I carry one attached to my BC but don't wear it unless required to. I found the biggest part of my mask leaking problems were caused by the snorkle.
Who Wears A Snorkel When Diving ?
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Use it only when boat diving since it is required. Other than that, it stays in my gear bag. Back inflation is wonderful.
ScubaMarc
Contributor
This was my experiance this weekend.
I was taking my advance dive certifiction class with my brand new dui bc. The bc inflator hose was so close to my snokle, and the snokle and bc hose has the same color, similar look, and the coiled hose feel. So a couple of times I pulled my snokel instead of my bc deflator. It piss me off. On my 3rd dive I through it back in my dive bag!
I was taking my advance dive certifiction class with my brand new dui bc. The bc inflator hose was so close to my snokle, and the snokle and bc hose has the same color, similar look, and the coiled hose feel. So a couple of times I pulled my snokel instead of my bc deflator. It piss me off. On my 3rd dive I through it back in my dive bag!
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Your instructor let you do a training dive without it? What agency?
Your inability to operate your gear is not an indication that the gear is not good....
Tom
Hanging something, I never use, on my mask to beat me in the side of the head seems silly. If I were to combine some snorkeling with my diving I would use one. When I teach I carry one because standards say I mest. However, I don't carry it on my head. I believe diver should learn to use one because there are uses for them so it makes sense to require them in certain training situations.
Bob3
Contributor
I always have it along, though it is almost never on my mask strap when I'm underwater. I like to keep it stashed in a snorkel keeper on my left chest d-ring, other end is secured by innertube around the webbing. It's a plain old J, nothing fancy. It gets stuffed under my mask strap for long surface swims, or when I'm getting used as gator bait.
We get towed around a lot looking for good bug bottom, gotta use a snorkel for that, as 95% of the time is spent on the surface.
We get towed around a lot looking for good bug bottom, gotta use a snorkel for that, as 95% of the time is spent on the surface.
TropiGal
Guest
I do wear a snorkel all the time....trained that way. BUT, up until about a year ago, it was a royal pain for me. The snorkel strap would get tangled in my hair and hurt as the snorkel moved around while diving (relieved that some with a neoprene snorkel strap which I think also alleviated the slight mask leakage at the corner).
So with the hair pulling and slight leakage occasionally, I was thinking of not wearing one but just having it in my pocket. Even bought one for that purpose....THEN I started diving with a beanie and that solved two problems....no hair in my face, no hair near my mask skirt to allow leaks, no hair near the snorkel so no pain....that solved the problem for me. Although sometimes the snorkel does move around and get in my way a little bit, but the more I dive, the less it does that....or else it is the fact I'm just getting more comfortable with all the "stuff" on me and am desensitized to the snorkel bobble. LOL
I have used my snorkel for surface swims to dive sites off Maui and that was well worth it to save that air for the main event. Glad I had the added bottom time even if I did get a little snorkel bump every now and then.
So, I guess, until I get many more dives and a lot of experience in various conditions and environments ..I'll keep wearing my snorkel. Obviously, what might help you, ScubaMarc, is to try a different style and/or color (to avoid confusion if that's the problem) snorkel to see if that helps. When I switched to a different style (shape) snorkel that seemed to help me....just find one that works for you. You didn't say how long you've been diving so if you have a lot of dive/snorkel experience then maybe you've already tried my suggestions...but if that's not the case.......
ScubaMarc-surely your instructor will have several different styles for you to try....seems like everybody I know has at least two or three different snorkels somewhere in their bag or closet. Ask around and try some different ones before throwing out the "baby with the bathwater"... Then you'll be able to make a knowledgeable choice that works best for you. Good luck!
So with the hair pulling and slight leakage occasionally, I was thinking of not wearing one but just having it in my pocket. Even bought one for that purpose....THEN I started diving with a beanie and that solved two problems....no hair in my face, no hair near my mask skirt to allow leaks, no hair near the snorkel so no pain....that solved the problem for me. Although sometimes the snorkel does move around and get in my way a little bit, but the more I dive, the less it does that....or else it is the fact I'm just getting more comfortable with all the "stuff" on me and am desensitized to the snorkel bobble. LOL
I have used my snorkel for surface swims to dive sites off Maui and that was well worth it to save that air for the main event. Glad I had the added bottom time even if I did get a little snorkel bump every now and then.
So, I guess, until I get many more dives and a lot of experience in various conditions and environments ..I'll keep wearing my snorkel. Obviously, what might help you, ScubaMarc, is to try a different style and/or color (to avoid confusion if that's the problem) snorkel to see if that helps. When I switched to a different style (shape) snorkel that seemed to help me....just find one that works for you. You didn't say how long you've been diving so if you have a lot of dive/snorkel experience then maybe you've already tried my suggestions...but if that's not the case.......
ScubaMarc-surely your instructor will have several different styles for you to try....seems like everybody I know has at least two or three different snorkels somewhere in their bag or closet. Ask around and try some different ones before throwing out the "baby with the bathwater"... Then you'll be able to make a knowledgeable choice that works best for you. Good luck!
kelpmermaid
Contributor
I have gotten mine caught while underwater, and that was not a pleasant experience. On the other hand, if one surfaces away from the boat and has to swim back through thick kelp, it is a good thing to have.
Dryglove
Contributor
I only use one on shore dives when i know i may be swimming through kelp.If there is no kelp around i leave it in the bag and swim on my back.
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