nose breather

[Skittl1321]

I don't think you need to snorkel without a mask on to scuba. I can swim fine without my mask on, but when I tried it with a snorkel found it impossibly hard. My husband who is even more comfortable with no mask scuba and with snorkeling in general also couldn't. Telling someone they need to do this to scuba is really setting the bar unnecessarily high.


IMO scuba and snorkeling are nearly entirely different skills. Even clearing the two can be different. The only similarity in this case may be the ability to hold the mouthpiece in the mouth.

 

[TMHeimer]

I don't think you need to snorkel without a mask on to scuba. I can swim fine without my mask on, but when I tried it with a snorkel found it impossibly hard. My husband who is even more comfortable with no mask scuba and with snorkeling in general also couldn't. Telling someone they need to do this to scuba is really setting the bar unnecessarily high.


IMO scuba and snorkeling are nearly entirely different skills. Even clearing the two can be different. The only similarity in this case may be the ability to hold the mouthpiece in the mouth.

Well, everyone's different, but I agree with DukeAMO. I think scuba and snorkel are VERY related--almost the same, except one is done at depth. Of course with snorkeling there is no need to have mask clearing skills because you are on the surface. I have found that students who have snorkelled almost never have mask/airway problems in the OW course.

 

[pasley]

Due to a disability, I can't really seal my mouth. I am a nose breather through and through. Do scuba diving places usually have a face mask or something?

Given the expense of the full face mask it would be doubtful you could find many places that rent them. As others have said, it could well be that you can sufficiently seal your mouth around the regulator. A wooden tongue suppressor being able to get between your lips is not an indicator I would use, heck it can probably get past mine too. Individuals with Cerebral Palsy have learned to SCUBA dive after working through issues of being able to seal their lips around the regulator. It took time, patience and perseverance, but it was accomplished.

and i need to share another person's tank, I'm kind of screwed.

Why would you need to breathe off someone else's tank and not wear your own? I have taught individuals with complete quadriplegic, and individuals with bad backs etc and all wore their own tank. We just wait to put it on them until they are in the water.

Perhaps if i use nose plugs, I could breathe through my mouth, but i'm not confident about it.

nope, you do have to equalize the pressure inside the mask. Have you contacted an Handicapped SCUBA Association International (HSA) instructor yet? If not, you should, they are there to teach individuals with challenges such as you describe. Handicap Scuba Association I would get the training locally. A quickie 2 or 3 day resort course is far too quick to allow you the time you need to get comfortable in the water and to work out any challenges that may arise.

You don't say where on the planet you are. HSA is in over 45 countries and there may be a qualified instructor near you.

 

[TMHeimer]

Not sure I understand the nose plug thing (oh, I know you can't use them...). If someone is a "nose breather" who has problems with breathing only through the mouth (mask on or off) it is a problem in and of itself. Don't know what this problem has to do with a disability problem of sealing the mouth on the reg mouthpiece.

 

[DukeAMO]

IMO scuba and snorkeling are nearly entirely different skills.

*Shrug* To each his/her own. I had trouble with the airway control aspect of snorkeling, and when I started the OW course I had trouble with airway control there. A couple of hours in the pool doing exactly what I described got me to the point where I can snorkel and scuba dive confidently. YMMV.

The only similarity in this case may be the ability to hold the mouthpiece in the mouth.

I think that was half of the point. ;-)

 

[Skittl1321]

I think that was half of the point. ;-)

But there is no reason to snorkel mask off to determine if you can hold a mouthpiece in your mask.

Going and getting a snorkel and seeing if she can hold the mouthpiece well enough to breathe might be more accessible than finding someone to do a discovery dive to see if she can hold a regulator. But there isn't need to run through advanced snorkeling skills. Mask off snorkeling is not necessary to dive on scuba.



Learning to scuba got me to a point where I can snorkel somewhat more confidently. But before I became a scuba diver (where using the regulator was easy), I was a hopeless snorkeler. Scuba helped me snorkel; snorkel didn't help me scuba. Suggesting you have to be able to snorkel before scuba diving just isn't true.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Full face mask is you certain alternative. However, before investing in that or other equipment, I suggest you do a "Discover Scuba" experience in a swimming pool with a local dive shop. You will be oriented very basically concerning the equipment, and you can put on a mask, and breath through a regulator underwater and see how it feels and works, and also determine if you can do it. There are ways to train "nose breathers" to get over that habit, which you can address later. I recommend you try breathing on Scuba in a discover experience first, and then make some decisions, using the information this thread has provided to you.
DivemasterDennis

 

[fnfalman]

Just like DiveMaster Dennis said, nose breathing can be overcomed with training. It's a very common encounter with non-divers.

 

[TMHeimer]

But there is no reason to snorkel mask off to determine if you can hold a mouthpiece in your mask.

Going and getting a snorkel and seeing if she can hold the mouthpiece well enough to breathe might be more accessible than finding someone to do a discovery dive to see if she can hold a regulator. But there isn't need to run through advanced snorkeling skills. Mask off snorkeling is not necessary to dive on scuba.



Learning to scuba got me to a point where I can snorkel somewhat more confidently. But before I became a scuba diver (where using the regulator was easy), I was a hopeless snorkeler. Scuba helped me snorkel; snorkel didn't help me scuba. Suggesting you have to be able to snorkel before scuba diving just isn't true.

Personally I don't see the difference between no mask scuba and no mask snorkeling. Face in water, breathe with mouth. I imagine many will agree with this. Snorkeling is obviously simpler without starting an OW class with all the gear then finding you can't hold a reg mouthpiece in. No, it's not necessary to be a good snorkeler before taking scuba. I'm just saying I've noticed that those that are rarely have mask/airway problems in OW class.

 

[Roatan Joe]

Based on your first two posts, I don't think you really understand exactly how a dive mask and sharing air works. Why are you concerned about buying a dive mask and why do you think your dive mask wouldn't get much use?

The thread is full of assumptions and best guesses. We really don't all your physical limitations and your specific medical condition and disability so nobody is going to be able to give you proper information. Since you mentioned that you have a disability of some sort, as pasley mentioned, contact an HSA Instructor and let him or her give you the information that you seek. I don't suggest just going and signing up for a DSD class, especially if you have a disability. A typical DSD class is NOT structured for persons with disabilities and doesn't teach how to improvise and overcome said disability. Call an HSA!