Open Water Checkout Dive...eh

[nueOWdivr4]

Okay so today I finished my OW course and am officially PADI certified, but it took some hard work on specifically one skill...mask removal and replacement. When it came time to complete this skill in 25 ft of water I wasn't nervous at all, after all I had done the skill so easily in the pool's shallow end. However when I removed my mask I panicked. I couldn't focus on my breathing and keeping water out of my nose and relaxing like I had in the pool, I panicked and quickly shot to the surface and took water in the entire way up. I came up sputtering and gagging on lake water because when I took my mask off I could no longer seem to breathe through my mouth and instead let a ton of water in my nose then gagged and got some more water through my mouth. This happened 2 other times before the instructor advised me to take off my hood so that I could place the mask back on my face easier. It worked that time but still was difficult and had to surprise the gag instinct like crazy to clear my mask. I was shaken up the entire rest of the dive and couldn't seem to relax. Thinking about being down at 60 ft and having my mask come off is terrifying to say the least, I barely handled 25ft and shot to the surface, not feasibly at any decent depth. Needless to say I am quite concerned about this little "problem" of mine and need some advice on how to calm down with my mask off and continue to breathe relaxed without confusing nose for mouth and mouth for nose resulting in a stomach full of water.

 

[Bound]

My wife is having the same trouble. Practice is the best way to get good. In a pool ,go under with out a mask until it is no big deal. Make sure you dont breath to fast, when the mask is off.

 

[deerhunter1911a1]

there was a girl in my OW class that had the same issue. best thing, as Bound mentioned, is to just practice. for me, the key is breathe in through the mouth, OUT through the nose...sounds like common sense, but sit on either the bottom of the pool, or a shallow platform or something, and just do a full flood of your mask, giving you the sensation of almost taking it off, but being able to clear it if panic sets in. once you have that down pat, try just pulling it off your face, but leaving the strap in place, again, so that you can easily, and quickly replace it if need be. a great movie "what about bob" made the two words "baby steps" a pretty prevalent quote in my mind. so take it easy, and baby step it out! good luck!

 

[peterbj7]

Practice is indeed the key, and it sounds as if you should have been worked much harder in confined water. It's very common to get over those sessions as quickly as possible, but really these basic skills, and mask ones are known to cause trouble, should have been done repeatedly - at least 10 or 15 times, with emphasis on how to behave once your mask is off and you're still breathing underwater.

 

[SPG3K]

As soon as you THINK about taking it off, bubble your nose just enough to keep the water out, and continue to exhale through your nose until you get it seated and situated with the hood.

One full breath should be enough time to remove and replace the mask, even with a hood, if you control it through your nose, and as long as you are letting bubbles go, you aren't holding your breath.
Once the mask gets back on, when you are about out of air, you can just pinch your nose, inhale through the reg, and then clear the mask.

You shouldn't get any water up your nose that way at all.

Some people recommend "snorkeling" in your bathtub with no mask on to teach the proper breathing behavior. Or swimming with no mask and a snorkel in a swimming pool.

For me, when my mask is off I exhale through my nose. I don't have the issue of making a switch when the mask goes back on, and the worst you can do with the mask on is suck it to your face.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I do not understand why you received certification if it was this obvious of a problem. I would have required you to go back into the pool to be sure you had this skill down. Because at some point some idiot will kick you in the face and if not knock the mask off dislodge it so that taking it off and putting it back on will be the easiest way to adjust it. Just how many pool sessions did you have and how many times did you clear your mask, and how many times have to remove and replace it? Our students clear it at least 10-15 times and remove and replace it 5 or 6. Until I was satisfied you would not panic and do what you did but handle it calmly and as if it were no big deal you'd have not gotten a card. Of course this would be a YMCA not PADI class.

 

[nueOWdivr4]

Okay thanks for the advice guys, and I did the skill perfectly in the pool I didn't do so well in our check out dives though, must have been nerves or something. However I did practice breathing with just a snorkel on in my bathtub and it helped. I spent at least 15 minutes in there practicing new techniques and just working on it. Eventually I found out that there's always going to be some water going up my nose, and this same thing happened during my open water dive but there I panicked and thought it was going down my throat (not the case). So in my "bathtub session" I got used to that feeling of a little water in my nose and recognized that it wasn't going anywhere. Success! I'm very happy I discovered this fact and I'll be practicing everyday in my bathtub and at my friend's pool.

 

[TMHeimer]

Another thought. I snorkeled my whole life then got certified at 51. Never had any problem with nose/mouth, etc. Maybe a good bit if snorkeling would help?

 

[Aeropl]

You haven't been on the forums awhile but for the sake of those who have the same problem I'll give the following advice. You need to practice in a pool for at least a couple of hours without a mask. Practice taking off your mask and going upside down, rolling, flipping, etc. to get used to water going up your nose. Also do things like practicing taking off your mask in the deep end, swim to the shallow end, and put your mask back on all in the same breath. The point is to learn to subconsciously prevent water from entering your nose.

Until you are completely comfortable with doing this in the pool consistently, I WOULD NOT do an open water dive. At some point your mask is guaranteed to get kicked off or at least completely flooded and you need to be able to deal with it.

 

[SkipperJohn]

a friend of mine had this problem, the instructor, for his safety, held him form his ascent and worked him through the issue, even helped by showing him to hold his nose.
In the end, he failed him. My friend is happy he failed. He said at least now no one cam make him dive.
I had a small issue and found that if tipped my head slightly forward the exhaust form my regulator (bubbles) would be pounding on my nostrils which made me feel like water was shooting up my nose. Since I shared this with a few friends, 2 of them said it helped them too.