When mask comes off at 100 ft ......

[nereas]

I agree with String, to wit:

1) you should always have a spare mask with you in a cargo pocket sewn into your wetsuit or drysuit leg;

2) practice swapping masks regulary during your dives, at the 3 min safety stop.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The saltwater really stings my eyes (experience with a leaky mask), but this is a great question and I've learned alot from the answers! Many thanks from a new diver.

 

[*Floater*]

salt water stings less than pool water (tears are salty and they don't sting).

anyway, you have to practice it. if you don't, then you may end up holding your breath while messing around getting the original or spare mask on, and consequently pop to the surface. keep your eyes open and focused on either the bottom, your buddy or something else, to keep your buoyancy in check. use small exhales to clear the mask, first just clear it enough to read your gauges and to make sure you have control, only then clean up (i.e. clear rest of it, remove hood and hair from under mask, reposition it better...)

 

[creamofwheat]

How does the salt water not sting? When I have a leaky mask, my eyes burn like there's no tomorrow. I can't even imagine opening my eyes completely in the water (not to mention the fact that both pool and sea water give me bad eye infections if my eyes are open). That's not to say I don't squint when my mask is off...I do have my eyes open a wee bit, but it burns, and I end up with a case of conjunctivitis. I don't understand the not burning thing. I guess I just have ridiculously sensitive eyes.

That being said...if I lose a mask, I'd signal to my buddy and if the mask isn't close by, he would help guide me in a proper ascent. That is if I don't have a spare. If I have a spare, that one gets pulled out of the pocket and put on my face.

 

[Walter]

How does the salt water not sting?

It does and it doesn't. When you first start opening your eyes in the ocean, it will sting. I remember it stinging my eyes when I was a new diver. I continued opening my etes in the ocean and before long, it no longer bothered me at all.

 

[TSandM]

I've actually been surprised at how little sea water hurts. It's my very strong instinct to close my eyes when my mask is removed, and it's not a good thing for me to do, because I get disoriented that way. Opening my eyes actually gives me a TON of useful information to remain oriented and stable, and even in ice cold water, really isn't that uncomfortable. I've never had any conjunctival irritation afterward, although even a small amount of pool water will render me uncomfortable for a full day.

 

[Nemrod]

If losing a mask underwater in a simple open water dive is a "panic" button or even a fear due to saltwater stinging or burning then my opinion is you might not should be diving until it isn't. Yes, it burns, tough it out, walk it off, get over it and just do it.

If your in an overhead environment then spare masks and all of these extras make some sense, for a simple dive, how much extra stuff or you going to carry to eliminate every possible fear or concern when the real answer is to know how to and to be capable of and to be comfortable with the concept of doing without. Nobody should get a certification unless you can operate without your mask and perform all skills without it.

N

 

[Meng_Tze]

I don't know why and under which circumstances seawater stings. I have had situations where I could not open my eyes, it was that bad. But also situations where I could just open my eyes and look around. Never found out why this is.

But when you dive you should be able to manage without a mask regardless of situation. At least you should be able to hold buoyancy and not panic. Replacing a mask (spare or main) should be a non-issue. If it is, you should seriously think about what you are doing under water. Practice on every dive to take off mask and replace. After a while it becomes second nature.

 

[nereas]

I've actually been surprised at how little sea water hurts. It's my very strong instinct to close my eyes when my mask is removed, and it's not a good thing for me to do, because I get disoriented that way. Opening my eyes actually gives me a TON of useful information to remain oriented and stable, and even in ice cold water, really isn't that uncomfortable. I've never had any conjunctival irritation afterward, although even a small amount of pool water will render me uncomfortable for a full day.

I completely agree with TSM.

My first reaction would be to look around briefly for my mask, and to note any large blobs in my vicinity that may have caused my mask to come off.

My next reaction would be to reach into my right cargo pocket on my drysuit or wetsuit and retrieve my spare mask.

My third reaction would be to grab my knife or spear and deal with the large blob that caused my mask to come off.

Everyone who dives with me knows not to touch my gear, tanks, or mask. My twin 130 tanks and perfect hogarthian configuration convey that message in strength.

It is important always to maintain and adjust for neutral buoyancy, with regular breathing, in order to stay neutral at your depth while you do are doing all this. Because the worst that can happen is that you begin to drift downward, where a whole host of things can go wrong, or else to drift upwards, and end up with an uncontrolled ascent, where another host of things can go wrong.

I do not believe it is smart to go around ripping off other people's masks, and therefore I do not enroll in courses where the threat of this happening is possible.

I have been in a situation where my mask failed due to being stepped on before the dive. Now I keep my 2 masks inside of the foot pockets of my fins, anytime they are not either on my face or in my cargo pocket, to protect them.

 

[Scuba-Jess]

Ok well first... I fight the urge to punch my husband because he probably knocked it off again... then I get my spare if I have one, if not I motion to him to go get it, because I dive with contacts, so I can't open my eyes or I'll be blind again anyway. If that doesn't work, I would guess I would get my buddy (husband) to start surfacing and monitor the safety stops for us both. It's never gotten that far, that's why I say I'd guess. We dive in nice clear Hawaiian waters, so we can almost always find stuff that's lost.