Open Water Training - Water in mask/mask off drill

[ththooft]

Ross-

I totally agree with Walter. My wife had a tough time with the mask as well. We try to practice the skill at least once each day of diving until it becomes second nature. The same goes for practicing out of air/sharing air, etc. It really helps you program your brain!

I'm not sure if anyone responded to your "how do you start your descent" question. At the surface, I generally start dumping air from the BC and exhale. As I start to descend, I dump more/less air as needed. Once you start getting deeping you need to add air to stay neutral, so if you empty all your air at the beginning then you just end up adding it back at depth. Plus, if you dump air too fast you can end up sinking quickly. As the others mentioned, it's hard to get used to the idea that adding/dumping air does not have an immediate effect. Give it a few seconds, and then you'll feel the effects. Try practicing fin pivots and you'll get the hang of it.

Good luck! I'm looking forward to hearing how it all goes! Do you know when/where you're going to do your open water dives?

 

[jeckyll]

I completely agree with Walter. Practice!

Especially if you dive when the water gets nice and cold I had a dive last weekend in 47 degree water where I my mask flooded 1/2 way every time I turned my head. Being comfortable clearing your mask, diving with a mask that has real serious leaky issues, or replacing it, are skills that IMO you really want to always keep nice and fresh

Best of luck.

Bjorn

 

[Sideband]

Congrats! Glad we were able to help.

Joe

 

[Mustangfreak]

I thought I would freak out about the whole mask off underwater, esp in saltwater, but I did very well. I still practice doing those things while I'm doing a safety stop. And I do safety stops at every dive just to get into the habit.

 

[Master of Narcosis]

Hey Ross,

Since I also am a newly certified diver I understand the troubles with clearing your mask. Yes it does seem un-natural at first, but with practice and training it will become old hat. Soon you will begin to develope your own style of clearing your mask. As for me, I just tilt the side of my mask towards the surface and blow then I repeat it on the other side. Also, I cant agree more with what ghost diver said about swimming arround in the pool with out your mask. My instructor also had us swim in the pool with only the reg, no mask. It helped me get over that unatural feeling of water on my face and breating at the same time.

In clossing brother (I call everyone brother) Allot of great info has been posted in your thread. But I feel it is a bit of over kill. Dont worry so much about DCS or AGE. Yes there is a small remote chance of it happening and you should be concerned, but that is why you have an instructor with you through your certification. He is not going to let you ascend faster then your bubles and he will not be taking you down to deep depths on your first few dives.

Look at the positive side. Once you get into the ocean / lake for the first time you are opening yourself up to a whole new world. Diving is the greates sport ever!! I feel like an astronaught when I dive. You will be seeing and experiencing things that most people only see on National Geographic. And I tell you what the first time you see that white tip reef shark in Hawaii swim within 2 feet of you, it will burn in the data banks for ever.

The only way to overcome all your worries is to get out and dive and dive often! Have fun in the course. I am sure you will do fine. Look me up if you ever get out to the west coast. Will show you some cool spots in Cal.

Sincerely,

Master of Narcosis
(AKA Mike)