Seeing UW without Mask

[mccabejc]

How well can you see underwater without your mask on? Can you see your guages?

I wear contacts, and without my mask I can barely read them. Though on a positive note the contacts never fall out when I'm doing my mask removal drills. Although if they did fall out I could probably read my guages better...

 

[kevink]

I can probably tell you roughly where the damn needle was on the guage if I put it right up to my face.

I can pick out rough shapes and colors. It would be a crappy dive.

 

[mccabejc]

My concern is being able to read the depth guage if I lost my mask for some reason, so I could make a reasonable ascent.

 

[kevink]

Can I say 'buddy'? One to find your mask, or two, to help control your ascent back to the surface.

I guess if I had a real bug up my ***** I could make an ascent with my ScubaPro gauge, but it would be dicey.

Unless you are a seal or otter not too many mammals have good underwater and above water vision.

If you had a computer you could just set and listen to the fast acent alarms on the way up.

 

[OE2X]

If you are diving with a buddy - it's best to rely on them to help you make your ascent and stops.
With that said I carry a spare mask in a pocket. Have yet to need it though.

 

[ozarkjim]

Ok guys try this. A DM friend in Coz showed me how to do this, he said it was required in their training in case their mask got knocked off. With your face down at about a 45 degree angle, seal your thumb and forefinger against your eyebrow. Gently exhale through your nose like you were clearing your mask. If you do this correctly you can trap enough air to make a bubble large enough to see clearly. You can find your mask or see your gages until you break the seal. Takes some practice but it really works. You can also put a spare mask in your bc pocket which works even better.

 

[mccabejc]

Gently exhale through your nose like you were clearing your mask. If you do this correctly you can trap enough air to make a bubble large enough to see clearly. You can find your mask or see your gages until you break the seal.

Hey, now that's pretty slick. Gotta try that in the pool. Might be a challenge while wearing big thick gloves, but we'll see.

Thanks.

 

[ozarkjim]

Yeah, might not work with gloves but it does with bare hands. You need to press really hard to seal it up.

 

[simbrooks]

Ok guys try this. A DM friend in Coz showed me how to do this, he said it was required in their training in case their mask got knocked off. With your face down at about a 45 degree angle, seal your thumb and forefinger against your eyebrow. Gently exhale through your nose like you were clearing your mask. If you do this correctly you can trap enough air to make a bubble large enough to see clearly. You can find your mask or see your gages until you break the seal. Takes some practice but it really works. You can also put a spare mask in your bc pocket which works even better.

I have tried this once, whilst i can see the mechanics of it working, i think the finesse of getting the angle and such right is the real pain. I would give it some work if you are truly worried, or do as OE2X and i do and take a spare along

 

[ozarkjim]

I have tried this once, whilst i can see the mechanics of it working, i think the finesse of getting the angle and such right is the real pain. I would give it some work if you are truly worried, or do as OE2X and i do and take a spare along

I did mention the spare.