve on all of my tanks too! What do you have to say to that?

And just to correct your assumption: Yes, I have floated on the surface waiting for the boat to find us. And just to clarify it even more. No, I was not "flapping around uselessly". I didn't have to because I was wearing a Horse Collar BC, not a BPW or jacket. I just relaxed and floated comfortably. Oh yeah, I most certainly avoid Richard Craniums like you.

 

[happy-diver]

What do you mean, breathing off the side of a freeflowing reg? yeah they're supposed to unless that has been scratched from basic training in these quicky two day courses.

Nah you know, bobbing around on the surface in the air with the reg hanging loosely in your mouth
and breathing around the mouthpiece and not through the regulator so without the psssshhhhhhhh

I do it when I'm on the surface waiting for a boat or swimming and the swells up you see I'm vertical
sometimes too, when the ocean is knocking me about, I'm getting out of breath and the reg doesn't
supply me with enough air but I can still take a big gasp around the mouthpiece, or through the reg
when I'm hit by waves or swamped, something that doesn't work with a snorkel when you're vertical
or any other cal


For what it's worth I'd rather be doing scroll work and making really appreciative folks rigs more magnificent too

A true art form is there a gallery, I suppose it's called a truck show!