I need help!

[LJ4133]

A little history first,,,,,,I am very comfortable in the water and have been diving for 5 years. I'm certified to teach everything there is to do in the water, except scuba. Then my 12 year old son said he wanted to dive. So I got certified with my buddy.

I haven't ever had a problem clearing my mask until last week. Then it happened! I was diving the Mercedes wreck in Ft. Lauderdale with my son and daughter, going down the descent line 80ft. to the wreck, with my son and daughter right behind me. The current was so strong that as long as I was going down the line, I was fine. Then I turned around to see how the kids were doing? At the time it happened, I was only down about 15 feet, when the current, now going the other direction, ripped my mask from my face! I caught the mask just before I lost it to the current. I put it back on my face, and it kept flooding. I started to panic until I realized,,,,,,WHY AM I PANICKING? I still had my regulator in my mouth and just told myself to calm down and then I realized I was "clearing the mask the wrong way"!

Five years of diving 10-20 times a year and I panicked,,,,,,until I got control and thought about what I was taught. Just calm down and think about your training. Practice in a controlled environment & I'm sure that you will be fine.

 

[downunderjenn]

Common sense tells us it's okay, but something makes you panic.

Think about it logically first: Have you ever gone swimming, in a pool or lake, and not had any gear on (except the swimsuit)? Did you not swim and duck underwater a few times? Taking your mask off is like swimming underwater, only when you take your mask off, you still have air.

If you're scared of breathing in through your nose, pinch your nose.

When we did open water, we put our faces in with just regs, no masks. Then, we swam the contour of the pool with no masks and regs in. I always close my eyes, though I don't wear contacts (but should). I'm myopic with astigmatism, and just dive with fuzzy vision-that could be why my photos never come out

By the time you get to taking your mask off, after realizing you swim underwater without a mask, put your face in without a mask and breathing from a reg, and swim the contour of the pool blind, you should be okay with taking the mask off. Don't bolt. Keep calm.

Nothing's wrong. You're uncomfortable, probably, but breathing. Take it slowly. If you have difficulty breathing, slow down your breathing. Relax your shoulders (I tense up my shoulders and have to tell myself to let them lower)

Diving should be fun. My mom had great difficulty with this skill until there was a prize involved. She couldn't stand even partial flooding, so they held a contest. Whoever could stuff the most dimes in their mask won. She won.

My dad used to make me play tennis. I hated tennis. However, he didn't give me guidance for anything else. I would have loved some pushing to excel in art, my current profession. Is your daughter interested in diving? just discouraged by the skill? Does she have fun in the water in pools? Is she bored? Does she want to complete the class but feels incapable? I started diving at 14, but grew up in pools, playing with my parent's gear long before then, and always longed for my own fins. I hope since she started the class, she finishes, but I would focus on the experiences you can have, how it is fun, and how it won't be as much work as class is right now. Perhaps the game trick at home? and let her keep the dimes.

hope this helps

 

[cdennyb]

My daughter kept complaining and reluctently wouldn't go into salt water and take off her mask, I then proceeded to go to the truck and get the surf board. I handed it to her and said, "no mask kid", "paddle out and go down and bring back a smooth rock from the bottom".
She did and said it wasn't so bad...I then proceeded to ask what the problem was. She had a puzzled look on her face and said, "I don't know."
We then suited up and went for it, no problems from then on out.Now she's always taking off her mask and fixing her hair, or rubbing the inside of it, or something. Maybe just to keep reassuring herself it's ok. I don't know. I also took her into the pool for lessons without a mask at all for some of the exercises. That helped too. Can't freak out about taking one off if you don't have one to start with huh?

good luck, it just takes the right moment and right situaiton to realize it's not a problem. My daughter and I went to the deep end of the pool a few times, used our "wet notes" and played 'tic-tac-toe', looser had to take off the mask and then put it back on and clear it, or swap regulators, or take off the fin(s) and put them back on, it was a hoot. Out of balance, sitting on the pool bottom trying to roll around a do things.
Makes for confidence builders.

have fun.
db

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Here are a couple of articles about this sort of situation. It's not all that uncommon, but if you panic and shoot to the surface it can be a potentially lethal situation. The most important thing is to practice each skill in shallow water until you feel comfortable doing it. Then, when you are demonstrating your skill during your dive, be sure to do it slowly. There's no reason to hurry. You'll panic less and feel more in control if you don't rush yourself.

Best wishes and safe ascents,
Grier

http://www.mindspring.com/~divegeek/nmask.htm

http://www.mindspring.com/~divegeek/battle.htm

 

[Finnatic]

Here are a couple of articles about this sort of situation. It's not all that uncommon, but if you panic and shoot to the surface it can be a potentially lethal situation. The most important thing is to practice each skill in shallow water until you feel comfortable doing it. Then, when you are demonstrating your skill during your dive, be sure to do it slowly. There's no reason to hurry. You'll panic less and feel more in control if you don't rush yourself.

Best wishes and safe ascents,
Grier

http://www.mindspring.com/~divegeek/nmask.htm

http://www.mindspring.com/~divegeek/battle.htm

Great links. Thanks!

 

[00scuba]

That has always been a challenge for me...what i have done..or should I say what my buddy had me do...Practice...before my cert...we were in he pool alot...very controlled atmosphere. We are going to Bonaire in August....and tomorrow...we are going to the quarry to practice skills...just to make sure we are both comfortable with the skill and each other.

I wear contacts...so during this skill my eyes are closed...is this your situation as well?

 

[computerdiver]

That has always been a challenge for me...what i have done..or should I say what my buddy had me do...Practice...before my cert...we were in he pool alot...very controlled atmosphere. We are going to Bonaire in August....and tomorrow...we are going to the quarry to practice skills...just to make sure we are both comfortable with the skill and each other.

I wear contacts...so during this skill my eyes are closed...is this your situation as well?

Same with me, I livge in NW Indiana, so I'm gonna keep trying. My family is going to Key West In July, so I'm thinking, since this is the opnly skill left, I'll use my Padi Scuba Diver cert. because there will be a divemaster or instructor there, and when I get back I'll finish that one skill. Does that sound OK? In Key West do you HAVE to be Open Water or can I dive the keys with only my SCUBA Diver Cert.
-Tony

 

[computerdiver]

00Scuba, Did you eventually get Certified?

 

[00scuba]

Yes...and I have 100 dives now and going on my 3rd dive vacation.....since last August. A good dive buddy that you are confident in and vice versa helps a lot.

 

[computerdiver]

Great, Thanks.