- Scuba Diver With Snorkel - Bruce ILIFF
A number of scuba divers do not carry a snorkel while diving. There are two schools of thought in this long running debate on whether or not a scuba diver should. The debate squares off with safety on one side against comfort and ease of diving on the other.
There is also the compromise position of carrying a snorkel while scuba diving, but not having it attached to the mask.
Yes – A Scuba Diver Should Carry a Snorkel When Diving
The main reason for carrying a snorkel when scuba diving is the simple consideration of diver safety.
With the snorkel firmly attached to the mask, the diver will know exactly where it is when needed on the surface. And it can be easily deployed; there is no scrabbling around trying to find it. This can be especially important in a choppy sea and needing to spend some time on the surface at the end of the dive.
No – A Scuba Diver Does Not Need to Carry a Snorkel When Diving
The main argument for not having a snorkel attached to the mask is that the snorkel doesn’t assist the scuba diver while underwater; so why have it attached to the mask?
Also, when underwater the snorkel gets in the way.
When swimming hard underwater, or in a strong current, the snorkel flapping around can pull on the mask and may even break the mask’s seal on the face.
Another argument is that if the snorkel is on the mask it can get caught on things: snagged in fishing line, kicked by other divers, or getting stuck when poking the head into a crevice to check out what is inside.
There is also a school of thought that a diver should always have enough air in the tank when returning to the surface to exit from the water.
If a Scuba Diver Does Take a Snorkel, Where Should it be Carried?
Collapsible snorkels are available. These can fit in a BC jacket and be out of the way.
Some scuba divers store their snorkel in their buoyancy jacket. They use it on the surface when first entering the water, then stuff it down the buoyancy compensator jacket on the descent. It is then easily located on the ascent.
Another common place to store the snorkel is on the leg, held on with the straps of the knife holder. This is a reasonable option as it is out of the way during the dive and easily accessible.
Do Not Tuck the Snorkel in the Weightbelt
Tucking the snorkel into the weightbelt is another common solution. However, this should be avoided. If an emergency arises during the dive, depending on the situation, one of the first actions can be to drop the weight belt. In the heat of the moment, the snorkel can be forgotten and it can fall to the seafloor while the scuba diver heads to the surface.
Without a weightbelt, the scuba diver will end up on the surface and that is the place a snorkel is needed most.
There is no real hard and fast rule on which option to use as there are good arguments on both sides. Safety is obviously a serious consideration. Having a snorkel easily deployed on the surface has to be the safest; though an argument can be made that in some situations it is safer not to have a snorkel attached to the mask.
Therefore, as in most scuba diving considerations, it comes down to personal preference and the type of scuba dive being undertaken. A drift dive with the possibility of a long swim back to the exit point might require a snorkel. While on an easy shore dive with the same entry and exit point, the snorkel may not be required.
Bruce Iliff - Hello from an Australian freelancer! I’ve been scratching articles together in Australia in a range of subjects for a number of ...
