Why do people spit their regulator out as soon as they surface?

[Litefoot]

I wonder if having a more comfortable mouthpiece would prompt some to keep the reg in place for just a little longer.

 

[JonnieB]

Yes but if you keep your head out of the water you are not able to enjoy the view of the reef below as when you use the snorkel. Plus inflating and staying heads out would conflict with the posited rule that your regulator should be in your mouth once off the boat. Or at least you would look silly breathing off a a tank while heads out of the water.

You're supposed to enjoy the reef when your under water diving; There is no "rule" a regulator is to be in mouth when off the boat...it's up to a diver to use common sense and decide if it's necessary.

 

[scubaozy]

I often remove both my mask and regulator right away when rec diving. It would take a tsunami to make me feel uncomfortable at the surface without a reg/mask. Having said that, I am more concerned about folks who carry too much weight at the end of the dive, their bcd are fully inflated and head barely above water line, well, they better keep their regs in place.

 

[Miyaru]

....but most of the other people in the group just immediately took their regs out and were constantly spluttering and spitting out water. We had one relatively novice diver who had removed his reg and it got tangled up behind him and he started panicking from getting whacked by waves. Luckily I was was able to swim over, untangle him, and get the regulator back in his mouth.

They're certified divers. They make their own choices.

Getting whacked by waves, followed by spluttering and spitting out water, is a learning experience. Don't take that opportunity away from them. During their diving course, they learned the solution to the problem. It's just a matter of allowing them enough time to apply the solution.

 

[gregbenson314]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned in this thread is getting back into a boat without a ladder.


My dive club dives off a RIB (think Americans call it a Zodiac?) without a ladder.


Getting back in requires us de-kitting in a water, but leaving fins and optionally mask on until back in the boat.


So in order to do so, I do the following:

- Inflate Wing
- Inflate drysuit slightly and close exhaust valve
- Disconnect drysuit inflator
- Un-hog-loop the long hose, curling it around itself and clipping to right chest d-ring
- Remove necklace
- Unbuckle waist buckle and remove harness
- Pass this up onto the boat
- Launch myself into the boat
- Remove fins and mask


Not having a regulator in your mouth on the surface is absolutely fine if you have any degree of water comfort.

 

[coldwaterglutton]

You're supposed to enjoy the reef when your under water diving; There is no "rule" a regulator is to be in mouth when off the boat...it's up to a diver to use common sense and decide if it's necessary.

That wasn't my position . . . I was responding to the OP who stated that position. We are in violent agreement here.

Why do people spit their regulator out as soon as they surface?

I've been a divemaster for a little while, looking to become my instructor. An instructor I have been studying under says you should keep your regulator in your mouth from the time you go into the water to the time you are up the ladder. The other day we were taking a group out and the surface...

scubaboard.com

 

[Nemrod]

I've been a divemaster for a little while, looking to become my instructor. An instructor I have been studying under says you should keep your regulator in your mouth from the time you go into the water to the time you are up the ladder.

The other day we were taking a group out and the surface was smooth when we went under but super choppy when we surfaced. I kept my reg in, no problem, but most of the other people in the group just immediately took their regs out and were constantly spluttering and spitting out water. We had one relatively novice diver who had removed his reg and it got tangled up behind him and he started panicking from getting whacked by waves. Luckily I was was able to swim over, untangle him, and get the regulator back in his mouth.

Anyways, just because you surface doesn't mean you immediantly take the regulator out!

Yes, it is a good idea to keep your regulator in your mouth from jump to return to boat or if shore diving until completion of the dive though some may use a snorkel for shore diving swims.

But here is why, you just completed a near hour dive, saw all sorts of cool things, everyone is amped up and the boat is far away picking up the air hog group and we want to talk and kid around. And some folks grew up in the water and a little saltwater down the pipe or in the eyes or face just is not going to set me or them to a teether. Lay back on my wing, breathe the fresh ocean air and chat about our adventure. That is why. Oh, and to complete my ensemble, I might even put my mask on my forehead where in some 56 years as an active diver I have never lost a mask. And on the subject of these all inclusive always rules, I do not ever take my fins off until I have a foot on the ladder and my hands on the ladder.

Has anyone ever managed to body surf in full kit on a wave to shore? And then got face planted? How can I yell kawabunga or whatever it is surfers yell nowadays with a regulator in my mouth, splat, that hurt!

 

[JonnieB]

Yes, it is a good idea to keep your regulator in your mouth from jump to return to boat or if shore diving until completion of the dive though some may use a snorkel for shore diving swims.

But here is why, you just completed a near hour dive, saw all sorts of cool things, everyone is amped up and the boat is far away picking up the air hog group and we want to talk and kid around. And some folks grew up in the water and a little saltwater down the pipe or in the eyes or face just is not going to set me or them to a teether. Lay back on my wing, breathe the fresh ocean air and chat about our adventure. That is why. Oh, and to complete my ensemble, I might even put my mask on my forehead where in some 56 years as an active diver I have never lost a mask. And on the subject of these all inclusive always rules, I do not ever take my fins off until I have a foot on the ladder and my hands on the ladder.

Has anyone ever managed to body surf in full kit on a wave to shore? And then got face planted? How can I yell kawabunga or whatever it is surfers yell nowadays with a regulator in my mouth, splat, that hurt!

My only quibble is the mask on forehead. I've seen many divers loose masks this way by either swiping back with a hand or from a small wave. I recommend wearing it like a necklace when on the surface or during surface swims, then there's no chance of loosing it...but to each their own.

 

[Nemrod]

My only quibble is the mask on forehead. I've seen many divers loose masks this way by either swiping back with a hand or from a small wave. I recommend wearing it like a necklace when on the surface or during surface swims, then there's no chance of loosing it...but to each their own.

Thanks but if after 56 years of diving I loose my mask I think I would still have a pretty good track record.

 

[gschaut]

It’s just a reaction. They are in an uncomfortable situation and their brain is telling them to “get that thing out of your mouth and breathe normally.” Also generally overweight or out of shape divers do this who are out of breath from working too hard in the rough conditions and may be over breathing their regulator.

FWIW- Tech divers doing deco dives finish the dive with a "surface stop". After completing mandatory deco and safety stop, when we hit the surface, we relax, and do NOTHING for 5 minutes. Strenuous exertion immediately after surfacing (even on no-deco dives) is a risk factor for getting bent. If there is little or no current, we hang out behind the boat on a line. if we have rough water or live boat diving (boat not anchored), we shoot a bag, hand signal we are OK, and free drift for 5 minutes then boat comes to us for pick up. Unless we signal for immediate pick up. ALL of this is discussed, and SOP agreed by all parties during pre-dive briefing.