Who dives with a snorkel?

[DeputyDan]

I wear mine about 98% of the time. I've been wearing one so long I feel naked without it
Ber :lilbunny:

Me too! But most folks don't!

 

[sarita75]

I always have mine although it drives me nuts sometimes.

 

[Thalassamania]

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."

I have never experienced any problem related to having my snorkel on my mask strap. But then I enter the water with my snorkel in my mouth, thereby both avoiding an embolism possibility and providing a additional attachment point so that I do no loose my mask (strap, hand and teeth). In olden times all divers entered the water with their snorkel in their mouth (unless they were cave diving or surface supplied) and it is only relatively recently that divers have been taught to enter the water with their regulator in their mouth, a technique that was introduced, despite real danger, because there is no longer enough time in an average diving class to teach a student to use a snorkel properly.

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.

I see two potential problems:

1. is that another potential tangle?
2. when you really need it, you’ll reach back to where you can’t see and can’t check, and it will not be there, that’s the nature of things.

 

[hollywood703]

I always have 1 in my bag....will wear if if the Boat requires it, or for classes....If i have to wear it on a bot dive, i hop in and remove it while decsending and tuck it away....if they ask, i tell them it fell off and i secured it. I dont like to snorkel.....if i am at the surface..im on my back......if i need to look down into the water i just hold my breath and look.....just another thing to get tangled or caught on something potentially ripping my mask off.....

 

[Divergirlbermuda]

Tangling with regulator? I have to agree with what someone said a few pages back.... how the heck did you do that, they are on opposite sides of your head!

I will admit I don't take mine most of the time. However, when i know conditions are going to be rough (15-20kt+ winds) I take it just as a security blanket - JIC (just in case) Yes BCD will inflate but wouldn't we all want that little bit extra height if your sloshing around at the top of the ocean in rough conditions?

 

[sarita75]

... it is only relatively recently that divers have been taught to enter the water with their regulator in their mouth, a technique that was introduced, despite real danger, because there is no longer enough time in an average diving class to teach a student to use a snorkel properly.

I am a bit surprised about this. What has happened that there is "not enough time" to teach a basic skill such as snorkeling? I don't know if this has changed across the board but it seems a bit ludicrious to stop instruction on this skill.

I guess, however, that it seems a bit foolish not to have a snorkel with you at all times. But that's just me and the fact that I do a fair amount of shore diving and wouldn't go in without it. (To the extent that my husband's broke the other week and we went to a diveshop before our 2nd dive to get a new one)

 

[Thalassamania]

And I can see times when it makes not sense to have a snorkel, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

 

[rongoodman]

Tangling with regulator? I have to agree with what someone said a few pages back.... how the heck did you do that, they are on opposite sides of your head!

I dive a standard Hog rig with long hose and bungeed second stage. The long hose comes up across the chest, around the left side and across the back of the neck, and to the regulator in the mouth from the right. When responding to an OOA, you grab the long hose next to the regulator, duck your head, and extend it to the OOA diver. If there's a snorkle hanging on the mask, its an entanglement hazard. I might carry a folding snorkel in a pocket, but will not wear one on a mask underwater again.

 

[Pearldiver07]

Since switching to the "long hose" methodology, I only use a folded snorkel stashed away.

But I ALWAYS have one on the boat. Several years ago my ear failed to clear and there were great reefs right there. Would have been a lot more fun had I had the snorkel.

 

[jon m]

seems as though the long surface swimmers use the snorkle? i do, because of the swim (although it can be a pain)