Alternate Source Ascent + Mask Clearing

[aquaticj10]

Hi,

Firstly, I've only completed 3 pool sessions (3 hours) with BSAC so far, and I am aware I will improve on both of these skills the more I practice!

Alternate Source Ascent: This skill was absolutely fine up until the surface, had some trouble self inflating my BCD at first as my head kept dipping underwater when trying to inhale (lying on my back). I will admit finning on the spot made it much easier to stay afloat during this part, is this what most people would recommend doing?

Mask Clearing: Having trouble due to my tank being high currently, cant lift my head far enough backwards without my first stage digging into my skull. Guessing lowering the tank is the optimal method here. Random question, but if you cant clear your mask for whatever reason, leaving you blind underwater, what is the protocol for maintaining a safe ascent?

Thanks!

 

[Ukmc]

I don’t understand what is happening on the first scenario. Inhale should keep you above the water if you are property weighted.
For the second one, lower the tank or flip first stage upside down or tilt your entire body backwards to clear the mask.
Also, these are great questions for your instructor. He should be walking you through all these scenarios.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Couple thoughts on oral inflation:

1. Finning is expected in my classes when doing oral inflation. In fact, I teach the buddy with air a variant on the emergency landing chant of "Head down, stay down, brace, brace, brace." My version is "orally inflate, kick, kick, kick."

2. While less applicable on shared air ascents, if you ever have to do a solo out of air ascent, I strongly encourage dropping your weights. You'll be panicked, out of breath, and not thinking clearly. Trying to orally inflate given all that may be overwhelming. In my limited experience, not enough divers drop their lead on the surface and end up turning a minor emergencies or annoyances into near-tragedies.

On the tank valve whacking you in the back of the head: Of course, just lower the tank.

Interesting question on the blind ascent. I think the more likely issue is something knocks your mask off and you can't retrieve it. I can see multiple options here, and I'm not sure any are good. But as fodder for discussion, here are some possibilities.

1. Open your eyes, even if you have contact lenses. Get as much visual information as you can. You won't be able to read a gauge, but you might see your buddy or sense the depth changing with a number of different sources of info. (E.g., it may be getting lighter as you go up. Or you can see a bright spot on the surface and it gets brighter and bigger as you go up.)
2. I've been in strong upwelling currents that forced me to the surface. In that situation I could feel my BCD expanding as I went up. (Even while dumping air as fast as I could.) You could use a hand on the BCD as a source of information. If it expands, you might dump *a little* air. Not too much: The worst case isn't a rapid ascent leading to decompression sickness on the surface but a rapid descent leading to drowning on the bottom.
3. If you had bare hands (not likely in UK water, I imagine) you could try feeling your bubbles. Are they rushing up, or are they hitting the top of your hand?
4. Regardless, focus on maintaining your breathing. In this kind of situation your likely to inhale sharply and hold your breath.

 

[Edward3c]

Hi,

Firstly, I've only completed 3 pool sessions (3 hours) with BSAC so far, and I am aware I will improve on both of these skills the more I practice!

Alternate Source Ascent: This skill was absolutely fine up until the surface, had some trouble self inflating my BCD at first as my head kept dipping underwater when trying to inhale (lying on my back). I will admit finning on the spot made it much easier to stay afloat during this part, is this what most people would recommend doing?

Mask Clearing: Having trouble due to my tank being high currently, cant lift my head far enough backwards without my first stage digging into my skull. Guessing lowering the tank is the optimal method here. Random question, but if you cant clear your mask for whatever reason, leaving you blind underwater, what is the protocol for maintaining a safe ascent?

Thanks!

Hi and welcome to our fantastic underwater world.

I’m surprised your instructors hasn’t briefed you on both these aspects.

Assisted Assent: you should have received a full demonstration.

Cylinder Position: again the instructors should have run through the optimum position for you cylinder, depending on its size.

I say instructors, as in a club it’s not normal for a course to be taught by the same instructor.

 

[Wibble]

Some of those issues could be dealt with in a pool, e.g. manually inflating your BCD by breathing from a regulator to blow into the BCD inflate.

A pool would definitely work for mask clearing. You only need your mask to be facing forward such that when you exhale and hold the top of the mask, the water comes out below your nose. Once sorted in a pool, it's really easy in a lake or the sea.

 

[aquaticj10]

Some of those issues could be dealt with in a pool, e.g. manually inflating your BCD by breathing from a regulator to blow into the BCD inflate.

A pool would definitely work for mask clearing. You only need your mask to be facing forward such that when you exhale and hold the top of the mask, the water comes out below your nose. Once sorted in a pool, it's really easy in a lake or the sea.

I like that first idea! Would have to use my buddys octo during this drill but that's a great way around it/if that issue ever happens in a real scenario.

Gonna spend a good 30mins at least just clearing over and over til I get the hang of it. Weird as the first 10 times I ever did it went perfectly, beginners luck? lol

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Edward3c]

I like that first idea! Would have to use my buddys octo during this drill but that's a great way around it/if that issue ever happens in a real scenario.

The purpose of the drill is to teach you how to get buoyant on the surface when your gas supply has been exhausted. You used your buddy's AS on the way up, why were you not taught to use it to get breaths to inflate your buoyancy device. In a real life situation you might also drop your weightbelt/pouches.

 

[aquaticj10]

The purpose of the drill is to teach you how to get buoyant on the surface when your gas supply has been exhausted. You used your buddy's AS on the way up, why were you not taught to use it to get breaths to inflate your buoyancy device. In a real life situation you might also drop your weightbelt/pouches.

I will ask about this, and was advised on dropping the weight belt!

 

[johndiver999]

It is very normal to have your head go under at surface when doing oral inflation on the surface. It can be stressful if the water is rough. You want to gain a good bit of comfort with your head going under with no regulator.

You kick up, snatch a quick breath, blow into bc as you sink under, then kick hard again and snatch more air and exhale into bc. After 2 iterations, the third kick should be easy to get your mouth out and after the third cycle you should be reasonably buoyant.

What you don’t want to do is try to support your head out of water the whole time by kicking steadily- that is too stressful and unnecessarily difficult. You must be comfortable with allowing the head to sink while you blow into bc, not that different from the breathing cycle when doing breast stroke.

 

[Dan G]

It's great you are seeking to develop your skills early on in your diving journey. Confined water practice can be great for skill development, comfort, and safety. Lots of great input here, so I do not want to add more stuff and overwhelm you with info. I will emphasize some points already made or make sure you are clear on a few things already mentioned.

1) Regarding dropping weighs. I can see the value, but if you are already at the surface after an air share, this should not be necessary unless there are no other options. Your buddy, whose air you used, can easily fill their BC and help you stay on/very close to the surface while you orally inflate. I am small, so when I am the person sharing air in this drill I like getting behind my buddy at the surface, holding onto their tank valve or first stage, leaning back and helping them stay on the surface. Larger people might be able to just hold you on the surface with the hand or arm that is already being used to keep the two of you somewhat close during the ascent.

1a) I would avoid dropping weights while ascending on an air share. You'll ascend way faster than your buddy and the reg in your mouth is attached to them not you. There is no need to rush to the surface during an air share. In fact, doing so is ill advised. For an emergency buoyant ascent ditching weights is required from depth and is a different skill than an air share.​

1b) +1 for the input about the fact that you might sink a bit below the surface while attempting to orally inflate. Depends on your BC, how heavy you are, and how much air you can get into the BC each breath. Don't let that bobbing up and down freak you out. It doesn't have to mean you are doing anything wrong.​

2) Regarding mask clearing. Be sure to start with your nose pointed straight down at the pool floor. It is easy to miss this detail while watching demos. Even with your tank valve or first stage out of the way, you may need to arch your back a bit to get enough tilt to fully clear. Needing to do two clears is perfectly fine in order to get fully cleared. It happens and I recommend not rushing in between clearing attempts. Stay neutral and in good diver position (unless you are being taught to do skills from your knees... I do not know BSAC's practice)

Good luck!

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