New and not doing well

[AnnaL]

I just had my first classroom/pool session. No problem with the academic part. A total disaster in the pool. I got discouraged as I kept trying to clear my mask and could not do it. My instructor seems knowledgeable, with 20+ years experience, perhaps not the most "encouraging" one. As I kept trying to do it, he told me that normally people learn that skill very quickly. When I asked him if he had any suggestion for me to feel more comfortable, he said he was not sure. As I kept trying I started feeling cold as I was not moving. I had a shortie on provided by the shop. I was freezing by the time I got out. I have had some congesiton and I don't know if that anything to do with it. Bottom line I got nothing accomplished. Today I feel pressure in my left ear. I will see a doctor tomorrow, but is there a sinus relief medicine that is best for this kind of situation? I have a trip coming up and I was hoping to get done with pool sessions before then, but now I feel discouraged. There was no dive master as this was a 1:1 session. Any suggestion? I would imagine that other people, who are now successfull divers, had a hard time doing it at first. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[annasea]

I'm sorry to read about your experience, AnnaL. (Unfortunately, I can commiserate. ) It sounds like your instructor is not the one for you; are you able to switch to another? Nothing will discourage an eager student more than a *non-encouraging* instructor.

 

[Wildcard]

Some people find this a hard skill to master but mastered it must be. Did you try different masks? How about one with a purge vavle? Try again, a. with a full wet suit and b. with several different masks. Practice breathing in through your mouth and out through your nose. Do this just before you flood the mask.
Good luck and don't get discouaged!
P.S. Sudafed has saved many a dive but if your congested it would be better to wait untill your feling better. Ear drums can't be replaced.

 

[gangrel441]

The congestion may very well be part of the cause of your difficulty with mask clearing. If you are having trouble breathing through your nose, you may not be able to exhale enough through your nose to fill the mask and push the water out. Also, you ear problem may be related, if you were having a hard time equalizing and pushed through. Depending on how deep you were, it is possible that you have an ear barotrauma.

It is not recommended that you dive on any sinus medication, as even if the medication allows you to clear your ears on the way down, it may wear off during the dive and leave you in a situation where you could get a reverse squeeze on the way up. That said, and though I do not recommend it, many divers swear by using Sudafed in such situations. Just remember, you didn't hear it from me...

 

[JodiBB]

Anna...first welcome to SB!!!

Mask clearing/removal is difficult for many people. The first time I tried a resort course, I lost the chance to dive because this one skill couldn't be mastered.

Then I took a formal OW class and cleared the mask easily, but removing the mask almost prevented me from getting certified. But I practiced and worked with my instructor with additional time and finally got it. You're not alone here....

As for instructor's reactions, I'm wondering if you need to find another instructor. Good instructors will work with you and give you suggestions on how to overcome a skill, not leave you hanging.

Also, how cold was the pool? It doesn't sound like a shorty was the way to go and I'm surprised the shop gave you a shorty (unless the pool was up to 80+ degrees). All my classes always gave us a 7mm for the pools as the water was 70+ degrees and sitting down there for hours at a time can decrease your body temp fast!

As for the mask clear, I suggest a couple of things. If you have a pool of your own, this is a great way to practice. Use your weight belt and sit on the steps of your pool in the shallow end, using your mask and snorkel. Get your breathing paced first. once you're okay, slowly lift gently the mask from the bottom, allowing water fill up your mask 1/2 way only. Keep breathing a few seconds through your snorkel. Then lift your head back and look up. Press your hands to the top of the mask and blow out your nose using slow, even pressure (don't make one big blast or else any remaining water could get up your nose!). Keep practicing this until you can do it...once you've got it, do the same thing, but now fill up the mask completely.

Take your time and don't give up! But you may want to look for another instructor as well.....Good luck!

 

[Nomad]

As for the mask clear, I suggest a couple of things. If you have a pool of your own, this is a great way to practice. Use your weight belt and sit on the steps of your pool in the shallow end, using your mask and snorkel. Get your breathing paced first. once you're okay, slowly lift gently the mask from the bottom, allowing water fill up your mask 1/2 way only. Keep breathing a few seconds through your snorkel. Then lift your head back and look up. Press your hands to the top of the mask and blow out your nose using slow, even pressure (don't make one big blast or else any remaining water could get up your nose!). Keep practicing this until you can do it...once you've got it, do the same thing, but now fill up the mask completely.

You can even try this on the bottom of your bathtub. Just make sure you keep the open end of the snorkle out of the water.

 

[JodiBB]

You can even try this on the bottom of your bathtub. Just make sure you keep the open end of the snorkle out of the water.

I tried this in my bathtub...it didn't work for me...I preferred to be sitting upright, and my tub isn't deep enough to do that...all I ended up with is a sore throat from swallowing too much bath water! :11:

 

[ffestpirate]

This can be very frightening for some people. Try not to let it overwhelm you. Another good technique is to practice breathing with your reg without a mask on. That is usually easier and then when you are comfortable, put the mask on and clear it in baby steps. Just a little water at first and then a little more each time. My wife had this same problem and it kept her out for a while. She went to a different instructor and he patiently helped her overcome. Good luck and welcome to the board.

 

[theatis]

Anna, what exactly do you mean by "I kept trying to clear my mask and could not do it"? You see, there are a number of possible interpretations ranging from purely psychological (e.g. "as soon as water came up my nose I freaked out") to purely physiological (e.g. "I was completely unable to exhale through my nose"). The sinus issue is obviously linked to the second type, so my question is: are you able to exhale through your nose to any degree? If so, you can just take your time and exhale a few times if you find yourself unable to complete the clear in one go.

As for suggestions for feeling comfortable, instructors can give you more specific ones but my general suggestion is to not rush anything. When you get to taking your mask completely off, don't rush to put it back on which can lead to mounting anxiety and a feeling that your life depends on getting your mask back on. Ideally, all SCUBA divers should get to a state where handling issues underwater without a mask on is a relatively simple problem. I noticed in class (in my own limited experience) that many students rush to complete in-pool tasks as if they are timed; remember that this is not a race by any means.

Another interesting point to note from your post is how problems get compounded and exaggerated in our minds when things go wrong (I couldn't clear my mask, then i was cold, then my ears hurt, etc). I had a similar experience in my initial pool sessions, i was wearing a very uncomfortable and constraining BC and as i was leaning on the bottom i kept thinking about it. When my turn came to retrieve my second stage by leaning back to grab the hose from the first stage, i was simply unable to because of the BC. As i kept struggling with that i started noticing that i didn't like the way the regulator shoved air down my throat, that my mask was fogging and leaking a little bit, etc. The point is not to lose your concentration from the task at hand and allow minor issues to become major ones.

Last thing that i'll say is (again, no expert here just going on limited personal experience and hearsay) that mask clearing is not intuitive for some people and that no one should feel that they are not normal if they don't immediately do it.

Hopefully you'll look back to this and laugh about it very soon.

 

[scubamickey]

I'm not sure that I understand what the problem is. It sounds like you don't know how to exhale through your nose and not inhale. If that's the case, then it's no different then when you are swimming. Assuming you can swim and you put your head in the water when you do.

You don't have to clear the mask in one try. I always do it in 2 steps.
Once you do it you will realize this is an easy task and it will become easier to do every time afterwards.

Good luck.