Why do people spit their regulator out as soon as they surface?

[SKS22]

Different strokes for different folks. Weak swimmers who enjoy SCUBA are well-advised to keep the reg in as stated by many above. On the other hand, others including (but not limited to) experienced surfers, freedivers, competitive swimmers and triathletes, have a very different relationship with the water and might reasonably decide that they'd rather chat, save gas by using their snorkel, or whatever.

I can't imagine telling a surfer, who routinely gets pinned to the bottom by rough surf after wipeouts, that he might drown if he doesn't keep his reg in. I'd be laughed off the boat!

 

[tursiops]

Because beginners get taught the ridiculous “skill” to jump in with a snorkel and switch on the surface to a reg.

This was actually standard instruction decades ago

I seriously doubt this was ever taught as part of any formal course. It is a dumb idea.

 

[Cthippo]

I was trained to always have an air source in your mouth, either reg or snorkel, when entering the water.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

How do you climb a ladder with fins on?

It's called a Christmas tree ladder. Standard procedure on my boat especially when the seas are "sporty".

 

[TrimixToo]

I once fell off a dive ladder. Rough seas, missed my handhold, reg was out, mask on forehead. Grabbed the necklaced reg on the way down, pushed the mask down, hit inflator about the time I hit the water. It was all reflexive recovery, but nonetheless I left the mask on and reg in after that until I was standing on the deck.

 

[coldwaterglutton]

I was going to point that out too. Kinda like the mask on forehead thing-- sometimes it obviously doesn't mean panic at all, but we get caught up in rules that were made decades ago.

Oddly enough I follow the mask on face thing religiously. Mask doesn't come off until my BC/tank are safely on the boat in their holder.

 

[LFMarm]

I typically stay on reg/loop until onboard and about to start taking mask off. A part from safety in case of waves, I continue deco with high pO2 for the 5 mins between surfacing and getting on the boat.

 

[TMHeimer]

Oddly enough I follow the mask on face thing religiously. Mask doesn't come off until my BC/tank are safely on the boat in their holder.

Agree. But mask off or on forehead in two feet of clear calm water when exiting a shore dive would not be a danger of losing it. Plus your vision is better (and safer) with mask off when negotiating walking out on slippery rocks.

 

[LI-er]

I disagree with that philosophy of "from the time you go into the water to the time you are up the ladder."

Well sure, most of these techniques that are taught as absolutes really aren't. Including "never hold your breath".

 

[LI-er]

How do you climb a ladder with fins on?

If it's an open rung ladder, with the rungs attached to a central pole it's a simple matter of placing one fin then the other on the first rung and working your way up just as you would with a normal ladder.

If it's a closed ladder, normally on a commercial boat, climbing it is prohibited because it's tricky but it can still be done. You have to sort of slide each fin into the ladder and alternate as you climb up.

I'd much rather climb onto the boat wearing my fins.