Struggling to clear my mask during Scuba training.

[BlueTuna]

Hey everyone,

So, I've just completed my second class (out of 3) for OW certification, and I'm really struggling to clear my mask. Our scuba instructor had us review the stuff we did in Class 1, including mask-clearing and taught us a new skill that involved removing our mask underwater. Both times I struggled.
I'm a little uneasy about removing my mask, but I can usually keep water out of my nose. However, when it comes to putting my mask back on, or flooding it, I just can't seem manage to get it cleared. Instead, I just end up getting water up my nose/in my sinuses or choking on water that went down the wrong pipe.

The only way I can describe it I have a slight feeling of panic of water going up my nose the moment I tilt my head upward with water in my mask. I know I'm safe, but when I try to exhale, through my nose, it does nothing to the water in my mask. My instructor is telling me that I'm not blowing through my nose enough, and I'm exhaling too much through my mouth.

He took me aside for a few minutes and had me take my regulator out, then submerge and try to exhale through my nose while holding my mouth shut. I gave it 3-4 attempts before I started getting water up my nose, which caused that feeling of panic and I had to surface again to clear the water out of nose/mouth.

At this point, I think this is my biggest fear when diving, that I'll be deep underwater and won't be able to surface to recover.

My instructor assured me that he would go over it with me during the next class and we would master it.

In the meantime, I was considering practicing on my own at my local gym's swimming pool.

I did find this article, which seems to go through a few different methods I may have to try.

Techniques and Tips For Mastering Scuba Mask Clearing

 

[M-Cameron]

what i do is any time im flooding my mask, taking my mask off or putting my mask back on...i just exhale constantly out of my nose.

its impossible for water to go in if air is going out, plus that starts the clearing process to vent water from the mask.

 

[Lead_carrier]

Be careful that you aren't lifting or breaking the seal on the top of your mask but your instructor should have caught that if that was the case. I always teach to put slight pressure on the top and then exhale through the nose. Even slightly lift the bottom of the mask if need be. And like M-Cameron said. Always do a slow exhale through the nose and water can't enter.

 

[JackD342]

This will help with part of your struggle, but not all of it: Start exhaling through your nose BEFORE you tilt your head, not after. Otherwise, you will pour water down the back of your throat.

 

[Scuba-74]

Tilt your head back more, so your face and the mask is really at the highest point. And make sure you keep the top of the mask sealed to your forehead.

 

[crcobb]

Another thing that can make mask clearing difficult is if the mask strap is too tight.

 

[purbeast]

This will help with part of your struggle, but not all of it: Start exhaling through your nose BEFORE you tilt your head, not after. Otherwise, you will pour water down the back of your throat.

This is what I do. I also continue to breathe out of my nose while I put my head back to normal orientation.

So for me, with my head in the normal upright position, I put my hand on the top of my mask for pressure, and I start to blow out my nose, then I tilt my head back and keep blowing out of my nose. Then as I start to run out of air to blow out, I straighten my head back out while blowing out of my nose. Once my head is straight, I take my breath of air and repeat as necessary. Usually I do 3 or 4 full exhales to clear it all out.

Just remember - it's not a race to clear your mask first. Take your time.

While I never really had issues with this from the first time I tried it during DSD, in my pool work while I was waiting around for my "turn" to do stuff underwater, I would practice fully flooding my mask and removing it from my head. I probably have done it a dozen times total just while doing pool work and stuff. You will get super comfortable with it.

 

[MattAO]

So I just did this and had issues with mask clearing. I found the solution was a few things. First when you start to get water in your mask or remove it look down. Then replace the mask. Then exhale and as the water leaves slowly look up.

Do it in steps not as a single thing.

Before even the thought of letting the water in gave me anxiety. Now I can remove my mask for a while and just breathe through the reg.

Take it in steps. Look down to start. Look up to finish.

 

[BlueTuna]

Be careful that you aren't lifting or breaking the seal on the top of your mask but your instructor should have caught that if that was the case. I always teach to put slight pressure on the top and then exhale through the nose. Even slightly lift the bottom of the mask if need be. And like M-Cameron said. Always do a slow exhale through the nose and water can't enter.

Lol, at first I thought you meant to not break the seal at the top as I'm letting water in, but no. I don't let water in through the top as I'm exhaling, He did teach us to hold down the top rim of the mask as we tilted out head upwards.
He also suggested I inhale a little beforehand so I have enough air in my lungs to exhale.

I will definitely try to exhale slightly before I tilt my head up.

My one concern about practicing on my own is the article I read mentioned this.. "Remember, new skills should never be attempted without the supervision of a qualified scuba instructor, and you should only practice on your own after entry level certification."

Are they implying I shouldn't practice this until I'm already OW certified?

 

[Angelo Farina]

During my first course, back in 1975, we had to place mask, snorkel and fins on the bottom of the pool (5 meters deep), than start from the surface, dive in holding the breath, swim to the bottom, get the fins on, get the mask on, evacuate the mask, emerge and flush out the snorkel...
After a couple of months of training, it was not very hard. When you master to do that without air supply, doing with a bottle of air is a breeze...