About to take PADI Open Water Test

[greg somers]

When I was instructing in Korea, I found that the ladies handled diving with no mask easier than the men. I would take my students for a tour of the pool with no mask and we would swim 100m at least, just taking it easy and concentrating on the breathing through the mouth. The main skill is to remember to keep some air pressure in your nasal passage and every once in a while exhale through the nose to keep this pressure more constant. The important thing is to not panic and in your own time put your mask back on and clear it if it gets knocked off. This is quite a common occurance in the company of new divers who due to the newness of the dive experience, tend to bunch together and jostle to be nearest the instructor or divemaster. It's more important to not breathe water than it is to see. If you master the mask replacement with your eyes closed, then it is a simple step to open your eyes.
I am fortunate to have a close relationship with the water and grew up near it all my life, but many people don't, and the shock of water on your face can throw alot of people off.
When I am bringing up the rear in a class, I tend to keep my hand close to my face and protect my mask when a stray fin comes near. If you can get near a pool and spend some time practicing skills underwater while wearing your mask, you will become proficient very quickly. Just keep it relaxed. You don't breathe underwater when snorkelling, so the urge to breathe through your nose should be no different if you really think about it.
I wear glasses, but not underwater. The option is to get prescription lenses made up and the issue of contacts becomes mute. As soon as your mask is on, you can see again. You'll be far better off mastering a skill that you will soon look back on as quite simple after you become more experienced, than worrying about trying to shuffle open water dive skills. Try and keep it fun. Because it really is.
I like to take my mask off on the start of every dive when submerged and getting the feel of the water on my face and getting a good clean inside the mask.

Hope this helps

Gasman

 

[MtnDiver]

Couldn't be more wrong.

You learned to do the skills and demonstrated that you can do them in the pool (or you should have). The purpose for the open water part of the training is to get some actual experience...so...if you aren't spending some time sight seeing on these dives you best find an instructor who can teach the rest of the course for you. Per standards a tour for the purpose of gaining experience is a required part of each and every training dive. It's also best to find an instructor who will let you actually dive during this portion, doing your own planning and solving your own issues as you go as apposed to mindlessly following a DM or instructor.

First off, there's no need to be a snob about it. I may not be the most experienced person, but I know how my open water certification dives were conducted. Just because you teach things a certain way, doesn't mean that every other dive instructor in the world does (or that those who don't aren't worth a crap).

I was simply trying to help out jesstotheocean with her problem by relating my experience (unlike you who chose to attack my post instead of trying to post something helpful for her).

We did a "tour" after each skills session. Usually it consisted of moving about working on bouyancy control, trim, holding a certain depth, and gaining experience maneuvering in a foreign environment. My point was, not wearing contacts for that one dive is not a major deal for most people.

It wasn't a "sightseeing" trip. It was still working on skills that are necessary for a competent open water diver to master and are not easily mastered in a pool environment. I didn't miss anything by not wearing my lenses during the fourth dive when we had to remove and replace the mask at depth. By the fourth dive, I'd already seen everything there was to see in the area on my previous dives. I was concentrating on learning the skills, not sightseeing. There's plenty of time after certification for sightseeing.

jesstotheocean stated in her original post that her problem was with having her mask off for a minute and not being able to see where she is because she closes her eyes. My suggestion of not wearing the lenses for that dive was an attempt to eliminate her problem by allowing her to have her eyes open during the minute or so she has her mask off underwater.

 

[jesstotheocean]

Thank you so much for all the advise. I'm first going to practice in my bathtub with the snorkel and then move to my bosses pool to practice. I know I can do it as long as I practice. Thanks.

 

[jillh]

Hi,

I'm new at scuba diving as well and wear contacts when diving. I actually found during the mask removal exercises, we were all trying to do it as fast as possible (fill, remove, replace and clear on a breath or two) and for us, that was the main problem.

I found that when I took my mask off and then just did the zen thing, relaxed, took a breath or two and then put my mask back on, took another breath with water still in my mask, and then cleared it, it went much easier and was less stress.

My contacts (2 week disposables) have never come off when diving no matter how frequently I take off my mask practicing. It's not the greatest sensation in the world but think of the ocean as a big eye bath.

 

[Mitzi]

hi ya welcome

try practicing in the bath, i know its not the same but it might get you used to having your face submerged and your eyes closed. Dont tell anyone though and if they find out it will give you all a good laugh. Bath toys at your age lol. Good luck. i too dont like mask clearing and Im about to do my BSAC sport diver exam on Sunday. dont forget its not a race, take your time, try and relax, do one step at a time and before you know it, you will have done it.