RonDawg
Contributor
Congratulations Diana!
I can't do this - Please Help!!!
- Thread starter palmtreefreak
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Matthew
Contributor
Congratulations!
Now that you're certified, my advice is to practice doing it as often as you get the chance, until you get really comfortable doing it. Always remember that we learn these skills to prepare us for the eventualities that we will encounter underwater, not just to qualify for a c-card.
Happy diving!
Now that you're certified, my advice is to practice doing it as often as you get the chance, until you get really comfortable doing it. Always remember that we learn these skills to prepare us for the eventualities that we will encounter underwater, not just to qualify for a c-card.
Happy diving!
gfisher4792
Guest
Yee haw! Congratulations and welcome to the club!
I have to tell you my story. I could clear the mask just fine, but actually removing the mask and putting it back on didn't work for me. Our instructor sort of sprung that skill on us during our cert dives, the other 3 people could do it, but I had the hardest time. You'll be fine, remember to breathe!
Barbara
Barbara
Donnie
Guest
Diana,
I've been reading your thread with great anticipation! "Great Job!!!!"
Now that you have your "Cert"... Keep it fresh! Don't Stop! The confidence and skills only improve from here!!!
AWESOME!!! :dazzler1:
Have a great day! (Can it get any better?)
Donnie
I've been reading your thread with great anticipation! "Great Job!!!!"
Now that you have your "Cert"... Keep it fresh! Don't Stop! The confidence and skills only improve from here!!!
AWESOME!!! :dazzler1:
Have a great day! (Can it get any better?)
Donnie
DEEPLOU
Contributor
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Congrats from this end of the world too.
As was mentioned, continue to practice. As I just mentioned in another post, you will always get some water in your mask no matter how good a seal you have. So you will use this skill often even if you don't get your mask ripped off.
Also, I often just flood the mask to clear the faceplate (defog or just wash it off) while underwater.
As was mentioned, continue to practice. As I just mentioned in another post, you will always get some water in your mask no matter how good a seal you have. So you will use this skill often even if you don't get your mask ripped off.
Also, I often just flood the mask to clear the faceplate (defog or just wash it off) while underwater.
starfish365
Contributor
Congrats kido......the key is relax...have fun....take you time....there are many times when the heart will pound but remember...its all good...breathe...relax..have fun. Oh I said that already.
Listen, when I had my first pool session I had problems cause I wasn't weighted properly and my fins kept floating up. I couldn't stay on the bottom of the shallow end and was fighting with that instead of enjoying my first "breathing" underwater. I was very angry and very disappointed - but the next time was better and the next and the next. Like anything else its a learning curve. Every new dive I do my heart beats like crazy and I'm nervous...I actually have to close my eyes and tell myself to breathe and relax. Its works for me and for now that's what I need to do.
ENJOY!
Listen, when I had my first pool session I had problems cause I wasn't weighted properly and my fins kept floating up. I couldn't stay on the bottom of the shallow end and was fighting with that instead of enjoying my first "breathing" underwater. I was very angry and very disappointed - but the next time was better and the next and the next. Like anything else its a learning curve. Every new dive I do my heart beats like crazy and I'm nervous...I actually have to close my eyes and tell myself to breathe and relax. Its works for me and for now that's what I need to do.
ENJOY!
nauidiver2004
Guest
Congradulations. Nice Job
Wristshot
Contributor
Just because you are done with your formal training, doesn't mean that you should stop learning.
As suggested here, practice the mask flooding, clearing and removal until you are completely comfortable with it.
The reason is that some day, someone may knock your mask off accidentally. Or a seal may pull it off (they love to see the reactions of divers!) Or a strap may break, or something unplanned may leave you maskless. When that happens (okay, IF that happens) you want to be able to not freak out. If you work it until it doesn't bother you at all, and you can deal with it easily, then if an "accident" occurs, you will be able to take it all in stride.
Just my unsolicited advice.
*************
NOTE: One thing that really disappointed me about my original instructor was that he allowed our class to do mask removal in a totally wimpy way. He was required by the certifying agency to have us each show that we could remove our mask, replace it, and clear it. He abided by the letter of the law, but not the spirit.
He allowed each student to hold the mask firmly in place, remove the strap from the back of the head at our leisure, get set, and when ready, pull the mask slightly away from the face, then replace it immediately. Then we could hold the mask in place, replace the strap to the back of the head, and clear it. The rest of the class loved him for making it so easy.
My buddy and I are jerks I guess. We felt that we really need to be prepared for "bad things" not just be able to pull a mask an inch out for a second. When it was our turn, we both, without prior consultation, each pulled our masks fully off, away from our faces, held out at arms length until the instructor signalled okay, then replaced and cleared our masks.
Were we showing off? Not really. We were proving to ourselves that we could handle the situation if a mask came completely off.
Do I have confidence that the rest of our class could handle the situation if a fin knocked their mask off? Not really. If in a controlled situation they were not comfortable doing a complete mask removal, then I am concerned. However, it is their life, not mine.
Sorry to digress,
Congratulations, you now have your learner's permit, now go out and DIVE!
Wristshot
As suggested here, practice the mask flooding, clearing and removal until you are completely comfortable with it.
The reason is that some day, someone may knock your mask off accidentally. Or a seal may pull it off (they love to see the reactions of divers!) Or a strap may break, or something unplanned may leave you maskless. When that happens (okay, IF that happens) you want to be able to not freak out. If you work it until it doesn't bother you at all, and you can deal with it easily, then if an "accident" occurs, you will be able to take it all in stride.
Just my unsolicited advice.
*************
NOTE: One thing that really disappointed me about my original instructor was that he allowed our class to do mask removal in a totally wimpy way. He was required by the certifying agency to have us each show that we could remove our mask, replace it, and clear it. He abided by the letter of the law, but not the spirit.
He allowed each student to hold the mask firmly in place, remove the strap from the back of the head at our leisure, get set, and when ready, pull the mask slightly away from the face, then replace it immediately. Then we could hold the mask in place, replace the strap to the back of the head, and clear it. The rest of the class loved him for making it so easy.
My buddy and I are jerks I guess. We felt that we really need to be prepared for "bad things" not just be able to pull a mask an inch out for a second. When it was our turn, we both, without prior consultation, each pulled our masks fully off, away from our faces, held out at arms length until the instructor signalled okay, then replaced and cleared our masks.
Were we showing off? Not really. We were proving to ourselves that we could handle the situation if a mask came completely off.
Do I have confidence that the rest of our class could handle the situation if a fin knocked their mask off? Not really. If in a controlled situation they were not comfortable doing a complete mask removal, then I am concerned. However, it is their life, not mine.
Sorry to digress,
Congratulations, you now have your learner's permit, now go out and DIVE!
Wristshot
pammyk
Guest
Hi Diana...I also did my confined water dives in May. My buddy and I did a weekend class with pool and classroom and it was not long enough. The LDS that we were doing the PADI class with allowed us to go to the pool with the next class. We were able to go an extra 4 times to the pool. Each time I worked on mask clearing and removal. I still don't like it even though I've done it quite a few times. I also practiced it in the sink every day for a week. I'm going to create a visual now.....standing there naked in front of the sink...filled the sink up with water. Put my snorkel in my mouth. Put my mask on...flooded my mask...lifted my head (with mask on) out of the water...then cleared the mask. The water, of course, poured all over me and onto the floor. Someone should have taken a picture or video of me at that time...lolololol!!!!! I figured out that one of my problems was that I had my mask on too tight. That makes it very difficult to exhale through my mouth in order to clear my mask. I practiced in the pool with my mask looser and that seemed to make things alot easier. Also, I find that closing my eyes and concentrating on breathing through my mouth slow and deep and not rushing through it also helps. If it takes 2 or 3 tries to clear, it doesn't really matter because you are still getting air. I think part of the problem is the transition from breathing through my mouth and then having to switch to exhaling through my nose in order to clear. I hope this helps you. I'm doing my OWC this weekend...June 26 and 27 and am a little nervous about doing it also. Hope all goes well with you. It makes me feel alot better knowing that I'm not alone. Keep in touch.
Pam
Pam
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