Alternate Source Ascent + Mask Clearing

[BlueTrin]

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!

I don’t remember the first scenario: are you simulating out of air ascent and have to inflate orally your bcd?

If yes, then you should do whatever to stay buoyant while inflating (stay with the person giving you his reg), you are correct, you can time exhaling to inflate the BC. You do not need to do that, you can just breathe from the reg and exhale in the BC oral inflate and repeat if you prefer.

For the second one, you should carry ideally a spare mask. Otherwise, you’ll have to improvise and none of the options seem ideal: you could use a DSMB or line (but then you’d need to deploy your DSMB semi blind) to limit your ascend speed or try to mirror a buddy or squint and look at your computer I guess. Spare mask works better IMHO but you need to be able to get it from your pocket, unclip it and put it.

For your immediate problem you can still lift your whole body to look up or lift your head on the side of the stage (you can roll your body so your mask is actually not sideways then). (If you lift your whole body, be aware than if you subconsciously kick, you will move up). Ideally you probably want to move the tank so you can look up without being out of trim, unless it messed up with your trim?

 

[Angelo Farina]

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 did always teach my students to evacuate the mask while looking 45° DOWN, not up.
This is the normal trim you will have while diving, so you must become capable of evacuating the mask without loosing your trim.

 

[FJUK1]

quick update:

BSAC dont teach using a buddies octo to inflate bcd but to kick to stay afloat and to manually self-inflate the bcd. Managed to improve on this anyway and am comfortable with it now.

Mask clearing wise I lowered my tank about an inch and while it still digs into my skull a little bit, using the advice hear and moving my entire body upwards+backwards has helped alot, thanks all!

 

[Edward3c]

quick update:

BSAC dont teach using a buddies octo to inflate bcd but to kick to stay afloat and to manually self-inflate the bcd. Managed to improve on this anyway and am comfortable with it now.

Mask clearing wise I lowered my tank about an inch and while it still digs into my skull a little bit, using the advice hear and moving my entire body upwards+backwards has helped alot, thanks all!

I must correct you there. BSAC does not specify, in the Instructor Manual, where you draw your breath when inflating your BDC. In fact it even suggests the donor inflates the casualty’s BCD.

It isn’t specified, allowing instructions to use an appropriate method dependant on the conditions and the student. I’ve had students that easily orally inflate their BCD, and other who drew a breath or two from the donor’s oct. There isn’t a hard rule, the objective is to become positively buoyant

 

[FJUK1]

I must correct you there. BSAC does not specify, in the Instructor Manual, where you draw your breath when inflating your BDC. In fact it even suggests the donor inflates the casualty’s BCD.

It isn’t specified, allowing instructions to use an appropriate method dependant on the conditions and the student. I’ve had students that easily orally inflate their BCD, and other who drew a breath or two from the donor’s oct. There isn’t a hard rule, the objective is to become positively buoyant

Donor inflating the casualty's BCD makes sense! But I don't think I'm wrong in suggesting that BSAC don't actively teach inflation via the donor's octo... anyway, I'll keep that in mind (or try to) if the need ever arises... hopefully it doesn't! lol

 

[Edward3c]

Donor inflating the casualty's BCD makes sense! But I don't think I'm wrong in suggesting that BSAC don't actively teach inflation via the donor's octo... anyway, I'll keep that in mind (or try to) if the need ever arises... hopefully it doesn't! lol

It may well be how your instructor saw the situation, as this skill is first taught in the pool.