Hold it or spit it?

I am new to the free diving thing.  My current dive partner holds her snorkel in her mouth while diving and it has seemed natural to me.  However, I found this article today.  Any opinions out there?
http://www.freediversafety.com/safetydivingtips.html
Always remove your snorkel from mouth when freediving
 - On returning to the surface, blast clearing your snorkel is very difficult and could lead to SWB if a diver is low on air
- Keeping the snorkel in your mouth can complicate equalization at depth

- When low on oxygen the diaphragm begins to contract and the snorkel can allow inhalation of water into the lungs

- Should a diver suffer a SWB, a snorkel in the mouth makes it difficult to open the airway to administer CPR. When the divers body and vocal cords relax the snorkel can act as a tube, funneling water right into the diver’s lungs.
 

The article sounds very interesting and it makes sense but I have been free diving all my life and that I can remember I have never taken the snorkel out of my mouth to me it just seems natural to keep it there
   I'm not one to argue with safety but I have a hard time believing that the snorkel could cause blackouts or hinder in cpr  I think its more likely you will swallow your toung when you see that 11inch abolone hiding under a 45lb ling but this is all just my opinion

I freedive often and I have always found that I have better bottom time if I spit my snorkel prior to diving down. By leaving the snorkel in my mouth I get the urge to breathe where as if I spit it out I don't even give it a thought. As far as SWBO, I think that most people get tunnel vision and forget that they have to get back to the surface and overstay their bottom time. Blast clearing your snorkel takes a lot less pressure than most people use. With the newer snorkels that have a drain valve at the mouth, a gentle pressure will push all water out of the snorkel. Also if on your accent you put your snorkel back into your mouth and gently blow with your head tilted back as you break the surface gravity will help drain your snorkel as well. This does take some practice, but so does everything else. I think if you know your limits and adhere to them you will be fine.

It is a matter of preference.  It is more quiet to spit it if you are trying to hunt wary fish like seabass.  If you listen near someone who is diving with their snorkel in their mouth you will hear the bubbles escaping as they dive.  Some fish are spooked by that.  I have always spit mine. Just my 2 cents.
Dave

I've found my bottom time improved margially by spitting the snorkel as well.  Usually I don't do it though. 

Shallow water blackout is something that tends to happen to folks diving in deep, clear water.  Part of it is probably due to the pressure change, and the other part is due to being farther from the surface than you thought.  It's rare in our cold, murky water where most folk only dive 20', tending to happen more often in tropical areas.  We're probably more at risk than locals when we visit these places because we're not used to diving deeper and seeing more stuff to distract us.  Some folks get a breath before blacking out and wake up again when the O2 hits their brain, so I spit out the snorkel on my way up from longish dives so I get a breath as soon as possible upon hittin the surface.

Mostly I think guys do it for the stealth aspect.  My snorkel has a slot at the top that bubbles quite slowly (which is great at preventing water getting in) so for the first 30 or more seconds of a dive I hear "Blunk blunk blunk blunk blink blink blink" (getting higher in pitch as the air cavity in the snorkel shrinks) and a few more blinks if I turn my head at some point.  The fish up here and the abs don't care, so I leave it in because otherwise it flops around annoyingly and creates an entanglement hazard.

Thanks for the thoughts on this, fellas.  I will try it out on my next dives and see how I feel about it.

i personally remove the snorkel as i start my dive since bubbles come out from the snorkel tube as you decend with it in your mouth. the bubbles sure sound loud when you do so too. get a flexible snorkel since kelp becomes mighty annoying if you get it around the snorkel. i use a sporasub silicone snorkel. you can tie it up and it just springs back in shape. no breakable parts and best of all its 19.00.