Clearing someone ELSE's mask...

[Shaka Doug]

Good story and nice work. As was pointed out you could be in a liabilty situation but since you helped her and she was cool, I wouldn't think twice. It worked and you came up with some new *****. Sometimes you have to get creative with divers. You should be extra careful if you try this again though. I wouldn't make it a habit.

Looking at why she couldn't blow into the mask herself leads me to think that her mask was on too tight. This is the biggest reason people can't clear a mask. I always have my divers fit their masks when I take them on a tour. I check and loosen most of them, especially if it's their personal dive mask! People have a bad tendency to crank the straps tight. (same mistake on fins too but that's another subject...) I think it comes from the James Bond movies or something. Anyway, when a mask is too tight it's really hard to get enough pressure inside to clear it, hence the nose not getting air through it. Loosen up mask straps and you'll see this problem go away.

I don't even need my mask strap most of the time. Sometimes I don't even wear a strap at all!

 

[craborn]

Great story Chris, I enjoyed it. I hope she knows how much you did for her. Keep up the great work. CLay

 

[Divingnthedark]

I don't even need my mask strap most of the time. Sometimes I don't even wear a strap at all!

Yup I can do that too and I'm glad masks come in different sizes....maybe it's for a reason? I have a small face...never over tightened my straps...

 

[Talon]

Great story!!!!!

 

[hvulin]

I had an advanced diver that got hold of me on 20m depth trying to descirbe that he can't clear his mask... I checked for leaks and then noticed he is exhaling through his mouth. After some time I gave up and took him to surface... It was just a buildup of events that made him very close to panicking. We aranged everything on surface and than he swam back to the boat (I went back to the rest of the group)...

 

[Chad Carney]

Definitely creative thinking!

There's a big difference in dealing with students versus other certified divers.

With students I avoid doing anything for them, (unless it gets out of control), so they feel the consequences of their actions or inactions. Before they get to the open water they have figured out all the basic stuff, and practiced the areas where they are weak. They're well on the path to becoming competent divers. I love teaching.

Other certified divers should be better than students, but so often that's not the case. If you're the DM, you just want to get them through the dive and back on the boat, so whatever is easiest.

I don't think I would have tried your mask flushing/purging technique... of course I never would have thought of it, but now I'll not be able to forget the mental image!!

Chad

 

[Willie]

... I cracked open the lower skirt of the mask, and purged my alternate/octopus right under the mask. It was enough to get nearly all the water out of the mask ...

That is good to know. On a dive once I had not had any significant sinus drainage before the start. The water was cold and after about 25 minutes I tried to clear a bit of water from my mask and I realized my nose was completely plugged. I didnt have much water in the mask so I just left it for the remainder of the dive. It did make me wonder if there was another way I could clear if it should ever happen again. I might try this in the pool sometime.

Willie

 

[Jason B]

All this talk about liability issues.... Suppose he had done nothing and something happened to her. He was her buddy correct?

 

[drtheo]

Its always good to have another tool in the box, especially good to think a little outside the box

 

[Jim Lapenta]

This technique is also good for those who cannot clear on their own due to physical reasons. I'm not talking about a cold but for those who are disabled divers. Many HSA divers do not have use of their hands and this technique using the octo or even a blow gun attached to a spare lp hose(I have one on mine since I also dive dry) can be used. This is the reason for required number of buddies depending on the severity of the disability. A class C for instance requires 3. Basicly they do everything except breathe for the diver even to the point of pinching the nose to equalize. Good Job!!