Water in the nose

[billt4sf]

I hate having water in my nose. It stopped me from taking swimming lessons back in the day, and truth be told, it still does. It made me think twice about taking my OW course. However, it doesn't bother me when diving. OK, well, rarely. I have done many mask clearings without an issue -- something I regularly practice. Have done no mask swim without ever thinking about it.

So why is it that when I get in a pool for fun, I can't STAND to put my head underwater without holding my nose?!? If I want to do an underwater swim, I hold my nose, dip down, release the nose, and swim to the end of the pool -- no problem.

Am I just weird?

-Bill

 

[Neilwood]

Nope I know quite a few people (divers and others) that have that issue.

A lot of it is knowing how to block your airway - a skill which I have never had to think about as I learned how to swim at such an early age (thanks to my parents and grandparents) that I don't even know how I do it.

 

[dmaziuk]

On the flip side, I hold my head as low as I can during fins+kickboard sets and I get pool water up my nose all the time. Sometimes all the way in and down into my mouth. I don't enjoy it, but I don't really care either. That's what you get for swimming through your formative years.

There's two tricks you could try. One is positive air pressure in your nose, the tricky part is not exhaling too much. The other one is if you can cover your nostrils with your upper lip as you dip down, that'll help keep air in.

 

[savsuds]

I don't have a problem in the pool, but the ocean, that is another story.

When Scuba diving I find myself adjusting the mask squeeze by adding air thru my nose. Sometimes I inhale (not sure why, I guess to reach my mask's happy place). So, when I practice swimming without my mask on or a mask swap, I tend to have to hold my nose otherwise my body's first instinct is to inhale to make sure the mask is snug (even though it is off of my face). This is not an issue if I hold my breath for the 3-5 seconds it takes to put the mask back on. Once the mask is on, my nose just does what is needed to clear and adjust the fit.

 

[Buliwyf]

[QUOTE="dmaziuk, post: 7736369, The other one is if you can cover your nostrils with your upper lip as you dip down, that'll help keep air in.[/QUOTE]

Wut?

 

[savsuds]

[QUOTE="dmaziuk, post: 7736369, The other one is if you can cover your nostrils with your upper lip as you dip down, that'll help keep air in.

Wut?

[/QUOTE]
He said upper lip though. I guess you could get a split tongue and plug nostrils as well.

 

[diver0008]

So why is it that when I get in a pool for fun, I can't STAND to put my head underwater without holding my nose?!?

Bad habit. Fear. Just exhale through your nose when breaking the surface.

 

[dmaziuk]

Wut?

Yup. If all fails, get a nose clip :) by swimator

Essential for competitive swimming, esp. flip turns.

 

[TMHeimer]

Close off the passage so water only gets in your nostrils. That will always happen, as you know from the no-mask scuba skill. It can't get far in the nose/down the throat unless you inhale (OR, I've been told, if you tip your head WAY back even with the passage closed off--I believe that was advice from TS&M). It's mental is all I can say.

 

[Corleone]

lookup (full face mask)