Noisy Mask

[WrmBluH2O]

Okay, I feel ignorant posting this which is (mostly) why I didn't before now. But, I've not been able to "find" an answer by searching the threads. I did ask my instructor at the time and he shrugged, so perhaps I was being uptight.

To put it in perspective, I am not losing sleep over this. But, I would like to understand why (if possible) and hopefully avoid for the future.

During my third OW Certification dive, at some point ~55 feet, over the wall in Grand Turk, I heard a bunch of noise. Despite my inexperience, I thought that perhaps my regulator was free-flowing. Looked at my computer and the PSI was ticking down slowly so I knew that was not the issue. But, the sound was loud (I know sound is magnified underwater), distracting, and I could not determine the cause. It also happened midway through OW dive #4, and in the (relative) shallows during my post-certification dive as well. I cannot figure/back in to what might have caused the change on any of those three dives. For example, there was no recent change in depth as best I recall.

My only guess is my mask had (possibly) been too loose. I'd been afraid of it being too tight so maybe I erred on a fit that was too loose. The two issues I'd been trying to avoid during OW were ear pain and headaches. (I'd experienced both during a DSD twenty years ago before I knew even a bit about what I should have known then.) FWIW, my mask was not flooding. And, even though it wasn't (flooding), I cleared it a couple of times however the noisiness didn't resolve.

My mask is a Tusa Kleio II Mask. Because I have long hair, I put the neoprene-type band on the back.

I assume this is a simple mask issue. But, if anyone has thoughts they would share based on what I described, I would appreciate it. All I can say is it was quite noisy and distracting, another "mini" mental management challenge of sorts (when one is a new diver anyway). Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Texanguy]

could you say what kind of noise like a bubbling or a banging? If you mask wasn't flooding cracking it most likely was not your mask.Sometimes your bubbles can move your mask.

 

[WrmBluH2O]

Bubbling (sound) not banging. Thanks!

 

[hsinhai]

A bad fit/oring between tank and first stage would be my guess.

A small stream of bubbles won't make enough of a difference to see your tank emptying on the SPG but as it is right behind your head you can often hear a high pitched buzz if bubbles are exiting at a high enough frequency. Only way you would know it is happening is if you float on your back and see the stream between breaths (or your buddy points it out to you).

 

[WrmBluH2O]

Hsinhai, thank you very much for your reply. Perhaps, but I don't believe I necessarily had the same tank for these three dives. I did check the o-ring prior to each dive and each time it looked okay.

 

[CT Sean]

Just a guess but perhaps you are unconsiously exhaling through your nose

 

[t-mac]

Agree with both of these. The most likely is a slow bubbling between your reg and the tank. I wouldn't rule this out because you changed tanks. My reg is finicky about seating properly and I often have this issue so I watch for it -- it can be subtle until you get under water and hear it. Most of the time I catch it on the surface (loosen and re-seat fixes it most times, sometimes cleaning the o-ring). The other is exhaling through your nose. That is the only way I can see the mask as an explanation; there simply isn't enough air in it otherwise. Good diving!

 

[WrmBluH2O]

Hey Sean,

Yes, possibly. But, I doubt it. I've been a yoga practitioner for years, so I am pretty conscious of when I'm breathing through my "mouth only", versus "nose only", versus a combination of the two.

That said, about seven years ago, when learning a sport that was truly unlike any other I'd ever participated in before, someone filmed me (he offered, I agreed). Sure as $hit, I had been making the mistake he had said I was making, but I hadn't been able to feel myself doing it. So, yes, it is possible I was unconsciously exhaling through my nose.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[WrmBluH2O]

Very interesting that it could be a bit of both t-mac, thank you.

 

[dberry]

I often hear a constant tick-ticking sound around coral, like sleet hitting the windows here in the northeast. I'm never sure if it's fine bits of sand / coral hitting my mask, or the sound of various fish grinding coral. Doesn't sound like bubbles, so probably not what you're hearing. I'd be surprised if you're hearing air escaping from your mask...