Mask off, do I really have to keep my Eyes open?

[TSandM]

I've actually found it is MUCH easier to be maskless, if someone sneaks up behind you and just snatches the thing. There are few things in diving I loathe more than the signal to remove my mask.

 

[boulderjohn]

Instructors who delight in the surprise mask yank-off may want to check with their agencies. Quite a few that I know expressly forbid it. If a student were to panic during such an exercise and have a resulting accident, it is possible that you would be held personally liable because of that breech of standards.

You may want to ask what instructional benefit is achieved by the surprise mask yank-off. What real life scenario are you recreating?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Where were you diving ... the Passaic River?

Oooh...one fine cesspool. Where'd that come from?--nowhere near Pugetropolis...

... I used to live in New Jersey ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TSandM]

You may want to ask what instructional benefit is achieved by the surprise mask yank-off. What real life scenario are you recreating?​

In my (admittedly limited) experience, if you are going to lose your mask, it's going to happen fast and as a surprise. I have lost a mask during a surf entry, during a back roll entry, and nearly lost one getting kicked in the face when a diver descended on top of me. The transition from, "Lah-de-da, I'm happily swimming along," to an ice cold face and lack of vision is a startling one, to say the least. It is not at all like having an instructor gently give you hand signals saying, "Please give me your mask."

I do agree that snatching a mask is not condoned by most agencies, including one with which I have a lot of training. I feel a bit lucky, actually, to have been able to train with someone who did it to me, though.

 

[RJP]

When I recertified, the instructor had us individually kneel on the bottom of the pool and then he came in behind us and ripped our masks off. I wear contacts, can see people, but not clear enough to pluck their eyebrows. I was told it was a skill that their shop decided to incorporate into the training.

I'm pretty sure "ripping off the student's mask" is not allowed by most (all?) agencies; your shop is quite likely in violation of their agency's standards.

 

[Mantra]

We weren't required to open our eyes during certification, even during the no mask swim. For whatever reason mask flooding and removal were the skills that made me the most uncomfortable. So I've been practicing them every dive. after about another six dives I could comfortably take my mask off and open my eyes etc. I figure it's important to work on all areas that are uncomfortable until they aren't.

Has anyone played with cupping both hands over the eyebrows tight and exhalng bubbles in, making a big air bubble in front of your eyes? I saw it on YouTube, and it's a funny way to make a no-mask mask if you stay in a heads down attitude. A novelty rather than safety skill, but something fun to try.