Don’t forget to equalize your mask!

[krukster86]

So totally a facepalm moment. On the first of my six vacation dives last weekend, I did not equalize my mask until I was at 40ft, and I was wondering why it felt like my eyes were about to pop out of their sockets! It left me with some minor bruising on my upper cheeks and a yummy red blotch on one of my eyeballs. After that I equalized often without issues, but I got a lot of strange looks from the other divers on the boat afterwards!

 

[dfx]

At least you know that your mask seals really well now

 

[fjpatrum]

Total non-issue for me... I think I've had to equalize my mask deliberately only twice so far. I'm constantly clearing, though... maybe I need to make a better effort to get a good initial seal.

 

[TMHeimer]

Total non-issue for me... I think I've had to equalize my mask deliberately only twice so far. I'm constantly clearing, though... maybe I need to make a better effort to get a good initial seal.

Same--I can't recall intentionally equalizing the mask. I obviously do, and maybe once in a while exhale a bit too much through the nose, letting water in. I was constantly clearing in the pool until using Sea Drops instead of spit. Spit seems to be OK 90% of the time in the ocean.

 

[Scuba_Noob]

I breathe out my nose every few breaths without thinking. I haven't ever really thought about equalizing my mask. However, breathing constantly out my nose sometimes lets water in, as TMHeimer mentioned. Still, I don't really mind, and that just my personal preference.

 

[JamesK]

Well, at least you remembered. You have any raccoon pictures? LOL

I hardly ever exhale through my reg. I am weird like that.

 

[oreocookie]

I hardly ever exhale through my reg. I am weird like that.

I exhale out of my nose, through my reg and around my reg (can't figure out that last one) so I don't have to think about equalizing my mask either.

 

[simskiscuba]

A mustache would fix that problem.

 

[TMHeimer]

The only way I know of that one can equalize the mask is by exhaling (a tiny bit) through the nose. If one never exhales through the reg and always by nose would not the mask be constantly flooded?

 

[dfx]

The only way I know of that one can equalize the mask is by exhaling (a tiny bit) through the nose. If one never exhales through the reg and always by nose would not the mask be constantly flooded?

Only if the mask doesn't seal properly to begin with. As long as it seals properly, it's not a problem: you exhale, pressure in your mask increases. When the pressure exceeds ambient pressure (plus a bit), the mask gets pushed from your face and the air escapes. Once the pressure has equalized to ambient pressure (plus a bit), the mask flops back on your face (remember those straps?) and recreates the seal. No water gets in because it never has a chance to, it would do that only if the pressure inside your mask were lower than ambient pressure. In a way, this functions like the exhaling mechanism of a second stage!