Scuba Snorkel Love Hate Relationship -

The Simple Scuba Snorkel Love Hate Relationship

Article by Marc A. Morale

The simple scuba snorkel. A piece of J-shaped plastic universally taught as essential in entry level scuba diving courses, is surprisingly one of the most hotly debated items in a scuba diver’s gear bag. Novice divers typically don’t think twice about owning and using one. However, experienced divers tend to be sharply divided. The debate typically boils down to surface utility versus underwater entanglement avoidance.

Ask a technical diver and most will say they avoid mounting a snorkel to their mask when diving because:

Entanglement risk: A prominent safety concern for technical divers is entanglement in guidelines, which are vital for navigation in caves, wrecks, and beneath ice. A rigid, dangling snorkel is an unnecessary entanglement hazard that could interfere with equipment or a critical ascent or descent line.

Mask interference: A snorkel can tug on the mask strap in strong currents or if it gets bumped, causing the mask to leak or flood. Maintaining a clear mask is critical for staying aware of surroundings and managing complex equipment.

Incorrect regulator retrieval: Technical divers use specialized gas configurations, often with multiple regulators. The presence of a snorkel can cause confusion during an emergency air-sharing procedure, potentially causing the diver to grab the wrong item and inhale water.

Ask a novice sport diver and most will tell you that they mount a snorkel to their mask when diving because:

Tank air conservation: Using a snorkel saves the air in your tank. If your dive plan requires a long surface swim, perhaps from shore to the reef or back to a boat, using your regulator needlessly depletes your air supply.

Surface safety: A snorkel provides a safety net when you are on the surface. If you surface with low air and perhaps unexpectedly far from your exit, then the snorkel can assist in your comfortable surface swim.

Pre-Dive site scouting: A snorkel is a fundamental tool for effective pre-dive procedures. Before committing to your heavy gear, a mask and snorkel allow you to jump into the water to perform a quick site assessment. You can check the current, look for the anchor line, verify visibility, or scout the general location of the reef. This reconnaissance saves you time, prevents wasting air on a descent you might abort, and helps you formulate a more effective, low-stress dive plan.

Still conflicted? Here are some alternative options:

Pocket snorkel: A flexible, foldable snorkel can be stored compactly in a BCD pocket or clipped to a harness. This makes the snorkel available for surface use when needed but keeps it safely out of the way during the dive.

Surface swimming on the back: For long surface swims, technical divers can simply turn onto their backs and use their regulators or inflate their BCDs for buoyancy. This is often more comfortable and safer than swimming face-down with a snorkel.

As for me… I am a scuba diving instructor. Agency standards require that I have a snorkel as part of my basic kit. When I teach entry level divers and sport diving specialties, I lead by example and always wear a snorkel on my mask. If I were teaching a technical course that used lines or perhaps had an overhead environment, then I’d switch to a pocket snorkel.

So what about you? Use one? Hate them? Why???

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