Lost my new mask and didn't get to use it once

[beanojones]

Why is someone in the water without being ready to be in the water? Mask on, reg in before you hit the water.

You just lost a mask, but you could suffer a lot worse than that, when you laugh at the water like that. It laughs harder and laughs last.

 

[Abdullah]

I have seen a couple of new and experienced divers lose masks because it not being around their necks. I really dont understand the value of having the mask on your forehead or the back.

If you have a reg bungied to your neck a mask doesn't fit so well there. In locations where waves will be energetic enough to wash the mask off the back of my head I wear it on my face. Otherwise, it's much more comfortable on the back of the head. And I've never lost a mask.

 

[RJP]

Who has ever for real seen a panicked diver put their mask on their forehead? Not read about it, but seem it. The whole concept seems ludicrous to me, if they are panicking surely they'd rip it off completely


Replied using Tapatalk. Please forgive my typing.

I have, several times. The thing that is apparently not well understood by people who dismiss MOF as a sign of distress is thinking that panicking divers will "place their mask on their forehead in order to signal that they are in distress."

The reason that it is a possible sign (a sign, not the only sign, not absolute proof) of a diver in distress is that they will often "reject their equipment" upon surfacing. Frequently this involves spitting their reg and shoving the mask up off their face. When you see that, along with other clues (surfacing rapidly, gasping for air, flailing about, etc) it's a useful piece of evidence that someone might be in distress.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Sorry, but only wankers have their mask on backwards. It is either on your face or not on at all.

 

[Scott]

Sorry, but only wankers have their mask on backwards. It is either on your face or not on at all.

Where is "not at all" if you have to walk a ways fully suited up and both hands are full with other gear? On your face or not at all works well if all you do is flop off the side of a boat.

 

[Abdullah]

Sorry, but only wankers have their mask on backwards. It is either on your face or not on at all.

That's just plain ignorant, and I think you are the wanker on this one. Many, many circumstances require a diver to spend a lot of time with a mask strapped to their head, where they also don't need it strapped to their face.

 

[reefduffer]

A search suggests I last posted this in 2010 here http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/347180-ever-lost-your-mask.html#post5406813 , (see posts #27 & 28) I thought it was more recent; probably just didn't find it with my search.

Time for my periodic suggestion in recurring "lost mask" threads to put your mask on a leash/tether. See DataMask Safety Strap/Retractor Picture in post #13.

170+ dives with it now. It's never significantly in the way, has yet to get snagged on anything. Read the thread, it's not common, but it's not unique either. As Doc Adelman says, "This is a Navy protocol for certain applications." And I dive a 5' hose and bungied backup, still not in the way. My wife's even doing it for the last 100 or so dives after seeing mine.

I lost a mask doing gear (BC, I think) removal skill drills in OW training in poor viz.
Had another kicked off, but recovered that one.
I no longer worry about it, it's tied to me, not going anywhere. It also helps keep it from being in the wrong place during SIs and gear-up on crowded boats.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

The point is, lesson learned but expensive. The reason not to put your mask on your forehead or anywhere other than on you face or about you neck is so that you will not lose it. It's not a fashion statement or panic thing, it's a "don't lose $140 worth of new equipment before you get to try it out thing. On a related note, don't dip you mask in the water from a moving boat. For the same reason. I have witnessed this phenomenon, with mask loss, exactly 14 times in my dive life (1 x was by Debbie). I was able to retrieve all but 3- but then we were in clear water with a bottom less than 130 for those. The other were "wall casualties." I am sorry for your loss. Go pro and deduct the cost of equipment- it softens the sting a little.
Divemaster Dennis

 

[The Chairman]

Only panicked divers put their mask on their head, so a good captain will rush over to you if he sees you in the distance with mask on your head and no OK signal.

:gans:​

Only an idiot captain would rush over to someone with a mask on their forehead for that reason alone. A mask on your forehead is never an indication of distress, and I always laugh at people who subscribe to this myth. No, I'm not laughing with them.

It's unfortunate that the OP lost their mask. If I take my mask off on the surface, I loop it over my hand. I've lost only one mask since 1969 and I'm OK with that. Why not on my forehead? I hate dealing all the self righteous and all knowing idiots who think that I must be in distress. It's just stupid and I have a phobia about dealing with stupid. Harsh? No more than I've seen how some people attack divers who had the temerity to have their mask on their forehead. Funny thing is that I've never seen a diver in distress that had their mask on their forehead. Mind you, they are often in distress after being castigated by well meaning idiots.

Hey Marine,

we have a lost and found forum here on ScubaBoard. Lost, Found and Stolen Be sure to post about your mask there!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Agree with Pete.The mask on forehead panic thing is BS. If someone is in panic it's more likely the mask will go sailing off into the depths than pushed up on the forehead. One of my favorite moments as a DM was leading a group of rescue students and DM candidates while the instructor was teaching an OW class. They were going over the dive plan on the surface in shallow water. At my signal we all began to circle them casually and listen to the briefing. At my next signal we all pushed our masks up onto our foreheads and just stood there in the water. The look he gave me was priceless. Yet not one person reacted to our "distress". So much for that myth.