This week we will continue our series looking at some of the things that many divers believe to be "rules". We are utilizing the information found in the article of the same name by Cathryn Castle Garcia in the Sept / Oct 2017 edition of Dive training magazine. 
The 2nd "rule" addressed in the article is "Never put your mask on your forehead". 
The reason behind the origins of this rule is unclear. Somewhere, someone said that divers in distress put their masks on their forehead, so don't do it unless you are in distress. 
There is no such rule! While it is true that divers in distress often panic and push their masks up from their faces, this is a symptom of panic and not a rule that lets people know they need help. If you are wondering if a diver is in distress, ask them! Also, if you are a diver in distress, signal the people on top by waving your arms above your head to get their attention. This is the accepted signal of a diver in distress. Better yet, carry some type of audible device such as a whistle, or a Dive Alert. Many divers put their masks on their foreheads just for convenience and are perfectly fine. 
I do advise a word of caution about mask on the forehead though. If you are caught in choppy waters and are wearing it up there, a wave might just divest you of it! This could make for a very unhappy finish to your dive!

In this series, we will be taking a look at some of the things that divers have been taught as hard and fast rules. Now, while they may make sense, they are not necessarily rules in the truest sense. Many authors have covered these facts about diving, and we have covered some of them here in this tips area. However, the article "Challenging the "Rules" of Diving" by Cathryn Castle Garcia in the Sept / Oct 2017 edition of Dive Training inspired me to do this as a series of tips over the next few weeks. It will be divided into two section, 1) Rules related to how we treat equipment and 2) Rules related to how we dive. 
The first weeks will deal with how we treat equipment. 
Rule#1 - Always wear a snorkel. 
This is a required accessory for scuba students and their instructors during training dives, but after that it can sometimes be a hindrance. If you are in an overhead environment, it could get snagged. If your are in a current, it could become a drag. However, it is very handy to have once you are on the surface. So, while it is not REQUIRED that you always wear a snorkel, it is highly recommended. If you reach the surface, and you are out of air, it would be handy. Or, if you surface and you want to conserve your air, it would come in handy at that time also. However, that does not mean you need to wear, it. Just carry it with you so you have it if you need it.