If Masks comes off?

[John_B]

The octopus is just distracting you so the sharks can attack you while your mask is off. Then, while you are fighting off the sharks without your mask, Mike Nelson grabs you from behind and cuts your air hose! But they never train you for *that* in your OW class, now do they?!?!?

 

[Walter]

Going through my certification course now and heard some stories about octopuses grabbing a mask off of someone's face. Understanding that this is unlikely or if it comes off some other way, just curious what the best way to handle a situation like this is?

Stan, you will be learning no mask breathing in your class. Practice it until you have absolutely no discomfort and this fear of losing your mask will cease to be an issue.

and I've been attacked by Bull Sharks

Yeah, but only once in almost 800 dives. Geeze, what a cry baby.

Ok, I have done the octopus "trick"...

Puff, that is funny! I'd love to see that. I'll even volunteer to be the victim.

 

[Garrobo]

I practice taking my mask off and returning it on almost all my dives. (Another habit of mine is to use my octo to breath for about five minutes of each dive.) I also carry a very large and wide rubber band which I bought at a stationary store which, when wrapped around the mask and back of the head will hold the mask on in case the mask strap breaks under water.

 

[ScubaSteve]

This is not an octopus but it is part of the underwater environment having fun at the expense of a diver.



I do believe that where octopuses (octopi - I personally do not care which is correct) are concerned, you would likely be able to keep yourself out of the situation where one removes your mask simply through situational awareness. However, if it does happen to come off, let your training take over. You have been given some good advice here so heed it well, and stay safe.

 

[redacted]

How do you clear goggles?

Lots of practice. I do one lense at a time. Pull the bottom of the lense just a bit off your cheek and exhale through your nose slowly with your face about 45 degrees down. You will be able to feel the bubbles running up your cheek into the bottom of the lense. Really hard to get it completely clear but you just need enough to read your gauges which is all you really need.

I just did not want to add a pouch big enough for a proper mask. The goggles fit nicely into an Army surplus first aide pouch along with a small finger spool (just 20 ft of line).

 

[fnfalman]

First of all, the plural of octopus is "octopi". Secondly, if losing a mask is a big deal then one can get a small lanyard and tie the mask to the BC. Thirdly even if a mask is totally lost and unrecoverable with your buddy not around, it's still not the end of the world. You can see your bubbles, so just follow your bubbles up and don't go faster than the bubbles and you'll be OK.

 

[drdaddy]

Going through my certification course now and heard some stories about octopuses grabbing a mask off of someone's face. Understanding that this is unlikely or if it comes off some other way, just curious what the best way to handle a situation like this is?

Thanks.

Welcome to diving StanW,

While I have had to reset and clear my mask many times, it's been some time since I have practiced a lost mask procedure. And I have never had to dive long without one. I always carry a spare in my BCD pocket and my son, PADI Instructor, always carries a spare hanging from his BCD (this came from being an instructor in a high volume tourist area - Red Sea Israel).

This weekend, I am going to practice replacing my mask with my spare from my BCD pocket and surfacing, from depth, without my mask. (Diving tomorrow, etc. at Hood Canal, Washington ).

Oh, and I've had my mask kicked loose a number of times by inexperienced divers (never by an octopus)- so many times that I really watch/avoid their fins.

Thank you for the reminder.

drdaddy

 

[Hawkwood]

This is not an octopus but it is part of the underwater environment having fun at the expense of a diver.

[Video Removed]

I do believe that where octopuses are concerned, you would likely be able to keep yourself out of the situation where one removes your mask simply through situational awareness. However, if it does happen to come off, let your training take over. You have been given some good advice here so heed it well, and stay safe.

We were diving with the sea lions at Norris Rocks off Vancouver Island this past weekend. You had to be quite comfortable dealing with replacing equipment that is "removed". Masks, regulators, everything was fair game for those rascals. We even had tank straps and buckles opened! It was a real test of being comfortable in the water.

 

[frozen newbie]

I have been swimming since I was about 2 years old in pools, lakes, and rivers and removing my mask while on scuba freaked me out the first time because I didn't like the bubbles going up my face/nose from my regulator. I tried to breath out my nose just like the book suggested and this just made the whole thing worse. I would have never guessed that this would have bothered me in a million years! On a positive note just a little practice and it didn't bother me at all! So I'm very glad it was part of my open water class, when I read about the procedure in the books I was sure it was all going to be an easy skill. I was also really glad I got to experience panic in the pool and figure out how to tame my panic in a controlled environment. I hope this will help translate to good and calm decision making in the event of a "real" problem.

 

[Hickdive]

The octopus is just distracting you so the sharks can attack you while your mask is off. Then, while you are fighting off the sharks without your mask, Mike Nelson grabs you from behind and cuts your air hose! But they never train you for *that* in your OW class, now do they?!?!?

Nonsense, the octopus is in league with giant clam that will close around your ankle and trap you!