Who dives with a snorkel?

[paradicio]

I always have my snorkel with me. Even when I'm in the office. People are beginning to talk...

 

[spacemanspiff1974]

Does anyone know why the recreational instruction organizations require it? Even if you were out of gas, a jacket bc keeps your head out of the water and with a bp/w you can float on your back.

 

[Thalassamania]

Does anyone know why the recreational instruction organizations require it? Even if you were out of gas, a jacket bc keeps your head out of the water and with a bp/w you can float on your back.

They should be requiring a snorkel because it is an essential piece of safety equipment, but chances are that they are requiring it so that your LDS can sell you a $40.00 item when a $10.00 one would do better.

 

[Scuba Do]

Carried one with me for a while and NEVER used it. I forgot it once, and have never taken it with me since. Don't plan on ever using it again.

 

[khacken]

If a diving operation required me to have one I would tell them that I signed up to go scuba diving, not snorkeling.

That said, I only wear them when with students.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

On an open water dive I carry my folding snorkel in my pocket. On a cave dive I do not carry any sort of snorkel with me at any time. I have not had a snorkel on my mask strap for years, it gets in the way of my long regualtor hose configuration.

Mark Vlahos

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

There are dives I know where a snorkle allows you to not use your tank until the descent point. If you have a surface swim around obstructions or entanglements a snorkle works really well. I take mine on those dives, and with students.

 

[lmorin]

After having my mask ripped out from under my hand because my snorkle caught the water wrong as I entered and after multiple instances of minor flooding because my snorkle pulled the strap and mask away from my face, and after entering the water thinking my regulator was in my mouth, but it was my snorkle....I came to the conclusion that the snorkle is a source of measurable danger. As far as I know, every diver who wears a snorkle attached to the mask strap has experienced some problem related to its presence. Mostly they are minor, but why are these acceptable? Seems quite counter to the general diving theme of "safety first."

So, I attached some loops to a shoulder weight pocket on the back of my BCD and attached a piece of bungee to the BCD tank holder frame. The bungee loop serves as an "octo holder" for the snorkel which is now not in the way and out of sight, but easily accessible by a minor tug with one hand. Works like a charm and should be the standard location for all snorkle storage during a dive, IMHO.

 

[String]

Works like a charm and should be the standard location for all snorkle storage during a dive, IMHO.

I prefer to use "kit bag" as the standard location for my snorkel when diving.

 

[candudave]

My totally transparent snorkel is always clipped to my mask. It's just really hard to see.