Nosebreather!

[gozumutti]

Hi Cinebelle and welcome to the board.

I recall that my instructor TOLD me to always exhale through my nose, it minimizes the possibility of getting water up your nose if your mask gets knocked off for some reason. Also, if your snorkel is hooked to your mask, that can be a problem too, every time the snorkel moves, it will move the mask a little.....I fold up my snorkel and put it in the pocket of my bcd.

 

[miked]

Welcome to the Board, Cinebelle,
I think the folks who have replied have hit all the right ideas for addressing the mask leak, but if none of those suggestions correct the problem, I recall a friend who had a mask leak caused by his habit of doing "chewing -like " movements in and around his upper lip during the period between inhalation and exhalation.
If nothing else works, be on the lookout for this somewhat unusual situation.
Good luck,
Miked

 

[Deadeye]

I have a slight problem with my mask because I have a tendency to both exhale from my nose AND I refuse to shave my mustache!

(I actually did shave it once, and when all my friends, my wife and my kids begged me to grow it back I figured they were telling me something! At least they didn't ask me to grow a beard too!:goofy: )

And fit IS the answer! There are lots of masks and manufacturers out there, unfortunately all dive shops don't carry all types... but eventually you will find one which works for you.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

When I tell a diver that they are nose breathing, it is usually because they are constantly having to clear their mask of small amounts of water.

Exhaling some through your nose is necessary to equalize your mask space. But if you exhale forcefully, it will tend to force the mask skirt away from your face, allowing water to enter.

An exercise to try to help is to put your scuba gear on in a pool, but leave your mask off. Breathe through your regulator while slowly lowering your head into the water. You should be able to comfortably breathe without exhaling through your nose. Keep practicing.

If you find that it is difficult to keep from exhaling through your nose, you might want to get a mask that has a purge valve. This allows your exhaled air to pass through a one-way valve and helps keep the mask skirt sealed against your face.

 

[scubabunny]

moving to Palau, huh? Rough life! Welcome to Micronesia! Stop on Guam and say hi!

 

[bubbleblower]

I agree with several of the other by saying that one thing that may help is a mask with a perge. This will allow you to breath through your nose (which I do on a regular basis) with out breaking the seal on your mask.

I have a beard and mustache and do not have a problem with leaking. A proper fitting mask is essential. I dive with a SeaVision Ultra Plus and love it. No leak even when I forget to trim the face. It has a very soft, flexable skirt that seems to mold to your face.

Hope this helps.....

 

[ScubyDoo]

I did my first confined water dive last night. I noticed eventually that I tended to exhale a lot through my nose instead of my mouth. It felt more comfortable to exhale through my nose. In trying to keep with the spirit of things though, I tried to exhale via mouth when I caught myself nosing it. Reading the previous posts makes me feel better about it. Since last night was my very first time to blow bubbles and I have to say ....WHIPPEEEEEEEE!! I never had so much fun in all my life. I am so hooked!! All the skill requirements went smoother and easier than I had expected. I didnt get home from the class till 10:30 pm, and I was so excited and wound up that I stayed up till almost 2am. I guess that is par for the course for new divers!

 

[ScubaBaby]

Scubydoo

You just wait till you start doing night dives and getting home at stupid times at night!

A price to pay for an addiction !!!

Glad you had a good time hun -x-

 

[ckharlan66]

Scubydoo,

Welcome to the sport and I hope that you continue to dive and post here to keep us updated.

Chad

 

[jobowker]

I occasionally breathe through my nose and my mask generally doesn't leak. No hair on the top my my head could EVER come close to my mask (every day when I wake up I have a little more face to wash) but the corner of my hood has slipped in there to cause a leak. Other common leak reasons were already listed. Many people don't give enough thought to trying on a amsk - they just put one on, inhale through their nose, and see if it stays on. I'll try to explain. What I do is hold my breath (in the dive store not in the water) so that you can't breathe from your nose or mouth, like you would do if you were going under water (ie don't use your hands). Now take the mask with the strap out of the way and gently press it against your face. If you get a good seal, the mask should stick without you inhaling. If you find one that seals well, repeat the test but with a reg in your mouth.