Ashamed I can't mask clear!

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Diving Dubai

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Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
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Location
UK, for foreseeable - UGH!
# of dives
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The title of this thread is somewhat misleading because of course I can clear my mask - however rather than being second nature it’s right up there with going to the dentist and having all my teeth pulled out without anaesthetic!

I am in awe of those around me to whom clearing a mask is as simple as finning and is second nature.

What makes me most ashamed is that here I sit with circa 200 dives, mostly un-guided in blue water. I can shoot a DSMB no problems, have good positioning in the water, great trim and buoyancy and am confident and calm with a good SAC rate. All is well with my diving until I need a full or partial flood and mask clear


I've been known to be on my buddy’s fins willing the dive to end rather than do a partial fill to de fog a mask such is my phobia with the issue. And now I know that it's going to limit my further progression in diving unless I get it fixed

As an example, in November I was on a dive (I remember it well as it was my birthday). After around 30 mins my mask fogged up and I decided to “man up” and clear it – so I psyched myself up and tried a partial flood. This didn't go well – while I cleared the fog, the mask started leaking, the more I cleared and adjusted the worse it got – even taking the mask off and replacing it didn't seem to help. In the end I got my buddy and thumbed the dive. The only good part about this is that with all the faffing over a period of 10 mins or so my depth didn’t change by more than 3 feet.

I guess it all goes back to my OW training in 07. The first pool session was a breeze all skills including mask clear done easily and no fuss. Day 2 in the pool and I was handed off to a DM-T who went over skills again – mainly for his practice as my instructor was with some DSD’s. Anyway I had a moment where I took a mouthful of water and surfaced. I was stressed and getting cold and had completed everything else so called it a day. On OW1 I went through the partial flood, this time my mind was working against me, again I took a mouthful but my instructor kept me from surfacing and calmed me down. I refused mask off. Finally on OW3 I knew I had to do it but balked at the partial flood and took my mask off and cleared, we repeated this 5 times, and again on OW4. So I can do it.

Even now I balk at the thought of mask off – it’s irrational and clearly in my head. I know I should practise after my Safety stop (so if thing go wrong I’m at the surface but still not sure. I always have an excuse not to do it.
So I ask for help and advice to get me over this stupid phobia with any hints and tips for your techniques (I already have a low volume mask in my collection)

BUT PLEASE can we not let this conversation deviate into an agency or training bashing thread…
 
What temperature is the water in which you usually dive? While personally I can do a mask on/off while hovering perfectly it is also likened to a trip tp the dentist for me as I often dive in cold water and the shock to my face sucks. If you're in cooler water usually, you may want to spend some time in a warm pool and work through it in 3-5 feet of water, then start practicing it on real dives. Work into it.
 
how comfortable a swimmer are you? can you do a crawl stroke with face in water with absolutely no issues? i really cannot stress enough that you should go to an instructor and pay for a refresher and get this fixed. The day will come where your mask will get dislodged somehow and you will have a big problem.Every thing is fine until this happens,not a safe way to dive.
 
To defog your mask I have been known to leak in just a little water in. If your diving horizontal it won't even touch your face. If your mask continues to leak try a differnt mask. You should be able to clear and get a seal.

as for the full clear... I agree find an instructor to work with you in shallow water and increase confidence and get the little devil off your shoulder. It has become a self fulfilling profacy.
 
two things, if the water is cold, anything cooler than about 70F, you need to be doing cold water treatments, this mostly removes the sucker punch effect when your face gets hit with the cold water. Super simple, mask off, face in water, inhale through reg or snorkel, exhale through nose until you are comfortable.

If that above exercise is the problem you really need to start doing exhalation drills in the pool until you are comfortable breathing with the mask off of your face, these are all lead up drills to an efficient mask clear. This is as simple as hanging on the side of the pool and exhaling as slowly as possible through your nose. Get to the point where you can start and stop the flow of bubbles. Once you are comfortable with stopping and starting the flow on one breath, add a snorkel so you can start breathing, but always exhaling through your nose. Once that is comfortable, alternate between exhaling through the snorkel and exhaling through your nose so you are comfortable mouth breathing without the mask on your face. At that point, go to the shallow end of the pool, and with a weight belt/diving brick, sit on the bottom of the pool and practice mask drills.

No offense to you, but if you are not comfortable with the above drills, you are not a safe diver, and really need to get that fixed. Having to thumb dives because of mask clears is just not acceptable and it is your instructors fault for passing you through. While you may be physically capable of clearing your mask, it is clearly a major safety issue for you. The above drills should be able to remedy this in a few hours btw, don't need an instructor, don't even need a buddy *just make sure you aren't hyperventilating so the lifeguards don't have to go acquire you*. If you are holding onto the wall and your feet are floating back, tuck your knees in like you are sitting in a chair and you will get sucked to the wall while you are doing these drills.
 
Just a couple of clarification points...

I NEVER dive in water temps lower than 70... in the summer its nearer 90

Secondly I can do mask clear in the pool with my eyes open no problems, in the sea I can jump and dive off boats and swim around without a mask or snorkel.

My phobia just seems to be mask clear in salt water :( - I can do it when I have too - I just can't bring myself to easily clear the mask without psyching myself up for it
 
i also had issues here. Anxiety just made it worse. My longer hair which refuses to stay in the pony tail always gets trapped in my mask to cause leaks. I would fog up all the time. I would figit and just generally stop enjoying the dive while i fussed with my mask. My phobia took a major hit when i was 80 feet down. You cant just say thumbs up - you have to fix it. My dive master noticed my continuing issue and stopped me mid swim. He floated face to face with me and signaled me on what to do. He also had a spare mask which was awesome. He signaled me to look in his eyes and do what he was doing. He pulled off his mask completely - i did the same. he handed me the new mask and showed me exactly what to do. I cant believe i had my eyes open that far down and i was CALM about it. His intervention and guidance really gave me the confidence i needed. After this event my phobia has lessened quite a bit. Because this happened at a depth where it HAD to be fixed really allowed me to get over most of the anxiety.
 
Well it is a PITA. I have a routine I use to put on a mask on the surface and it does not work underwater well. Success on the surface is 100% and underwater about 50% which is annoying. I just know that if the mask comes off underwater I will not have the amount of fun I was expecting, so I avoid having to do it by putting it on right and making sure some knucklehead doesn't kick it off.

All that being said, I spent the beginning of my diving, back when..., with crappy masks that wouldn't seal on a good day so my perspective is different. I just put up with a crappy view and continual clearing until I come up, because a bad day diving is better than a good day working.

Your mileage may vary.



Bob
-------------------------------------
There is no problem that can't be solved with a liberal application of sex, tequila, money, duct tape, or high explosives, not necessarily in that order.
 
No offense to you, but if you are not comfortable with the above drills, you are not a safe diver, and really need to get that fixed. Having to thumb dives because of mask clears is just not acceptable and it is your instructors fault for passing you through. While you may be physically capable of clearing your mask, it is clearly a major safety issue for you. The above drills should be able to remedy this in a few hours btw, don't need an instructor, don't even need a buddy *just make sure you aren't hyperventilating so the lifeguards don't have to go acquire you*. If you are holding onto the wall and your feet are floating back, tuck your knees in like you are sitting in a chair and you will get sucked to the wall while you are doing these drills.

I would not blame the instructor for "passing him through". Instructor only had student for 4 dives maybe, and the student met the requirements for certification at that day and time. instructor issues a card stating on this day this student met the requirements..Instructor has no idea what student can do 5 minutes after being certified. Student should take responsibility and either tell instructor about difficulties they have and work on issues to correct it. May cost more to do this, but it is the right way to do it.
 
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I was not fond of mask clearing when I ended my OW class. In hind sight it was because the instructor, who was a good instructor, was in "exhibit" mode making each motion large and clear and thus easy to see.

Now I may clear a couple times during a dive if fogging is an issue. But it is all little motions. Put hand on mask, slight pressure on top, crack the bottom letting in a little water. Look down and rotate head to swish water over lens. Look straight ahead hand pressing on top edge of mask. Exhale through nose forcing water out the bottom (or through the purge depending on which mask I have on).
 
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