Mask clearing

[ItsBruce]

I just got back from another trip to Cabo San Lucas. While there I did a few days of diving. On one of the days, the group included some divers who were not only relatively inexperienced, but also had not been diving in a while. The DM wanted them to do a refresher, but they insisted on diving with the group. (They really should have done the refresher. Fortunately, nothing went terribly wrong.)

But, the whole thing led me to ask the following question, with I pose to everyone:

When was the last time that, during a dive, you intentionally flooded and removed your mask, so you could practice clearing it?

 

[texdiveguy]

Actually I did Sat.,,,,not out of a practice mod, but instead to remove an ANT that had found its way into my mask during my SI. I agree with the occasional review of the most basic of diving skills.

 

[Cabbie]

I went to Mabul (Sipadan) recently and everyone had to do a check out dive which included mask clearance. Didn't matter if you had 5 dives or were an instructor. We also had to do regulator recovery.

Having said that, I've had so much trouble with a new mask that until recently I was deliberately partially flooding it every dive to clear the fog. Now having re-applied the toothpaste, things are improving and I can see again

 

[MaxBottomtime]

1989. I still know how, so I don't feel the need to practice.

 

[halocline]

I did it a lot this summer, mostly demonstrating skills for classes. Its a good thing to practice.

 

[almitywife]

......When was the last time that, during a dive, you intentionally flooded and removed your mask, so you could practice clearing it?

april 1998

 

[Web Monkey]

But, the whole thing led me to ask the following question, with I pose to everyone:

When was the last time that, during a dive, you intentionally flooded and removed your mask, so you could practice clearing it?

I do it all the time. When with my buddy it's practice and when with students, it's to show that mask clearing is no big deal. In fact, if the pool-cleaner-guy hasn't been going nuts with the chlorine, sometimes i'll just take it off and swim around without it for a while.

If a skill is promoted as difficult or scary, it freaks people out. If it's shown as just something else you need to be good at, it's no big deal.

The same goes for air-sharing, regulator clearing and the rest of the skills. If you do it enough, people think it's not a big deal.

Terry

 

[Sas]

A few weeks ago when I was diving in 15C/60f water! I figured since I was in warmer waters I may as well practice some mask skills. I used to practice a few times at the end of every dive as I had trouble in OW doing it but it is too cold locally for me to want to practice to be honest as my brain freezes over when I take off my mask , though I probably should. I am comfortable with the skill now though so have stopped practicing it as much...

 

[TSandM]

Well, I didn't take it all the way off, but while my buddies tied in to the shot line today, I pulled my mask off my face and repositioned it, because my upper lip was all wadded up under the skirt.

It's something I ought to practice more often than I do. It's so hard to make yourself do it in ice water!

 

[Darnold9999]

Only when required to. Check out dive two years ago and during DIR-F. No big deal could never understand why this was such a problem for anyone. Don't breath through your nose, put the mask back on, blow air out. Hate doing it as there is a good chance I will get water in my sinuses and end up not being able to dive for a week or two when they react.