Greetings and a lil help I hope

[KLcelticdiver]

Hi all this is my first post here on the boards, and hopefully not the last. I'm looking forward to discussing various topics.

As for the needing help. This is probably gonna sound really stupid, and believe me I feel stupid asking this.

I went on my first qulification dive, during the skills portion I ran into a problem. I can take the mask off no problem, I can get it back on. but when I'm clearing it I wind up sucking water up my nose and coughing like crazy. Then I had the same problem in the pool. I feel like I'm gonna drown and panic.

Anyone got any ideas? Besides the obvious, not sucking water in through my nose. Anyone had this problem and how did you overcome it?

All the other skills I'm fine on. But not sure how to overcome this and get qualified.

 

[crosing]

You can talk to your instructor and ask him/her for some extra time with you to work on this. Often they may have a divemaster work individually with you on this.

If I was helping you I would have you do a partial flood first and practice clearing by blowing through your nose. Do that repeatedly until you are able to clear without any problems then go to full mask flood and do it again until you have no problems.

After you feel comfortable with both the partial and full mask flood then move to the remove/replace/clear procedure and you should be OK.

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

Definitely practice. But I think you may be making a mistake in clearing that many new divers make. When you start your clear, LOOK DOWN with while pressing the top of the mask to your forehead. Start to blow through your nose looking down then slowly raise your head looking up. Not too fast...just take it slow. Even if you get the mask half clear, you have fought half the battle. Again, look down, start to blow, and keep blowing as you look up. Work with your instructor or DM until it becomes natural. Remember to mouth breathe as if you have a cold.

Best of luck and WELCOME TO :sblogo:
Carolyn:shark2:

 

[still new]

I guess they really mean Blow and not Suck! LOL

 

[eponym]

Hi, KL

Try this practice first, to instill the needed technique. You can do this anywhere, no water or reg or mask needed.

• Hold your mouth open (as though you had the regulator mouthpiece in).
• Inhale slowly through your mouth.
• Keep your mouth open and exhale slowly through your nose.
• As you do that, you'll notice that the back of your tongue rises to the roof of your mouth, preventing air from going out your mouth.
• Repeat as needed, again breathing in through your mouth and exhaling through your nose.

Two tips to avoid water up the nose:

• Tilt the mask quite slowly away your face when flooding it, to prevent water rushing up your nose. Or poll the mask skirt away from your cheek on one side to let water run in very slowly.
• Look up only while you're actually exhaling through your nose or again water may run down into your nostrils.

Hope this helps,
Bryan

PS. Remember to exhale slowly through your nose. You're trying to fill the mask with air. You're not trying to blast the water out of it.

PPS. I firmly believe that anyone who can take a shower without drowning has these necessary skills--they just sometimes don't know that they do.