OW check out dive mask clears

[Joanne Hughes]

After many problems with mask clearing in the pool dives which I did grasp in the end after a private session with my instructor, I am finally doing my 4 OW check out dives over the weekend (PADI). I still have times when I struggle with the mask clear, I have posted on this subject previously and have taken everyones's advice which has greatly improved the situation. However, I am still a bit hit and miss with the mask clear, I know the problem is breathing out through my mouth at the same time as my nose which sends water under my mask as I lift it to blast out. Airway control is the answer I know and I am trying to get this sorted. My question is I know I have to do 3 mask clears on dives 2-4 (surprisingly Im better taking the mask off completely rather than flood it and I find im much happier with this), if I were to not do one of them competently at first attempt, do I get another chance on that dive or have to do the whole dive or all 4 dives again?

 

[DBailey]

Edit: Sorry, mis-read you post.

Unless you have a super-picky instructor, you don't have to clear your mask with one exhale. You have to demostrate that you can comfortably clear your mask underwater.

 

[DBailey]

...<snip>... (surprisingly Im better taking the mask off completely rather than flood it and I find im much happier with this)...<snip>

Wanted to comment on this part as well. Taking off the mask, replacing it, and clearing it will not suffice for a partial or full flood and clear. A vast majority of time while diving, you'll only do partial flood and clear. Rarely will you need to remove and replace your mask.

 

[scubajcf]

There's a good article in this month's dive training magazine on Mask Clearing.
Just relax and focus underwater. Think about each step before doing it.
Practice while sitting on your couch; mask on your face. Breathing in and out through your mouth. Close your eyes. Visualize the water on the inside of your mask, and then clear it using your nose. Lifting your chin from chest to looking up at the ceiling. Do this 100 times.

This visualization technique DOES work.

You will do fine. Not that you need it. Good luck on your OW dives. Welcome to the fantastic world of diving!!!

jcf

 

[Walter]

Taking off the mask, replacing it, and clearing it will not suffice for a partial or full flood and clear. A vast majority of time while diving, you'll only do partial flood and clear. Rarely will you need to remove and replace your mask.

Why won't it? If you remove and replace your mask, you must then clear a fully flooded mask.

 

[DBailey]

Why won't it? If you remove and replace your mask, you must then clear a fully flooded mask.

Well, the skill is to clear a partially flooded mask.

If you want to teach/enforce that you have to remove your mask every time you get water in it, then more power to you. Personally, when I get some water in my mask, I just clear out that water without letting more water in and without removing my mask.

Edit: I agree that your point is a valid agruement for the full flood and clear. But once again, the skill is not to remove and replace, but to fully flood and clear.

 

[Web Monkey]

I know the problem is breathing out through my mouth at the same time as my nose which sends water under my mask as I lift it to blast out. Airway control is the answer I know and I am trying to get

The trick with a mask clear is that you don't want to break the seal around your face any more than necessary (and maybe not at all). If you have water coming in from below, the mask is too far from your face.

If you have a purge mask, you need to figure out where the purge valve is and make sure it's the lowest part of the mask. You can't clear it unless the water is at the valve. Once you get the valve positioned to be the low point and the water has collected there, gently hold the whole mask to your face and blow from your nose. You don't need any amazing amount of pressure or volume, just enough to displace the water in the mask with air.

Also, if you have a purge mask, but the strap is too tight or the nose pocket is too small, or ou're pushing it too hard against your face, you may have trouble clearing it, since parts of the seal may contact your face where they shouldn't, blocking the water from draining.

If you have a non-purge mask, make sure the bottom of the mask (where it seals to your face) is the low point, that the water is collected there, press gently on the top of the mask and exhale through your nose as above.

The trick here is to make sure that you're forcing water out the bottom, and not air out of the top (if you don't hold the top of the mask against your face, chances are good it won't clear and you'll just have bubbles coming out the top. If you press too hard at the top, the seal may come away from your face at the bottom and let in water instead if purging it.

In either case, it's more technique than force. It's all just gravity and air pressure.

Terry

I know the problem is breathing out through my mouth at the same time as my nose which sends water under my mask as I lift it to blast out. Airway control is the answer I know and I am trying to get
. . .

After many problems with mask clearing in the pool dives which I did grasp in the end after a private session with my instructor, I am finally doing my 4 OW check out dives over the weekend (PADI). I still have times when I struggle with the mask clear, I have posted on this subject previously and have taken everyones's advice which has greatly improved the situation. However, I am still a bit hit and miss with the mask clear, I know the problem is breathing out through my mouth at the same time as my nose which sends water under my mask as I lift it to blast out. Airway control is the answer I know and I am trying to get this sorted. My question is I know I have to do 3 mask clears on dives 2-4 (surprisingly Im better taking the mask off completely rather than flood it and I find im much happier with this), if I were to not do one of them competently at first attempt, do I get another chance on that dive or have to do the whole dive or all 4 dives again?

 

[Walter]

I agree, it's faster and easier to merely clear a partially flooded mask. OTOH, clearing a partially flooded mask is part of clearing a fully flooded mask and clearing a fully flooded mask is part of removing and replacing a mask, so if a diver removes, replaces and clears a mask they have also completed the skill of clearing a partially flooded mask.

 

[Atticus]

On the other hand, if you start with a fully flooded mask, clear it part way, then you're clearing a partially flooded mask

That being said, I think you should get comfortable clearing the mask from whatever state (partial, full, removed). You'll do better in the long run if you *master* this now.

 

[DBailey]

I agree, it's faster and easier to merely clear a partially flooded mask. OTOH, clearing a partially flooded mask is part of clearing a fully flooded mask and clearing a fully flooded mask is part of removing and replacing a mask, so if a diver removes, replaces and clears a mask they have also completed the skill of clearing a partially flooded mask.

Yes, by completing a series of unessary steps related to the skill, the student will have completed the necessary steps along the way.

Take the OP as an example. She has admitted that the remove, replace and clear is easier. To get through the skill, she would probably be fine with just doing that skill three times. Now she gets out in open water with only her buddy. Some water gets in her mask. She is right now more comfortable with just remove, replace and clear, instead of just clearing. Personally, I'd have an issue if my buddy had to remove his/her mask every time some water got in it.