Water in my mask

[g1138]

most people have this issue, especially if they are "nose breathers" like me. You will get over it and will not even think about it anymore, you will just do it. I have a narrow face, so most masks don't fit me well. I have been through so many in past 10+ years and basically I have just learned to clear my mask often on a dive. Once you get it down, it is NO BIGGY. Hang in there!

robin

um.....have you thought of junior sized masks?
It's no shame really. I was wearing T-shirts in boy's large and pants boys size 16 till I was 17
=_=*

 

[Tessunderwater]

I had that same problem when I started learning to dive but with practice you get used to it. Just keep it up.

 

[Elvistheking]

I had exactly the same issue so much so I was ready to quit after the first day, one thing to try and do is just sit there breathing off the reg with your mask off until you are good and calm, it feels a bit odd at first especialy when bubbles of exhaled air keep trying to go up your nose but just wait it out until you are total comfortable than slowly put the mask on, you've all the time in the world, just keep everything calm.
As others have said bear with it eventually it'll become second nature but by god it feels weird at the beginning.

 

[Quero]

As silly as this sounds, I had big problems when I first started learning the clearing because I was trying to breathe in through the reg at the same time as I was trying to blow out through my nose. I always ended up sucking water up through my nose.

I've had lots of students who do the same thing. We need to observe our students who are struggling with the skill to see exactly where the breakdown is. Sometimes it's head tilt, sometimes it's not enough breath out of the nose because of breathing out through the reg simultaneously, sometimes it's pulling the mask from the bottom of the face while trying to clear....

I had exactly the same issue so much so I was ready to quit after the first day, one thing to try and do is just sit there breathing off the reg with your mask off until you are good and calm, it feels a bit odd at first especialy when bubbles of exhaled air keep trying to go up your nose but just wait it out until you are total comfortable than slowly put the mask on, you've all the time in the world, just keep everything calm.
As others have said bear with it eventually it'll become second nature but by god it feels weird at the beginning.

That's such good advice. As long as you can breathe, you're okay--you've got what you need most, so give yourself time to relax, think it through, and then calmly carry out the task, whether it's mask clearing or something else that's stressing you out.

 

[robint]

um.....have you thought of junior sized masks?
It's no shame really. I was wearing T-shirts in boy's large and pants boys size 16 till I was 17
=_=*

no need. I found that the black skirt masks are more supple and fit better than the regular masks.

robin

 

[highdesert]

I have a narrow face, so most masks don't fit me well. robin

Have you tried these? My wife has a very small face, and really likes these masks. There are two versions of the Mares, one of the Cressi.

X-Vision Mid - Masks - Mares - just add water

X-Vision Mid Liquidskin - Masks - Mares - just add water

Cressi Scuba Diving Masks - Lince

 

[CamG]

Greetings Mikey I was once one of the worst nose breathers around!
I beat it by wearing my mask at home, in the shower, flooded and half flooded till it was no big deal anymore.
I have also witnessed success using a snorkel and no mask in the pool in the shallow side just letting your brain adjust to having water in your nose and not breathing in.
It takes a while to re-train your brain but it can and will be overcome.
Soon you will be clearing with the best of them, no worries!

Be positive and you will kick this issue in the rear!
CamG Keep diving....Keep training....Keep learning!

 

[TMHeimer]

Here's another take on this, see what you think. I believe that unless you are exhaling at least somewhat from your maskless nose, water will ALWAYS fill your nostrils, regardless of what position your head is in (while mask-clearing, or doing anything). Is this not correct? Water in ONLY the nostrils won't do any harm at all, other than maybe being mentally bothersome. It's the continued passages beyond the nostrils--sinuses, etc. to the throat--that must be blocked off from the water that wants to enter there. One must figure out how to just close that "door" tight to keep the water in the nostrils only. This can be done while without a mask and while breathing continuously through the mouth. How to explain it is very difficult--perhaps it's easiest to just experiment and figure it out.

 

[diver_doug]

At the moment im training to do a padi open water and i am having some trouble with the mask clearing. Every time i put the water in my mask and i go to clear it, the water goes up my nose which i can't stand. Has anyone got any tips?

Blow out of your nose instead of breathing in.

 

[Bogie]

Let the water in from the top slowly. You can slowly breath out of your nose while flooding it to prevent water going up your nose.