PADI Instructors

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

It would seem that the common theme posted throughout this thread is that the mask on the forehead does not signify muych at all. yes there are occassions when a distressed/panicked diver may be seen with a mask on the forehead. For this reason it was frowned upon to place the mask there voluntarily. SCUBA Instr and mainly PADI ones have it drilled into them that this is a prctice that should be avoided, and understandably so. Have you ever lost your mask before a dive? If the thread was different and SB members posted comments on the amount of times they had lost or had heard of people losing their masks in OW then the arguments would probably support placing the mask around the neck. Putting it on the forehead, whilst convenient to replace the mask if required in a hurry, is lazy. Placing it backwards on the forehead is sometimes more tricky than pulling it down around the neck and is much more difficult to replace and also requires both hands to do so. The choice when the fat lady sings is up to you. SOme people cannot put the mask around their neck because it simply won't go there, esp with the neoprene easy strap. A word though......Next time you get tumbled by a wave and your mask was on your forehead/back of head you'll probably think back to this and kick yourself for being stubborn. Safe diving.....

PS Looking for a good diving spot State side/Mexico/Carribbean this summer (Aug) any ideas?
 
Nobby:
It would seem that the common theme posted throughout this thread is that the mask on the forehead does not signify muych at all. yes there are occassions when a distressed/panicked diver may be seen with a mask on the forehead. For this reason it was frowned upon to place the mask there voluntarily. SCUBA Instr and mainly PADI ones have it drilled into them that this is a prctice that should be avoided, and understandably so. Have you ever lost your mask before a dive? If the thread was different and SB members posted comments on the amount of times they had lost or had heard of people losing their masks in OW then the arguments would probably support placing the mask around the neck. Putting it on the forehead, whilst convenient to replace the mask if required in a hurry, is lazy. Placing it backwards on the forehead is sometimes more tricky than pulling it down around the neck and is much more difficult to replace and also requires both hands to do so. The choice when the fat lady sings is up to you. SOme people cannot put the mask around their neck because it simply won't go there, esp with the neoprene easy strap. A word though......Next time you get tumbled by a wave and your mask was on your forehead/back of head you'll probably think back to this and kick yourself for being stubborn. Safe diving.....

:35: Very well put.

I can only speak from the practices I've been thought (i.e. PADI) and I've posted these earlier in the thread.

Once you are a fully certified diver, the practices you follow are up to you, but there is education for a reason, so that you can learn from years of other people's mistakes. I suppose the mask is just a personal preference at the end of the day, the recommendations are ingrained in training so as to keep things simple for students. Though if you find a way that works for you, nobody can tell you otherwise. (Though, apart from preferences like the mask, if it involves unsafe diving I don't know how easily you'll find a buddy!)
 
smb1014:
I am a PADI Divemaster candidate and when ever I help out the instructors at the shop we always tell the students that if they leave their masks on their forehead it is a major sign of distress. After telling the students this once we tell them that we will splash them with water if they do it again. They usually get the message after a few splashes of water and a few laughs. I was recently at Dutch Springs and I was doing my rescue class many OW students from another shop had their masks on their forehead. We had to ask many times if they were OK. After a few times my instructor politely reminded the instructor of the other shop and thankfully we didn't have to actually rescue any one.

I like my mask on my forehead.

If you splash me for doing so, I will draw your mask from your face to the limit of the straps stretch, then release it with a loud "TWANG!!"...

Get it?


D.S.D.
 
DeepSeaDan:
I like my mask on my forehead.

If you splash me for doing so, I will draw your mask from your face to the limit of the straps stretch, then release it with a loud "TWANG!!"...

Get it?


D.S.D.
D.S.D

That's nice.....Thanks for your educational input, adding value!
 
Nobby:
D.S.D

That's nice.....Thanks for your educational input, adding value!

Dear Nob,

Easy now, just trying to "have a few laughs!"

Point is, can't we just "Dive & let Dive"?

IMHO, all that is required is to give the student all the necessary facts / consequences of this issue, then set them free to do as they will ( because they will anyway ). As an Instructor, I've fulfilled my obligation - the student has been informed. I'm big on personal choice, & I wouldn't appreciate a zealous member of the "Forehead Police" zinging high pressure salt water into my delicate eyeballs to satisfy his/her need to "save me" from my "agregious" behaviour.

D.S.D.
 
DSD

Hoofing, absolutely! No spite in last message....you didn't bite...Did you?
 
Firefyter:
What Padi folks need to remember is that thankfully everyone else isn't trained by or worship the Padi gods. It seems like the standard argument for some of the most ridiculous crap is because "PADI says such and such." I wear my mask however it feels comfortable at the time, or simply take it off. As you can see by this thread, not EVERBODY thinks that it's a distress call. If you had come up to me at the quarry and asked me once, I would have said Thank you, I'm fine. After that the gloves come off, and I would have told you to get the **** away from me. If your instructor had politely reminded us of anything, we would have politely told him to mind his own ****ed business.

I am in 100% agreement....it is like diving with a snorkle PADI would have you wear the snorkle at all times. Now, a mask on the forehead with flailing arms would draw some attention or a distress hand signal. I have noticed that there are many "God Like" Scuba divers out there that like to correct others. I agree Firefyter it is none of their business. I dive with a group of friends and the same buddy all of the time. My buddy knows my style and if I was in distress my buddy would be the expert of what is norm and what is not. Is'nt this the reason why we dive in pairs????
 
I tend to agree that if its not a real safety issue then just let someone dive how they want to dive. If its not going to affect dive conduct or safety then why bother telling someone they must to this etc.

I point blank refuse to carry a snorkel on my person when diving but if buddied with someone that insisted on wearing one, thats their choice - i dont class it a huge safety risk and if they want to thats fine for example.
If my buddy wants to wear a mask on his forehead when floating on the water than again i have no issue with that (i may complain if they did this at 40m though....)
 
It's just a a way of wearing a mask...I used to teach in the Philippines and I saw it a lot. People do what they are comfortable with. It's that simple. Don't sweat the small stuff.



WVDiver:
I have a very basic question mostly directed toward PADI Instructors but I am interested in other agenicies' instructor comments also.

I did my open water cert. with IDEA and my advanced cert. with PADI. In my open water course I was instructed, correctly I think, to never wear my mask on my head. The obvious reasons, it is seen by many people to be a distress signal and, I think more importantly, if a wave knocks it off it's gone and you are out of luck. I think this is/was taught by all the agencies.

Naturally this was really not discussed much in the PADI advanced course as you should already know this protocol by the time you take the advanced course.

I have always practiced this and don't even think about pulling my mask down around my neck. Over the years I have seen a few people wearing their masks on their forehead but not a lot. So few in fact that I probably never conciuosly noticed it most of the time.

Now here's the kicker. I was recently at a local dive spot that many people visit regularly but that I myself had never been to. While I was there I saw probably 25 divers wearing their masks on their heads and turned around backwards. It was very noticable and I thought it looked so strange that I just had to ask.

What in the world is going on here? Did I miss the memo or something, why does everyone go around with their masks not only on their head but turned around backwards?

A PADI instructor happened to be there with a group doing their open water check out dives. He told me that it was common place, a recent change in the PADI protocol, and that he taught this in all his courses. He must have taught everyone there at one time or another that's for sure. He went on to explain that a person in distress would not take the time to turn their masks around backwards so it is not seen as a distress signal.

When I mentioned to him about the increased possibility of losing the mask when worn on the head he chuckled and said that happen to a fellow he had sold a $75.00 mask to not long after it was purchased and he never recovered it.

:06: So the question is. Is this a local phenomenon, has PADI recently started to teach this habit or was this PADI instructor some kind of nut?

These were very intelligent people doctors and engineers and the like and they all just thought nothing of it. I wish I had pictures of these folks I could post it really looks alien to see everyone entering and exiting with their masks on backwards. I don't know if I could ever get used to it but it sure didn't seem to be noticed by anyone else there.

They probably thought I looked like some kind of freak with my mask down around my neck. :11: I'm sure I was noticed by someone, I probably stuck out like a sore thumb. :33:
 
I am a PADI DM. Wearing one's mask forward on one's forehead is a distress signal. Wearing one's mask backwards is acceptable given the circumstances...I usually wear my mask this way while walking to the quarry beach entrance. When entering and exiting any water environment...the mask needs to be on properly in case of a wave, a slip off the ladder or a fall back off the boat etc.

On another note...PADI may not like me for this...but after taking some technical classes, I know longer wear or use a snorkel...it becomes a liability in a cave and it becomes useless anyway unless one needs it for a long surface swim in calm water.
 

Back
Top Bottom