Wearing a snorkel in a pond

[AfterDark]

I haven't used a snorkel outside of the pool since shortly after OW. When working with students in the pool, I have a snorkel on my mask, and I loathe it. It flops and twists my mask strap and makes my mask leak.

When working classes in OW, I have a rolled up snorkel in my pocket, along with a whistle and a couple of other items that we term our "PADI *&#". It's all clipped together so the whole thing can be put in the pocket en masse. That gear is never used for non-professional diving.

I have never understood the idea of snorkels in choppy water. If the chop is short and small, it's not going to be over my head for very long. If the waves are huge and I'm underwater for some time, a snorkel isn't going to help.

I've never understood why a diver would rather burn gas on the surface in choppy water when the air is free with a snorkel.

 

[corvettejoe]

I use mine when I think I'm going to need it. Rough waters? I'll always take it. Planning a long swim back? I'll bring it along just in case. Jumping in a smallish area? It can stay behind. Overhead environment? Never take it with you.

It just depends what you are planning to do. It never hurts to have it in open water, but ... personal preference.

I've never understood why a diver would rather burn gas on the surface in choppy water when the air is free with a snorkel.

what about when you are surfacing from a dive and waiting for a boat, or have a LONG swim back from a shore dive? If you have air left, use it. You most likely aren't using that little bit left for the next dive, and most places fill by the tank and not by the CuFt anyway....so cost is the same to fill with air regardless of how much is left in it.

 

[AfterDark]

I use mine when I think I'm going to need it. Rough waters? I'll always take it. Planning a long swim back? I'll bring it along just in case. Jumping in a smallish area? It can stay behind. Overhead environment? Never take it with you.

It just depends what you are planning to do. It never hurts to have it in open water, but ... personal preference.



what about when you are surfacing from a dive and waiting for a boat, or have a LONG swim back from a shore dive? If you have air left, use it. You most likely aren't using that little bit left for the next dive, and most places fill by the tank and not by the CuFt anyway....so cost is the same to fill with air regardless of how much is left in it.

I'm referring to the start of the dive. Many dives I've made over the years required long swims 100, 200 even more yards. Why do I want to burn gas swimming 200yards on the surface? When I'm bobbing on the surface waiting for the other divers burn gas? Why? After the dive well that's a no brainer.

 

[TSandM]

I guess my thing is that, if there is chop that's coming over my head, it's not hard to time my breathing so I just don't inhale when I'm wet. If I try to swim on my stomach, which is far less comfortable for me, the chop goes over the top of the snorkel anyway . . . Swell isn't an issue, and I wouldn't ever get in the water with large waves that were breaking offshore. It's chop that gets you, and I've never found it that difficult to manage. I do admit that I probably wouldn't do a dive that involved a couple of hundred yards of surface swimming in very rough water. I'd go out to lunch instead.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

If i have to swim that far on the surface a snorkel will do me no good as I'll be on my back. The so called diver snorkels, especially the dry ones, are a pain. I now use a roll up in my pocket for classes and a simple j tube for snorkeling. The mouthpiece does not flop around and stays out of the way wherever I put it. If it's choppy enough to require a snorkel a regulator with an adequate gas supply is a better choice.

My OW students need to have a snorkel on them. Does not say where though. I show them how to remove and stow it out of the way once we go under. I recommend the roll ups that come off easily and are super cheap if they are going to have to use one. I never recommend dry snorkels for anyone. The simple j tubes I favor and sell slide off easily and tuck under a waist belt or cummerbund fast and easy.

 

[AfterDark]

I guess my thing is that, if there is chop that's coming over my head, it's not hard to time my breathing so I just don't inhale when I'm wet. If I try to swim on my stomach, which is far less comfortable for me, the chop goes over the top of the snorkel anyway . . . Swell isn't an issue, and I wouldn't ever get in the water with large waves that were breaking offshore. It's chop that gets you, and I've never found it that difficult to manage. I do admit that I probably wouldn't do a dive that involved a couple of hundred yards of surface swimming in very rough water. I'd go out to lunch instead.

I didn't as rule swim long distances in rough water, sometimes on the way back no choice. I'm referring to those conditions as being separate. If I'm on the surface in choppy water just catching my breath before I descend, snorkel. On a long surface swim in normal conditions, snorkel. These days it's a toy scooter and a snorkel for those long hauls. I've been using it for so long I cut a hole in my plastic mask box to accommodate the snorkel! It never comes off my mask strap unless I'm really snorkeling and then I use the fancy one my wife bought for me. I don't like it, way too much overkill for me but since we go snorkeling together............

added Diving NC I'm on the tag line waiting my turn to board the boat my gas is at the requested 500psi because I burned it down to that waiting post dive. The water is clear 100' vis its full of life, bait balls, cudas, sharks, other divers ascending.....I'm there to look at what's going on! Snorkel.

 

[beanojones]

Well, I understand wearing or having a snorkel during ocean dives or big lakes that can have waves.
....

It is a good trait to wear a snorkel when needed ?

Snorkels are of little use in actual ocean conditions on divers. They seem like they would work but then they have this hole in the top of the tube that makes those waves put water in it.

They would of great use in a pool or a calm lake,or on a free divers head. They are more than kinda stupid on a scuba diver's head, presenting a constant hazard for a hypothetical benefit that is not actually a benefit when actually used.

Never seen a tech diver with a snorkel and those are people most likely to be stuck on the surface for long periods of time in the open ocean with heavy gear. So that should tell someone something. For some reason, it does not.

NASE has it right. No snorkels.

---------- Post added August 5th, 2013 at 06:12 PM ----------

I've never understood why a diver would rather burn gas on the surface in choppy water when the air is free with a snorkel.

I never understood why a diver would want to tire themselves out trying suspend a tank out of the water instead of putting it in the water, swimming on the back, and talking to their buddy.

And being aware of surface hazards since they are, after all, on the surface.

 

[archman]

Sometimes I use my snorkel just so I don't have to talk to anybody on the surface.

 

[cloudflint]

I had a couple of hundred dives swimming around with my snorkel attached to my mask and felt a bit silly. Then I rather unexpectedly had to do a rescue on my buddy and spent 45 minutes towing them along the surface into land against a current and choppy seas. After sucking my tank dry I was rather glad to have the snorkel since it gave me just enough height to be able to breathe in in between the waves. Made me quite glad I carried it around, though I suppose this is something of a consequence of the local conditions, diving in seas where it can become unexpectedly choppy and currents can develop.

 

[TSandM]

I did a dive the other day that began with a long surface scooter, and that was the first time in years I had the thought, "Hmm, a snorkel might have been handy here!"