Skittl1321
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I got OW certified this summer, and local diving season is done. I'm heading on a trip in December, and really excited; but the more time it's been since my last dive, the more nervous I'm getting.
My OW cert was rough, but the dives I've done since then (I'm up to dive 10, so not many) have all gone smoothly. I practice skills during the dive, but wish I could practice more before my vacation. Unfortunately the dive shop only has a pool once a month, and I'm not available during those times, so more practice before the trip is not an option.
During the pool classes, I had no issues at all with mask skills. I could clear no problem. I could remove and replace. I could swim across the pool without it.
But when I got to open water, I freaked out. Apparently having the bottom of the pool available to me (though swimming we weren't touching it) was comforting. On subsequent dives, I've practiced fully flooding my mask and clearing it, and every time, I've been scared, but manage to do it. I make my husband hold my BC, though, so I'm still kind of cheating. I just want to know someone is there if something goes wrong. I haven't yet taken my mask off and replaced it without an instructor. I can't bring myself to try that again yet. I know it is rare, but I'm terrified of losing my mask.
So on to my question.
If my mask were kicked off, is there any reason I can't just hold my nose? Water up the nose seems to be the only issue that is presented by not having a mask on. I know it's not ideal, but while I try to recover my mask from wherever it floated off too (if I can recover it), or while surfacing because I no longer have a mask- is it possible? They didn't let us hold our noses in class, but there wasn't an explanation for why. I mean, is there an actual scientific reason like "your ears will blow up"?
My OW cert was rough, but the dives I've done since then (I'm up to dive 10, so not many) have all gone smoothly. I practice skills during the dive, but wish I could practice more before my vacation. Unfortunately the dive shop only has a pool once a month, and I'm not available during those times, so more practice before the trip is not an option.
During the pool classes, I had no issues at all with mask skills. I could clear no problem. I could remove and replace. I could swim across the pool without it.
But when I got to open water, I freaked out. Apparently having the bottom of the pool available to me (though swimming we weren't touching it) was comforting. On subsequent dives, I've practiced fully flooding my mask and clearing it, and every time, I've been scared, but manage to do it. I make my husband hold my BC, though, so I'm still kind of cheating. I just want to know someone is there if something goes wrong. I haven't yet taken my mask off and replaced it without an instructor. I can't bring myself to try that again yet. I know it is rare, but I'm terrified of losing my mask.
So on to my question.
If my mask were kicked off, is there any reason I can't just hold my nose? Water up the nose seems to be the only issue that is presented by not having a mask on. I know it's not ideal, but while I try to recover my mask from wherever it floated off too (if I can recover it), or while surfacing because I no longer have a mask- is it possible? They didn't let us hold our noses in class, but there wasn't an explanation for why. I mean, is there an actual scientific reason like "your ears will blow up"?