Ever "lost" your mask?

[rcolsen]

Once already. Was diving with two other divers all of us just cert. and the guy towing the dive flagwent under and past me. Some how the rope caught the back and side of my goggles, off they went. reached out and caught them and put them back on with no problem. Took me a min. to find my snorkle, now I just put in my pocket.

 

[belairbrian]

My son lost his on our last dive. We were surface swimming on our backs when he tells me he lost his mask. He had it on his arm .
I dove down and caught up with it around 20 ft. He WILL have it around his neck from now on if it isn't on his face.

 

[Akimbo]

Never, outside of the harassment dive in the Navy pool. The only thing left between the two of us was a set of twin 90s with intact double hose regulator and our trunks. It has been knocked askew several times, but never off. Carrying a spare mask has never even occurred to me. I can’t say if I am just lucky, careful, or obscessive.

 

[alewar]

There is a very interesting thread here about a woman who was doing a drift dive and tied herself to a reef (it was part of the diving plan). When the strong current ripped her mask off she panicked and wasn't able to release herself from the reef.

 

[tfsails]

I had mine come off at about 95' on my first dive with a hood. It was leaking much more than normal and I was clearing it much more than usual. One time I cleared it and it came off in my hands. Since I wear contacts when I dive, I immediately closed my eyes and started wondering how I was gonna hold my mask, the anchor line, and control my buoyancy all with only two hands. Then I felt the strap against the back of my hand. Blindly, I put on the mask and cleared it just like I'd been trained to do in OW class. Ironically, that fixed the abnormal leakage.

Come to find out I'd put the strap over the crown of my head instead of totally on the back and didn't notice it due to wearing the hood. I check it now when I use a hood, and it hasn't happened since.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

... My mask goes UNDER my hood these days.That makes it almost impossible to lose.

1+.

And I seem to get a better "seal" on the mask under the hood versus over.

As far as "lost" mask: During basic OW training in the 70's, a "hazing" dive near the end of the course was part of many classes. You were warned before the dive what would be occuring, but during the dive the instructor and assistants would rip masks off students, and turn off their air (this was done in the pool). So, each student could expect to "lose" their mask several times during the dive.

On "real" dives I've never completely lost a mask, but have had them dislodged and flooded (fin kicks, waves, etc.).

Best wishes.

 

[reefduffer]

Time for my periodic suggestion in recurring "lost mask" threads to put your mask on a leash/tether. See http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/oceanic/209359-datamask-safety-strap-retractor.html
Picture in post #13.

80+ dives with it now. It's never significantly in the way, has yet to get snagged on anything. Read the thread, it's not common, but it's not unique either.

I lost a mask doing gear (BC, I think) removal skill drills in OW training in poor viz.
Had another kicked off, but recovered that one.
I no longer worry about it, it's tied to me, not going anywhere. It also helps keep it from being in the wrong place during SIs and gear-up on crowded boats.

 

[Doc]

Time for my periodic suggestion in recurring "lost mask" threads to put your mask on a leash/tether. See http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/oceanic/209359-datamask-safety-strap-retractor.html

Bingo. (Reefduffer & I figured this one out many years ago)

This is a Navy protocol for certain applications.

They have a simple and cheap method, for 75¢....

Tie a 1.5' piece of 550 cord (or some such line) to the mask strap, and on the other end, a small snap clip. Secure the clip to your neck bungee (you do wear one for your octopus, right?) or the back of the neck collar of your suit.

Here's a pic of the snap clip, buy them OTC at Home Depot: Snap Hooks - Seadog Brass Fast Eye Boat Snaps

If you don't use a neck bungee, clip it to the upper d-ring on the BC shoulder strap. Easier to retrieve when it's in front of you.

 

[FireInMyBones]

I have had a new diver descend on top of me and kick my mask off.

I also found a new mask this weekend. It still had the remnants of the price sticker on it. It had just been cleaned (could see the cleaner residue in the corners). It fits better than my mask. I kept the new one and gave my old one to my brother. Now I have two frameless masks.

One of which I carry as a backup on technical dives.

 

[Jax]

I keep popping mine off when I don't do an air-share head-dip properly.

The hose around my neck will catch my pony tail and the pony tail slips up, slipping the mask up the hair, too. My instructor loves surprising me with an "OOA" signal to see if he can make me pop my mask.