Quick Question Random bubbles from mask and first post cert dive

[Jon_R]

I was doing my first post cert dive (2-tank) on Sunday with my daughter. Her 2nd post cert dive. We both after the fact commented that during the 2nd dive we would randomly get streams of bubbles coming out of our masks. Not really a problem we where just trying to determine why. We where not ascending or descending just going on the drift dive. It was at ~60 feet and the current was pretty strong. My theory is we where facing into the current and it pushing on the flat surface of the mask was causing it but not sure what was going on.

A couple new things from the dive we heard a high pitch buzzing sure it was a boat coming through the dive site. Could not find it despite 70' viz. We where at 54' at the time so no big deal just something new to know. I checked my buddy's gear to make sure there was nothing going on there causing the noise.

I still must be anxious as I burned through my 3600 PSI 100CF tank in about 38 mins first dive and 43 mins second dive. I am not petite but in pretty good shape. 6-3 192lbs I want to be able to get to at least 50 mins or an hour comfortably. Diving on 36%.

I was happy I was comfortable being at 60' feet just my daughter and I without anyone else in sight. I was not sure about that one until I actually found myself in it and had no concerns. We did stay very close to each other and I left the camera on the boat to just focus on staying together and the dive.

I want to add a compass to my gear as we kept going off the reef in the strong current. I felt a little disoriented not knowing where I was going. With the strong current probably best not to fight it much. If I had a GPS that worked under water would have been interesting to see what path we ended up doing.

Buoyancy was ok. I didn't hit the reef and was in pretty good control but far from perfect. When I found myself distracted such as getting ready to send up the safety sausage or twisting around to check something out I did not maintain my position in the water column.

Was happy with all my gear so no changes in that except compass just need to keep diving....

Also the boat ride was very bumpy and I did not get sick when a few did. I was real happy about that one.

 

[Hawkwood]

In all likelihood you are simply exhaling into your mask through your nose once and a while.

Regarding the noise, remember your knowledge sections from your open water class. Sound travels four times faster underwater and therefore essentially hits both ears at at a "essentially" the same time (relative to the time lag at surface). It's pretty hard to tell direction.

 

[Jon_R]

Could be on mask. Just odd we both did not notice it on 1st dive and both did on the 2nd when the current picked up. Thanks for the feedback.

In all likelihood you are simply exhaling into your mask through your nose once and a while.

Regarding the noise, remember your knowledge sections from your open water class. Sound travels four times faster underwater and therefore essentially hits both ears at at a "essentially" the same time (relative to the time lag at surface). It's pretty hard to tell direction.

 

[Hawkwood]

You might have been working harder on the second dive and just not "thinking" about your breathing patterns. All good though.

I like the fact you decided to leave your camera on board, that was a good call. Focus on your basics and get comfortable before you add the other task.

 

[Skittl1321]

I breathe out of my nose when I dive- definitely get streams of bubbles from the sides of the mask (never the top or bottom for me, seals must be stronger?). I like this because it doesn't distort my vision like when I force myself to breathe out of my mouth and the bubbles come up in front of you. Plus, I have to force myself to breathe out of my mouth, which makes me uncomfortable.

Sounds like you had good dives! And congrats on the boat ride being sea-sick free; definitely makes everything easier and more enjoyable.

 

[mizzie]

I agree, you are probably breathing out your nose occasionally and not realizing it. As for the boat noise, as Hawkwood said, sound travels much faster in water. That boat could have been half the lake away and still sound like it was right overhead. Or at least that's what my instructor told us.

 

[windapp]

I doesn't take much of ascent for bubbles to start coming out of your mask. I wouldn't even notice since I breath out of my nose all the time.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Definitely a little nose breathing going on which is fine- your should equalize your mask that way from time to time. As to air consumption, it will improve with experience. Also, consider moving less. Even on drift dives there can be a lot of extraneous hand and leg movement. Excitement- whihc drift dives bring- means more rapid breathing. No woprries there, it will improve with bottom time. Finally, compass YES. All divers should carry a compass and know how to use it. You are off to a great start. Happy diving for years to come.
DivemasterDennis

 

[tracydr]

A compass is mandatory,basic scuba gear, as far as I'm concerned. I will not dive without it. I still need to get better at my skills, but at least I feel able to make a reasonable out/back or even more complicated navigation with one. Make sure, when you take AOW, that you get to do a decent navigation dive. My husband usually has his students do a "square" for AOW, in poor visibility or with complicated landscape.
Again, in your Rescue class, you will practice with the compass, making square legs of a search pattern, hopefully.
You can also take a full class on Search and Recovery, which I keep meaning to have my husband teach me. It includes using a lift bag and some knot tying in addition to using the compass.
My favorite compass is the Suunto compass, you can get a DSS bungee, which is very nice, to replace the strap, which is the only thing about it that I don't like.
Practice with your compass skills every dive and make sure that your daughter does to. It's fairly common for one diver in a buddy group to be strong at navigating and the other diver doesn't develop the skill.
Learning to use your compass is very important when you are diving by yourself, especially shore diving but also when you start diving on boat dives, so that you can navigate back to "up" line. See Bill's recent thread about running OOA and how he and his wife were not sure how to get back to the anchor line without the DM.

 

[Jon_R]

So far (4 dives) I have only done boat drift dives. Come up signal boat and they come to you but I will add a compass.


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