Mask on Forehead reliable distress signal?

[Mike Edmonston]

I was diving with a group once who insisted on coming aboard a small boat in full gear (not mine) using the swim platform, it was in pretty bad shape by the end of the day...what you suggest is fine for offshore and on a larger boat, but all of us don't dive that way all the time.

I understand that small boat tactics may differ for you. The general receational diver that dives off a commercial dive operation, will have all their gear on when coming back up the ladder. Diesel fumes and salt spray can instantly make someone nautious and sick. Keep the reg in your mouth, and the mask on your face. It minimizes the task loading for new divers.

If you wish to put your mask on your face, by all means do it. It's the most logical place to put the damn thing. But understand that for the new diver, it can lead to problems in waves, etc...

Lake diving is very different, and gear removal is part of the equation.

YMMV

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

I understand that small boat tactics may differ for you. The general receational diver that dives off a commercial dive operation, will have all their gear on when coming back up the ladder. Diesel fumes and salt spray can instantly make someone nautious and sick. Keep the reg in your mouth, and the mask on your face. It minimizes the task loading for new divers.

If you wish to put your mask on your face, by all means do it. It's the most logical place to put the damn thing. But understand that it can lead to problems in waves, etc...

Lake diving is very different, and gear removal is part of the equation.

YMMV

yessir and I know divers who do the "by the book" scenario wherever they go and whatever kind of diving they do - insist they do it the way their particular instructor taught them - I agree with you 110% on the offshore, commercial, big-boat type diving - gear on until you are aboard and comfortably seated...and I don't need diesel fumes and salt spray to make me queasy - in fact just the thought of an OS dive'll do it..why I prefer the rivers -

 

[Nemrod]

It totally blows me away that so many people care where I put my mask. I don't care what you do with your mask. I don't care if you put on your face, on the back of your head, on the side of your head, on your arm, leg, foot, pocket, goodie bag, or shove it up your a$$ (I've heard rumors that this is a great defog). Nothing you do with your mask will influence my dive in any manner. I don't care. You and your mask are none of my business and none of my concern. Therefore, me and my mask, or any other equipment, are none of your business. Keep your concerns about my mask/gear to yourselves, or we may find out about defog. Sometimes on the surface, I put my mask on my forehead, sometimes I take it off completely. There is an extremely high probability that I am not in distress, and if I am, let me be, let me drown, stay away from me. If your are an instructor or dive master, that goes double.

It is purely amazing this boring discussion goes on. You ask a question I have long wondered, I don't care what people do with their masks but apparently many are concerned with yours and mine and his and hers. Most of these dogmatic posters have only done one type of diving and therefore strictly preach from their narrow slice of experience, certainly the example about the OS dive and salt spray and diesel fumes is an excellent example of when you should keep your mask down and reg in--especially for those who get nauseated and sea sick easily (a condition that does NOT include all divers BTW), good advice but that is hardly a universal example. Not everybody dives 100% of the time from a commercial cattle boat.

Have you ever dove from a paddle board (I used to have one with a mask port built in) with your mask and reg on and in, surface float, long beach swim, inflatable, ocean, lake/quarry, river, cave, private boat, doffed gear in water, donned gear in water, kayak? One size does not fit all.

N

 

[Mike Edmonston]

and I don't need diesel fumes and salt spray to make me queasy - in fact just the thought of an OS dive'll do it..why I prefer the rivers -

No argument there my friend.

You know what they call a wreck diver that gets seasick?? A cave diver!

I am a cave diver!

Safe Diving,

 

[diverbob]

wow...it took 15 pages (and counting, I'm sure) to discuss where to have a mask when not underwater?

Just out of curiosity, what does GUE practice on this matter?

 

[freediver]

wow...it took 15 pages (and counting, I'm sure) to discuss where to have a mask when not underwater?

Just out of curiosity, what does GUE practice on this matter?

Yes and while your pondering that question...remember WWJD.
Walter Would Just Dive

 

[wardric]

wow...it took 15 pages (and counting, I'm sure) to discuss where to have a mask when not underwater?

Just out of curiosity, what does GUE practice on this matter?

In fact, it took more than half a million posts but that's in another thread...

 

[waterbearer]

Really? Another phantom thread?

 

[Nemrod]

wow...it took 15 pages (and counting, I'm sure) to discuss where to have a mask when not underwater?

Just out of curiosity, what does GUE practice on this matter?

I am sure they have a position but their major concern seem to be more relevant aspects of OOA donation than where the mask goes.

N

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

It is purely amazing this boring discussion goes on. You ask a question I have long wondered, I don't care what people do with their masks but apparently many are concerned with yours and mine and his and hers. Most of these dogmatic posters have only done one type of diving and therefore strictly preach from their narrow slice of experience, certainly the example about the OS dive and salt spray and diesel fumes is an excellent example of when you should keep your mask down and reg in--especially for those who get nauseated and sea sick easily (a condition that does NOT include all divers BTW), good advice but that is hardly a universal example. Not everybody dives 100% of the time from a commercial cattle boat.

Have you ever dove from a paddle board (I used to have one with a mask port built in) with your mask and reg on and in, surface float, long beach swim, inflatable, ocean, lake/quarry, river, cave, private boat, doffed gear in water, donned gear in water, kayak? One size does not fit all.

N

I once dove in...uh... through...uh...with...anyway - about a two foot layer of creosote that was dumped way back in the 30's. Couldn't take my mask off - I mean literally - could thump your hair and it sounded like thumping a rock. using a water pump that blew it all back in your face and all over you...literally dumped kerosene on each other to get it off - half my dive gear melted....

just asking - if it's so boring - why are you reading and posting - lotsa stuff on here is boring to me - I just ignore it...