How Does Mike Nelson Equalize?

[extremetito]

I've been watching episodes of Sea Hunt on Youtube, which brought me to wonder how divers wearing the oval masks (without indentations for pinching the nose) equalized their ears.

 

[merxlin]

Press the mask to your face firmly and exhale though your nose.

 

[vincent54]

The pressure equalizes to him. He's Mike Nelson for God's sake. Chuck Norris wishes he could wear latex....

 

[extremetito]

The pressure equalizes to him.

I knew it.

 

[kelemvor]

I've read about, but not tried, several equalization techniques that do not involve pinching your nose.

A document on the DAN site lists Frenzel Maneuver and Voluntary Tubal Opening as techniques that don't appear to require nose pinch.

 

[boulderjohn]

I haven't watched Sea Hunt since it was a current show, but I assume he was using a large oval mask like a Voit. Those masks had two indentations on each side of the nose to allow the nose to be pinched. You can't see them looking head on. Do a google search for images of these masks and you should find plenty of shots that show it.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Some people can also swallow, wiggle their jaw, or stretch their neck while doing the aforementioned and equalize that way.
But Vincent is correct. He's Mike Nelson. The ocean forms a bubble around him to keep the pressure at ambient surface.
I was telling Jean Michel Cousteau this past weekend that his father and Mike were my heroes.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I have one of those masks.

 

[Altamira]

Ditto what John said. I may still have mine.

 

[John A Lewis]

Didn't you see the episode where he took the pill to keep the bends and narcosis away? Probably works for equalization as well!

..and now, I suddenly feel really old.