Mask Filling

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

mccabejc

mccabejc

Contributor
Messages
1,326
Reaction score
3
Location
Upland, CA
# of dives
100 - 199
I've read about a couple of incidents in which divers were injured apparently after their masks filled up and they bolted to the surface. And I assume that the reason may be the fear of water being sucked in the nose.

So I was thinking that maybe a way to alleviate that fear would be to immediately hold one's nose with your fingers when the mask fills up, breath normally, then relax to the point where you can clear it (if you can).

And I got to wondering: is there any reason that you can't hold your nose thru the entire dive, other than not being able to equalize the air pressure in the mask? And presumably, if there is water entering the mask, I'd assume the pressure would be pretty much equalized automatically since there's a leak.
 
Are you saying keep diving, just hold your nose for the whole dive?

What happens when your buddy goes OOA and you need to manage things with your hands? Your mask fills up, your anxiety increases exponentially because not only are you helping your buddy, but you can't see because your mask is filling up.

If having a working mask is basically a requirement (such as long range cave diving) then take a spare. If it's not a requirement, such as a typical rec dive, thumb the dive when the mask failure occurs.

This is also why OW classes do maskless swims, and require you to doff and don your mask. I think practicing this skill, among others, would behoove OW divers.
 
I think that people who are not comfortable underwater without a mask should definately work on skills for a flooded mask as not to bolt to the surface. Myself I could actually finish a dive without a mask if I had to, fresh or salt water.
And finishing the dive means a controlled ascent.

btw: nice sig, lots of good lines from Caddy Shack
 
Hold on, guys, I agree. I realize there's procedures for dealing with a leaky or filling mask. That's not what I'm asking though. What I'm asking is technically whether there's a physical reason why you can't hold your nose during the dive.

I'm also suggesting that as an immediate measure, if someone's mask starts filling, holding their nose might give them time to gain their composure so that they don't immediately freak and bolt for the surface. Of course they should be comfortable with breathing with a filled mask, but obviously some folks still freak.
 
I don't breath through my nose underwater, so I guess I don' know what you're talking about.
 
I dunno if it would make much difference. You can try it, but I don't think it's a useable procedure.

"Welcome to day two of your SCUBA class. Here's today's lesson.. when your mask starts filling with water, pinch and hold your nose before you do anything else. It might be tricky to keep it pinched while you remove the mask in order to reseat it.."
 
mccabejc:
I'm also suggesting that as an immediate measure, if someone's mask starts filling, holding their nose might give them time to gain their composure so that they don't immediately freak and bolt for the surface.
Click to expand...
Why not just exhale through the nose and clear the mask as they were taught? I think that would be a better option. If they can't do that, they should not have a C-card.

Jason
 
mccabejc:
I've read about a couple of incidents in which divers were injured apparently after their masks filled up and they bolted to the surface. And I assume that the reason may be the fear of water being sucked in the nose.

So I was thinking that maybe a way to alleviate that fear would be to immediately hold one's nose with your fingers when the mask fills up, breath normally, then relax to the point where you can clear it (if you can).

And I got to wondering: is there any reason that you can't hold your nose thru the entire dive, other than not being able to equalize the air pressure in the mask? And presumably, if there is water entering the mask, I'd assume the pressure would be pretty much equalized automatically since there's a leak.
Click to expand...

I still use a mask with a purge valve, so I merely tilt my head down and exhale out my nose. Its so automatic I dont even think of flooding as a problem. I dont see these masks around much anymore. They are more difficult to descend with due to the difficulty in getting your fingers in position to pinch the nose for equalizing, but its relatively minor and other than that I like the design.
 
Jason B:
Why not just exhale through the nose and clear the mask as they were taught? I think that would be a better option. If they can't do that, they should not have a C-card.
Click to expand...
I think you're missing the point. The idea was to regain composure. I know from my own experience that doing an OW dive is completely different from a confined pool dive. What the author is saying makes perfect sense. If you're diving in semi-chilling water, and your mask fills, that cold water on your face can have a number of unwelcome effects on your behavior. I would think that just pinching your nose for a few seconds to kind of 'get used' to the water, followed by an immediate evac of the mask per training would be perfectly fine.
 
I was diving Sunday morning with a guy who's mask constantly flooded. He surfaced, checked it out, and then continued to dive. It kept flooding during the rest of the dive, and he kept clearing it. After the dive, I looked at his mask. The purge valve flap was caught up in the purge hole. This basically allowed water to enter every time he took a pull off his reg. After that incident, he's seriously looking at getting a purgeless mask. Sometimes purge valves aren't only one way.

Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Katie L
“No masks that cover your nose” rules are driving me bonkers!!!
3 4 5
Replies
49
Views
8,193
Scuba Scott
Scuba Scott
J
Is Scuba just not meant for me?
6 7 8
Replies
71
Views
10,375
John C. Ratliff
John C. Ratliff
John C. Ratliff
Use of Scuba unit for Fire/Haz-Mat Escape
2 3 4
Replies
33
Views
1,923
Scott G. Bonser
Scott G. Bonser
A
Complaint about recent diving experience.
2 3
Replies
28
Views
2,297
Macfod
M
SeaBunny88
Massive Newbie Post - Depth, AOW/SSI, Mask, Next Trip Suggestions
2 3
Replies
25
Views
2,699
SeaBunny88
SeaBunny88
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom