View Full Version : Where to put a snorkel?
I have repeated "arrrgh, bloody thing" incidents with my snorkel when it's attached to my mask. It just seems to wrap around and generally get in the way.
Is there such a thing as a leg-mount for a snorkel so that I could strap it to my leg or perhaps connect to a D-ring when it's not being used?
I have repeated "arrrgh, bloody thing" incidents with my snorkel when it's attached to my mask.
Dive bag. That's the best place for it most of the time...
Vic.
adrian wrighton
17-04-2008, 17:02
leave it at home:)
Interesting that you guys say that as that's exactly what I ended up doing on a liveabaord trip I just got back from (Great Barrier Reef - Lady Musgrave Island and surrounding sites) as it just seemed totally useless in those conditions. Obviously if the water's a bit more choppy then they have their uses though.
Ben Panter
17-04-2008, 17:11
I've got a bendy foldy up one that I tend to keep in my drysuit pocket when I'm shore diving, and stick up the side of my mask if I'm swimming a long way on the surface. I don't think I would ever stick to my mask if using an aqualung
Ben
Chris Cherrington
17-04-2008, 17:13
...they have their uses ....
Snorkelling mainly.
Mine is in the loft.
Chris
Don't we all plan our dives with a third of our air in reserve? Assuming a 180 bar fill, is 60 bar not plenty to get you from the surface to the shore/boat? My snorkel gets used almost solely for octopush now...
Gordon
Richard Whitcombe
17-04-2008, 17:42
I have repeated "arrrgh, bloody thing" incidents with my snorkel when it's attached to my mask. It just seems to wrap around and generally get in the way.
Is there such a thing as a leg-mount for a snorkel so that I could strap it to my leg or perhaps connect to a D-ring when it's not being used?
The car is as good a place as any for it.
Its a device 100% useless once you get below 30cm depth so why take one at all?
The "choppy" argument is pointless as well - if its choppy enough to be washing over you its too choppy for a snorkel (which only extends 10cm max above your head) to do anything about it. Breathe from your reg and/or swim on your back.
Snorkels are great for one thing - when you want to go snorkelling. They have no place in SCUBA.
Ben Panter
17-04-2008, 17:43
Yeup.
I'm certainly not telling you that you must carry a snorkel - I choose to myself, in certain situations. I like to start my dive with as full a tank as possible and, as a bonus, I'd like a backup to get back if the surface is rough and for whatever reason I've decided to husband the gas on my back for a second dive.
The freedom to carry such a ridiculous appendage, hidden deep in a pocket, is one of the lovely things about being a BSAC diver ;).
Ben
Chris Cherrington
17-04-2008, 17:44
Don't we all plan our dives with a third of our air in reserve? Assuming a 180 bar fill, is 60 bar not plenty to get you from the surface to the shore/boat? My snorkel gets used almost solely for octopush now...
Gordon
Yes of course. This is very true. The only issue is those nasty folk on dive boats that insist on some arbitrary amount of gas left in the tank back on the boat. Its no good asking them if you can use it to get a refund on the next fill, a bit like airport security people these folk have had a sense of humour bypass.
I believe this absurd practice is commonplace in America. Which seems to me a good reason to dive in Europe.
Chris
Richard Whitcombe
17-04-2008, 17:45
I believe this absurd practice is commonplace in America. Which seems to me a good reason to dive in Europe.
Chris
Its also a very low margin - 500psi so typically 35 bar in an 11l tank.
Chris aka divingchef
17-04-2008, 17:58
I have repeated "arrrgh, bloody thing" incidents with my snorkel when it's attached to my mask. It just seems to wrap around and generally get in the way.
Is there such a thing as a leg-mount for a snorkel so that I could strap it to my leg or perhaps connect to a D-ring when it's not being used?
Attach it to a spare mask !
When someone jumps in and looses their mask (don't look at me I was pushed :( )
and the dive boat is drifting off into the distance.
The boat crew have something to "whang it" over to you !!:)
Then all you have to do is discard it don mask and catch up with the rest of the gang !!
Chris aka divingchef
17-04-2008, 18:00
[QUOTE=mitachu] I just got back from (Great Barrier Reef - Lady Musgrave Island and surrounding sites) QUOTE]
How did it go ?
Hope you had better weather than we did.
Chris Cherrington
17-04-2008, 18:30
....
Its a device 100% useless once you get below 30cm depth .....
That's a bit harsh and unfair.
You can poke crabs out their hidey hole with one. You can tease congers with one. You could fill it with stones and use it to weigh down a dSMB. There must be many other uses I can't think of right now...
Chris
Chris aka divingchef
17-04-2008, 18:39
That's a bit harsh and unfair.
You can poke crabs out their hidey hole with one. You can tease congers with one. You could fill it with stones and use it to weigh down a dSMB. There must be many other uses I can't think of right now...
Chris
Maybe Chris you should start another thread called "101 uses of a redundant snorkrell"
Maybe, maybe not :D
err..stick it in the knife straps on the inside of your leg if you do want to carry it..thats where mine lives when i have students..after all you're MEANT to have one with you....
now that'll open up the knife vs shears vs line cutter can of worms again!
hth
jl
Richard Whitcombe
18-04-2008, 01:33
That's a bit harsh and unfair.
You can poke crabs out their hidey hole with one. You can tease congers with one. You could fill it with stones and use it to weigh down a dSMB. There must be many other uses I can't think of right now...
Chris
True but the J tube snorkels are OK for crab and lobster the new really flexible ones are useless even at that task.
Not tried filling it with stones though - if i even find mine its going to be next on the list.
Chris Cherrington
18-04-2008, 08:37
err..stick it in the knife straps on the inside of your leg if you do want to carry it..thats where mine lives when i have students..after all you're MEANT to have one with you....
now that'll open up the knife vs shears vs line cutter can of worms again!
hth
jl
I'd hate to open that debate. I can't resist the chance to point out that having a knife strapped to your leg is a dumb idea though :D
Chris
Paul Oliver
18-04-2008, 10:25
Snorkels are for snorkeling, so unless you plan to do some of this where its nice and warm i would leave it in the garage :)
Mine goes on the boat with me when abroad, but not usually in the UK.
However, i did once have a snorkel with a Dolphin off of Portland, just after diving HMS Hood, i'd passed my kit into the Rhib when i was told he was behind me, got my snorkel out (This was when i carried it in my knife straps) and had 10 min swimming around with him :) despite the hailstones we had coming down :(
Chris Cherrington
18-04-2008, 11:12
...
However, i did once have a snorkel with a Dolphin off of Portland, ...
Actually that's a very good point Paul. We once encountered a basking shark and needed the "PADI tube" :) for the same purpose. I guess if you are diving anywhere you might be lucky enough to see any such wildlife its not a bad idea to have the snorkel in your kit bag.
Chris
Chris aka divingchef
18-04-2008, 11:41
encountered a basking shark
Chris
Hope you wernt poking basking shars with it ? :D
Since you seem to think that its for molesting wild life !!!!!!!!
Chris Cherrington
18-04-2008, 13:02
Hope you wernt poking basking shars with it ? :D
Since you seem to think that its for molesting wild life !!!!!!!!
Me?? :D
No. The missus was the only one of the whole boat that got near the thing. It swam past her about 2m away from her. Sadly she is short sighted and never saw it :D
Anyway what's this "wildlife" nonsense. Shame on you. How long have you been in Spain?? The correct noun is "food".
Chris
Paul Oliver
18-04-2008, 14:28
Actually that's a very good point Paul. We once encountered a basking shark and needed the "PADI tube" :) for the same purpose. I guess if you are diving anywhere you might be lucky enough to see any such wildlife its not a bad idea to have the snorkel in your kit bag.
Chris
Yes i also snorkeled with a Whale Shark off of Watamu, Kenya :)
haha no comment Chris! Knife on leg..shears on BCD..habit and works for me!
Maria CM
20-04-2008, 12:49
I hate having my snorkel attached to my mask - for some reason it seems to make it leak:mad:
I have dutifully been taking it with me wherever I go then usually leave it on the car or in the boat as it is a right pain!
I have however, just bought one of those curly up ones which I plan to shove deep in the realms of my bc pocket and will probably never get touched again, but, at least I can say I am a good girl and have it with me :p
happy bubbles,
Maria
after all you're MEANT to have one with you....
Says who?
Vic.
I'd hate to open that debate. I can't resist the chance to point out that having a knife strapped to your leg is a dumb idea though :D
Chris
But thats where James Bond keeps his.........
Says who?
Vic.
Its implied in the DTP in OS2 where you have to swap between demand valve and snorkel as part of your basic skills. Bit difficult to do that if you have to exit the pool and wander out to your car to retrieve it first :D
Don Tovey
20-04-2008, 16:22
I tuck my snorkel into my knife straps which are attached around my calf.
Its out of the way there but handy if you need it.
If I need to swim a bit to the shot line before decending I use the snorkel & save my air. Same thing when I get back to the surface if I need to swim back to the boat or shore.
Its only a small piece of kit but can be very handy in saving your air & making the dive last longer. Diving is'nt cheap so why waste precious air on the surface.
We know how to make the most of our money here in Yorkshire.
Paul Oliver
20-04-2008, 17:01
Its implied in the DTP in OS2 where you have to swap between demand valve and snorkel as part of your basic skills. Bit difficult to do that if you have to exit the pool and wander out to your car to retrieve it first :D
Thats a confidence building exercise and bears no relationship to proper diving ;)
If you use the rule of thirds your gonna have loads of spare air on the surface, may as well use it for something 'cos its waisted otherwise ;)
Richard Whitcombe
20-04-2008, 18:46
Could have sworn the instructor manual says you should have one certainly for OD level.
Although it does say have one - ive got one in the house....
Keith Littlebury
21-04-2008, 09:25
I put mine in the garage along with the other stuff I bought but dont use anymore (except on pool nights). When I had a big strap on knife on my leg the snorkel fitted nicely down the straps of that but I soon realised I was only taking it along in case someone asked me where it was. I wasn't actually using it. I tried wearing it on the left and right of my mast strap but it got in the way of something whichever side it was on.
Andy (treerat)
28-04-2008, 21:24
When I had a knife pocket put on my suit I had a snokel pocket added at the same time.
Works a treat.
Andy
Ron Evans
28-04-2008, 22:19
I use my snorkel on pool nights to stop me having to bend over so far to clean the mask (useful for old folk like me when you can't find any novice anywhere!).:D
jeswinehart
29-04-2008, 03:48
Yes of course. This is very true. The only issue is those nasty folk on dive boats that insist on some arbitrary amount of gas left in the tank back on the boat. Its no good asking them if you can use it to get a refund on the next fill, a bit like airport security people these folk have had a sense of humour bypass.
I believe this absurd practice is commonplace in America. Which seems to me a good reason to dive in Europe.
Chris
Now now Chris, not all us bottom feeders over here diving local lake like bring back much air :).
But our local dive shop we get free air fills from (buy a license plate type of thing with Hart City Scuba name on it for 40 dollars = FREE air for life)
requires the tanks have positive pressure in them or a visual is in order if you suck it dry. Okay, we get along with that for the most part, most of the time.
I really hate using a snorkel myself but always have it dangling about my face. I reckon I am just so used to it being there.
john
Maria CM
29-04-2008, 07:32
I use my snorkel on pool nights to stop me having to bend over so far to clean the mask (useful for old folk like me when you can't find any novice anywhere!).:D
LOL :D :D :D What a crackingly useful piece of kit it has suddenly become!
best wishes,
Maria
I spotedd some instructors at one of the clubs on the red sea with their snorkles zip tied to the back plate next to the tank. I wondered if it was even possible to get them off, let alone reach them. Perhaps they were just for show ??.
Mine lives in the kit bag, at the bottom, and he is verry happy there too.
scubanicki
29-04-2008, 18:08
Friend of mine tucks it in his knife strap - you could bungee it to your leg. Personally I don't carry mine except if I am likely to actually go snorkelling - I generally get cold long before Ir un out of air!! :p
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