Mask clearing-finding out the hard way

[SlicerDicer]

very cute bburville

 

[oldogre]

I think that mask clearing underwater is more about learning not to panic than swimming ability. As a lousy swimmer (all I can do is backstroke), in the Pool I can remove my mask, place it on the bottom, go for a swim then replace it, but it requires patience!

 

[Guy Alcala]

I am having the same issue, I had to get out of the confined dive pool and watch all my classmates continue on while I was kicked out of the pool. My instructor wasn't exactly patient, he let me try twice, but as soon as the water hit my nose, up to the surface I went. I am an extremely proficient swimmer, I've been swimming with water in my face for as long as I can remember and I was a lifeguard! So water in my face is not the issue, it's the feeling of the water going up my nose. I can't explain it, but when it occurs my heart starts racing a mile a minute and all I want to do is breathe out of my nose. I'm taking the advice I found on this board and performing my laps with only a snorkel. I'm still struggling and choking, but I’m not giving up.

I don't understand this at all. Every lifesaving course I've ever taken has required you to practice approaching a panicked swimmer underwater so as to get them under control with minimum risk to yourself; also, you're required to retrieve a 10-lb. (typically) weight from the bottom of the pool, and swim it to the surface. And you must have dived into the water hundreds if not thousands of times, so how was it you were able to keep water out of your nose on those occasions but not this?

Puzzled,

Guy

 

[TMHeimer]

cookenup, I'm sorry to hear of your experiences. Off the top of my head, I think you may need to do some snorkelling. Not at all to sound flippent, but mask clearing came the easiest to me as an OW student. My big pitfall was doffing and donning the unit. 55F for us isn't cold water. 35F is. I think you just need more experience in water. Hope I'm not being offensive. Good luck.

 

[Frosty]

cooknup I've done a fair bit of snorkling but only 40 dives so far so clearly Im far from an expert scuba diver.
Something disturbs me a little with your post though .
You are describing how to flood your mask in a nice easy way so as not to cause panic. Trouble is the real world just ain't like that. kick from a fin or a misplaced hand from a dive buddy and you have to be able to deal with it.
So hey good onya for getting it sorted for your OW but I'd suggest you might want to practice later to simulate "sudden and unexpected" mask flooding.

Just so as ya don't think I'm mr sanctomonious (spelling eep) the skill I struggled with was taking my rig off and putting it on in the water. My gosh did I look like a chump. But I practiced a lot and figured it out.
On the second dive of my AAW the tank strap on my new BC had stretched a tadd and at 17m my tank decided it wanted to swim free. I'm pretty happy I practiced that skill because it would have been a mission otherwise getting the tank back in the strap and tight

 

[furby076]

If you wear a hood, then put your hood on, but bring the top portion of the hood back below your neck (so your head is not covered). Put the mask on, and then bring the hood over it. Now if your mask get's knocked off it will still remain on your face. You will still have to clear it, but at least you won't be searching for your mask which is the worst part.

EDIT: Extra advantage, your mask seal will never be outside of your hood

 

[Captain Bil]

And where is the snorkel in the "hood over mask" scenario?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[josh37]

When I did my cert and the maskless swim, I also had trouble but mine was with breathing my mind kept telling my lungs “YOUR UNDER WATER DON'T BREATH". It only took a minute to get comfortable with it, but the first few breaths where small and shallow.

 

[boulderjohn]

I think it is great that so many people are now giving Cookenup this advice. Before others join in, though, please note that it has been more than a year since Cookenup has posted anything on ScubaBoard. Perhaps others will benefit from this advice, but my guess is that Cookenup isn't reading.

 

[Guy Alcala]

I think it is great that so many people are now giving Cookenup this advice. Before others join in, though, please note that it has been more than a year since Cookenup has posted anything on ScubaBoard. Perhaps others will benefit from this advice, but my guess is that Cookenup isn't reading.

Right, it's assingl who restarted the thread, and is the person having problems now.

Guy