Panic - how close we are

[drdaddy]

I like the mammalian reflex answer. I do wonder at times why divers have problems with no mask stuff. Maybe I'm just lucky in that the only thing that ever bothered me was opening my eyes in chlorine (not salt water). Then I wonder if those with problems ever swam at the beach (cold water or not) with their head under and eyes open. Maybe it's just that when you start out on a dive your mask is on, THEN it is off?

From my youth, I loved swimming in the cold water - beach or river - with or without a snorkel. I tolerate the cold pretty well and at 61yrs still dive in the cold murky Pacific NW Ocean in a wetsuit. But when I start with a mask on and it gets knocked off or even when I take it off on purpose, my face is burning with the cold water - it feels like a slap!!! My face and eyes ache and burn with the cold. I carry a spare mask because I've seen other lose their mask and I offer them my spare, and I also hope that I will remain calm enough to unclip my spare and put it on and clear. However, after reading this thread, I've decide to practice taking my mask off under water. I can do this just fine in the 80F degree water of the Red Sea or in a chlorine filled poll, but I don't do so well in the open murky cold 49f salty waters. I will practice mask removal this coming Friday. Thank you for this great thread.