fear of losing mask

[sea_ledford]

Entries and exits are where masks get lost. Usually because the owner takes it off their face. Underwater is usually not a problem, even a broken mask strap isn't going to make your mask fly off your face. I have my students pull the strap off their head, but leave the mask in place. They then exhale through their nose and shake their head back and forth to try to get the mask off without using hands. It is pretty rare that students are able to do it and it takes so long and so much effort that it is clear that masks don't just pop off underwater. The pressure difference does a good job keeping it on your face. I usually do this when I can't convince the divers that their mask straps are entirely too tight.

-Chris

 

[TMHeimer]

Entries and exits are where masks get lost. Usually because the owner takes it off their face. Underwater is usually not a problem, even a broken mask strap isn't going to make your mask fly off your face. I have my students pull the strap off their head, but leave the mask in place. They then exhale through their nose and shake their head back and forth to try to get the mask off without using hands. It is pretty rare that students are able to do it and it takes so long and so much effort that it is clear that masks don't just pop off underwater. The pressure difference does a good job keeping it on your face. I usually do this when I can't convince the divers that their mask straps are entirely too tight.

-Chris

Does the pressure difference keep it from flying off if it's kicked off? I know the chances of that must be very low as someone would have to not be looking where they're going.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

There's no need to reiterate everything that's already been said, but maybe consider this:

Not exactly an inexpensive solution, but have you considered diving a full face mask (see my avatar)? Mine has 6 straps so the chances that it's coming off, or even getting dislodged are extremely slim. No to mention it doesn't leak, doesn't fog, doesn't give me jaw fatigue or dry mouth, and keeps my face warm in cold water. But the buy in is an investment for sure. IF you have a dive shop close that sells them, see if you can demo one in the pool and see what you think.

 

[sea_ledford]

Does the pressure difference keep it from flying off if it's kicked off? I know the chances of that must be very low as someone would have to not be looking where they're going.

Don't know, but situational awareness certainly does. A fin tip to the face isn't going to knock off a mask, it would take a heel or maybe an accurately placed side swipe. Every time I've been kicked it was on the back of the head though. I just duck and cover until they go away.

I have 3500-ish dives and have probably taken over 10,000 people diving. In all that time, I experienced exactly one "mask loss" underwater. It was my mask and it had a frame with clips on the side so you could replace the lenses easily. I apparently didn't re-clip it appropriately at some point so the frame opened on one side and the lense just fell out mid-dive. I stuck out my hand the the glass lense landed neatly in my palm! So I took off my mask and re-assembled it while I was leading a group of 6 or so divers. I think one of them asked me afterward why I was swimming around without my mask, but no one else even noticed.

Masks getting kicked off just doesn't happen in my experience. They only reason people think it does is because instructors say "you need to know how to replace your mask in case someone kicks it off during a dive." They just need to come up with a better example reason for removing and replacing a mask.

-Chris

 

[gr8jab]

Maybe this will help a little bit...

I used to think salt water would be painful in my eyes. And, when splashed or dripped, it stings quite a bit. But, for some reason, when you open your eyes under the surface, the seawater doesn't really sting very much. It is similar to a strongly chlorinated pool, where your eyes get irritated, but you can still see pretty well.

I discovered this when I lost the hotel room key (olden days, real key) while swimming in the surf. It was on an elastic wrist lanyard. I felt it fall off my wrist and immediately dove under the surf and opened my eyes. I saw it in moments and retrieved it.

 

[TMHeimer]

Masks getting kicked off just doesn't happen in my experience. They only reason people think it does is because instructors say "you need to know how to replace your mask in case someone kicks it off during a dive." They just need to come up with a better example reason for removing and replacing a mask.

-Chris[/QUOTE]

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This REALLY makes sense to me.

 

[Neilwood]

Been kicked a few times by other divers (normally the ones with little situational awareness that drift into your personal space). Hard to see them to avoid (I have a black skirted mask so no peripheral vision). Never once lost the mask.

Breaking a strap or clip might be more likely (but still very rare). Keep a good eye on the condition of your straps and clips and replace if you see any splits in the rubber.

If you still worry about it, take a second mask. It doesn't have to be a great mask, seal particularly well or be ridiculously expensive one - it is just there as a spare to get your to the surface. Get some practise in removing your mask, handing it off to a buddy, put it in your pocket or place it on the bottom, retrieve your spare mask from your pocket put it on and clear it. Then reverse back to your main mask. Get comfortable doing it so that if it happens for any reason it is just a minor irritation and not a panic.

 

[Pat.D]

I used to think salt water would be painful in my eyes.

Same here, no discomfort at all . The only negative aspect to opening my eyes in salt water is that after a few minutes in salt water my vision gets blurred and remains that way for an hour or two. I'm guessing it might be salt water osmosis into the corneas? I do not have that problem in fresh water.

But this is really a very minor issue.

Pat

 

[Gareth J]

Do you wear a hood when you dive?

1. Put the hood on first, and pull the top portion back and down so the face part is around your neck.
2. Next put your mask on your bare head in the normal way.
3. Finally, pull the top of the hood onto your head.

The mask strap is now under the hood.
The mask can not come off without removing the hood,
even if you're hit by a big wave.


K

I've worn my mask like that for years.
When I was doing a lot of deep diving with long stops, I did occasionally carry a spare mask. Although in truth it was not something I did as standard, probably more so when I was instructing.

I've had the odd kick in the face at some of the very popular sites.

The nearest I've come to actually loosing a mask on a dive. I smashed the plastic clip mechanism on the mask against a wreck, it shattered. I kept the mask because the strap was under my hood, just pushed it back in place and cleared the water and carried on the dive (it was a cracking dive). One of the divers handed me his mask as he prepared to surface after he had completed his stops, mainly as a precaution. I probably only had 10minutes or so left of my stops.

Gareth

 

[TMHeimer]

Recently my clip broke while gearing up, something that's happened more than once before. Switched to my spare which wound up leaking like a siv (due to lack of use?). Still did the dive constantly clearing it--not that I needed the practice....