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

[DXHI]

As others have said it depends on surface conditions. Once surfaced and BC inflated if calm I like to get the fresh air and talk to my buddy(s) about the dive . But it goes back in while I’m climbing the ladder.

If seas are rough it stays in pending boat pick up (usually live boating)

 

[JonnieB]

I disagree with that philosophy of "from the time you go into the water to the time you are up the ladder." That's true up here in the northeast where the sea is always rough, but on nice warm tropical dives I like to wait on the surface on snorkel until the rest of the dive group is descending so as to save air. Either that or wait on the boat to be the last one in.

On that calm tropical water, there is plenty of inexaustable air if you inflate your BCD

 

[JonnieB]

Never understood the snorkel thing...I'm diving not snorkeling. Nobody I know dives with a snorkel. If surface conditions are rough reg in, if not, reg out

 

[Centrals]

"Who do people split...."?
The answer is very simple: ask that person.

 

[happy-diver]

Gonna go out on a limb here and suggest you're not the first person who has ever asked this question.

Yeah only recently, when I was out on the same limb with a chainsaw and made the cut between me and the trunk

 

[amclaughlin200]

I've been a divemaster for a little while, looking to become my instructor. An instructor I have been studying under says you should keep your regulator in your mouth from the time you go into the water to the time you are up the ladder.

The other day we were taking a group out and the surface was smooth when we went under but super choppy when we surfaced. I kept my reg in, no problem, but most of the other people in the group just immediately took their regs out and were constantly spluttering and spitting out water. We had one relatively novice diver who had removed his reg and it got tangled up behind him and he started panicking from getting whacked by waves. Luckily I was was able to swim over, untangle him, and get the regulator back in his mouth.

Anyways, just because you surface doesn't mean you immediantly take the regulator out!

It’s just a reaction. They are in an uncomfortable situation and their brain is telling them to “get that thing out of your mouth and breathe normally.” Also generally overweight or out of shape divers do this who are out of breath from working too hard in the rough conditions and may be over breathing their regulator.

 

[TMHeimer]

Yeah only recently, when I was out on the same limb with a chainsaw and made the cut between me and the trunk

I actually saw a guy do that and fell into the lake.

 

[happy-diver]

See he's smart, mate I fell onto the limb, and rocks

 

[coldwaterglutton]

On that calm tropical water, there is plenty of inexaustable air if you inflate your BCD

Yes but if you keep your head out of the water you are not able to enjoy the view of the reef below as when you use the snorkel. Plus inflating and staying heads out would conflict with the posited rule that your regulator should be in your mouth once off the boat. Or at least you would look silly breathing off a a tank while heads out of the water.

 

[happy-diver]

On the surface it's best to look there and save your energy after diving an hour underwater is nothing left to see
and you only need your eyes out of the water, so no inflate bc as it squeezes your chest and less easy to breathe
best to look silly, than to look spluttering with your eyes shut, with the boat coming at you aiming for your head