Mask Clearing

[jmsdiver]

UP,

AGA Gold? I have used an AGA and love 'em, but I needed the lens insert of the Ocean Reef. It works well, but I think that the AGA breathes a little nicer.

Of course I practice removing the FFM and replacing with a regular mask.....carry an extra mask when I dive in a pocket.

OOA buddy? Easy. Octopus or pony bottle. Unless you are one of those divers that buddy breathes, this is the most logical solution. And, sometime I don't dive with a buddy, most of the time I do (she'd have my hide if I didn't take her along).

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by jmsdiver
UP,

AGA Gold?

I thought I recognized your moniker from ebay...
I sold a guy an AGA (the gold is the demand valve) and couldn't remember who to... but thought...
Oh well... don't mind me...

 

[ScubyDoo]

I went into my confined dives scared to death of the mask clearing skills. I had a couple of friends who took thier classes last year and they had indicated it was the hardest skill to do. I was pleasantly surprised at how simple and easy all the mask clearing skills turned out to be. I think it helped that I have an extremely low volume mask. Like an earlier poster mentioned, the mask removal and replacement skill was also easy for me because I grew up swimming underwater with my eyes open. I had plenty of air to breathe so I wasnt in any hurry. Just took my time, didnt panic, went through the motions, and it was over in no time. My dive buddy wasnt as successful. We had to do mask removal - swim about 30 feet without mask, then put the mask back on and clear. This all was done on the edge of the deep end of the pool which is a 15ft vertical wall drop. When he began his 30ft. swim, his fin wash pushed his mask over the edge and into the deep end. Needless to say when he returned to replace his mask it was gone! The instructor had to rush down after it. In our swim arounds after completing our skills the instructor encourages us to practice the skills we have learned, and one of my favorites is mask clearing. Ok....time to quit rambling!

 

[The Chairman]

who helps with classes, I have found that while many find mask clearing simple, there are those that just can't seem to get it at first. I think the main issue with these people is not the "mechanics" of mask clearing, but the fear of having their mask flooded. This is how I am training my Venture Crew to do it (we have started with snorkeling first).

In waist deep water, I have them put their masks into the water and then don their masks in the water. I then have them stand erect and talk with each other for a couple of minutes with their masks full of water. A few will not make it two minutes. I tell those who still have their masks on to blow their noses into the mask. We all have a good laugh at how strange it is, and then we do it again, until EVERYONE gets it. I do not single anyone out, and since no one can see who screws up, there is no finger pointing. I tell them we are practicing breathing without using our eyes... usually someone actually beleives that I think we breathe through our eyes.

Stage two, we do the same thing, but while they are talking, I tell them to push gently on the top of their masks. I see the light bulbs come on with most them at that point.

Stage three, we practice breathing with snorkles without masks standing erect in waist deep water.

Stage four, we dip our heads into the water with eyes under the water and breathe on our snorkle.

Stage five, we breathe through our snorkle with the mask on.

Stage 6, we flood the mask and breathe with the snorkle while we stand erect, and clear by gently pushing on the top of our masks...

Stage 7, now we do it with our faces in the water with the instructions to blow their noses when they push on the mask.

Stage 8, Pizza for everybody!!!

It does take time, but it systematically eliminates the fear that many have with having a mask flooded. The more fun you can make it by cracking jokes about how everyone looks the less threatening it is. By the time these kids start SCUBA instruction, I will have few problems with mask clearing.