Can you just hold your nose?

[Skittl1321]

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"?

 

[TSandM]

There is no reason you can't hold your nose, but I can give you some ideas on how to solve this problem so you won't need to.

Water won't go in through your nose if two things are true -- positive pressure is held in the nose (it's full of air) and you don't tilt your head to a place where gravity allows the water to run in by itself.

To work on the positive pressure, here's an exercise somebody here on SB gave me: Sitting at your computer, put your hand over your mouth. Blow into your mouth until your cheeks puff up. Now, without moving your hand, allow the air to escape through your nose. Repeat this procedure until you are quite confident you can feel what you do with the back of your throat to reroute the air, either into your mouth or into your nose. If you lose your mask, and keep all the air going in and out of your MOUTH, you will not suck water into your nose.

Once you are comfortable with that exercise, practice with a snorkel. Put your face in the sink or bathtub, without a mask but with a snorkel, and practice your breathing. There is no difference between isolating air movement with a snorkel and doing it with a regulator, so this is something you can easily and frequently practice at home before your trip.

The head positioning thing is super easy -- don't tilt your head back until your face is looking upward. Many instructors teach that, to clear your mask, you have to tilt your head back. This is TRUE if you are horizontal in the water, because you need to make the bottom of the mask be the lowest point to get all the water out. But if you are pitched 45 degrees head up, as many beginning divers are -- or worse, if you are kneeling and upright -- tilting the head back can orient the floor of your nose such that water just runs down it by gravity. That will make you choke.

So, learn to breathe through your mouth, and keep your face vertical or slightly looking down, and presto! No mask clearing problems. And again, you can practice a lot of this at home in your bathtub.

 

[Skittl1321]

Thanks, I'll try those things. Snorkeling without a mask sounds even worse than scuba, but maybe less frightening if it's in the sink. This is different advice than what Igot in class, because I was told without a mask to breathe in through the mouth (obviously) but out through the nose. As opposed to both through the mouth. I wonder if I'd be more comfortable with this.

I must have a weird face, because water goes in my nose like crazy. I use my upper lip to close off my nose when I swim -I had no idea other people don't do this. No idea where I got it from, but it makes nose plugs unnecessary -, but obviously I can't do that with a reg in.

 

[lindenbruce]

No, as long as you are not holding your breath during an ascent you will be fine. When you think about it, having a mask on your face is kind of like holding your nose anyway. I mean, you can't breath in through your nose with a mask on right. But you can exhale with a mask on. So the same would apply here as well.

Have you thought about carrying a spare mask in a BC pocket? And practice switching those two out to get the skill down pat? Having a mask kicked off by another diver during a dive is possible and happens. However, you can help prevent this by being more aware of your surroundings during your dives.

Think of this, "Head on a swivel". During your dives you are looking for aquatic life right? So, while doing that, do a quick area check for other divers at the same time. Take a mental picture of were those divers are and their last know direction of travel or activity. Use that info to paint a picture of your immediate area and just update that picture continually as you dive. If during this process you see another diver getting close to you just swim away a short distance. Also, keep an eye out on any divers who are erratic during their dives and stay away from those divers. And don't forget to look up as well during your visual scans. So many divers have a tendency to just look at the sea bottom during a dive and are oblivious to what is above them. And last but not least if you see a diver cruising right over your head put your arms up over your head to help protect your mask.

The main reason masks get kicked off is people bunching up during a dive to see something. So being aware of what others are doing will help prevent this. B

 

[TMHeimer]

TS&M: Thanks for that cheek puff method. Must remember that for those who (say they) can't control the passages in there-- ei. re-routing air.

Skittl1321: No matter what you do, without a mask water will always go in the nostrils. If the passage behind the nose is open the water will go places it shouldn't. One thing won't hurt you (though may be unsettling mentally), and the other is a real problem.

 

[razorbackdiver]

I had a problem with the dive shop I started with and took my business down the road. My new shop has a pool but due to distance it isn't convenient to use their pool. My solution was to ask the manager of nearby boys and girls club if I could use my scuba gear at their pool. They said it would be fine as long as I didn't bother any of the members. If you have resources like this near you, ask if they mind. Nothing bets practice and all they can do is say no.

 

[Jon_R]

I don't see an issue with holding your nose as long as you don't need your hand for something else more important. Ignoring your computer / depth gauge and not controlling your ascent rate to hold your nose would be a bad choice.

I am also new to diving and it is good to be prepared but not sure how common it is to actually lose your mask. At least in the diving I do. 60 foot drift dives with 20-70' foot viz. Sometimes when we bunch up usually in the beginning you need to pay attention and protect your reg / mask from fins as people cross but if you can see ( a few feet of viz) I don't see it being a common underwater issue. I just protect it with my hand if fins get close.. My daughter has at times took her mask off on purpose because of hair entanglement issues so maybe it is more common for girls or people with long hair.

 

[MikkelBC]

The issue with losing your mask isn't about getting water in your nose. Like TSandM wrote, you should learn to breathe through your mouth only. You should breathe through your mouth only regardless of whether your mask is on or not. This will also help against your mask fogging.
The real issue with losing your mask is the loss of visibility. It can be really hard to finish the dive safely without a mask because you cannot see the things you need to see. For this reason I second lindenbruce's recommendation to carry a spare mask and practice switching to it. Also try to dive with your spare so that you are sure that it works well for you.
As a practical detail, I can recommend exchanging the rubber mask strap with a neoprene mask strap. That makes it easier to get the strap on when replacing the mask.
Again, practice breathing underwater with a snorkel or regulator in your mouth and without a mask and without holding your nose until you feel comfortable doing that. It can be difficult at first but it is easy once you get used to it.

 

[Skittl1321]

The real issue with losing your mask is the loss of visibility.

At this stage, the issue for me is panic. Not water up the nose, but what that causes.
How do you lose visibility without a mask? At least I've never noticed a difference swimming with mask vs. without one. When I just swim, I don't use goggles.

My mask fogs terribly above water, but I've never had an issue with it fogging under water. I do already have a neoprene strap.

 

[BlackPatch]

At this stage, the issue for me is panic. Not water up the nose, but what that causes.
How do you lose visibility without a mask? At least I've never noticed a difference swimming with mask vs. without one. When I just swim, I don't use goggles.

My mask fogs terribly above water, but I've never had an issue with it fogging under water. I do already have a neoprene strap.

Hey Skittl1321

The reason we lose visibility or, more correctly, the ability to see clearly is the way the eye works. The Eye is designed to see in an Air environment.
At sea level water is 784 times more dense than air, so, placing your eyes underwater removes the ability of the eye to clearly "see" because of waters different density and light refracting properties...make sense so far?
SOOOO... when the ability to see in an OW setting is removed, because you do not have a reference point panic can set in.... a clear dive plan and going over every detail of what you are doing (How deep / How long / what direction / with who / how to call the dive / etc etc) can help alleviate stress by dealing with it PRIOR to the dive.
Also, talk to your Husband, if you don't ever get comfortable with getting your mask off in OW then fine, that way he knows that it remains an issue. Organize a plan for when you want to practice flooding your mask and get your Husband / Buddy to assist or watch over you...He may be on your left or right, might be touching you, might not....formulate a plan and stick to it so you know that support is coming from such and such a direction if required.
Once you are comfortable...Dollars to Donuts your problems will go away eventually and you will not have issues with Mask drills again.

Anyhow, fogging above the water can be somewhat controlled through the use of a "De-Fogging" solution, Dive shops should carry this, online and your local. It works well although I do not use it.

Now I am not 100% sure here, but as you had no issues with Mask drills when in the pool but do in open water, it is not necessarily be the fact that you may lose your mask. It could well be the fact that you are not as comfortable as you may believe you are in the OW.

TS&M has given me advice in the past on issues I have had and her (Lynne's) opinion is often wise and full of information that, once utilized, can help control an issue.

Also, don't beat yourself up so much.... it takes time (especially if you are not in a position to be able to practice as often as you would wish) to cultivate calm when undertaking a real or perceived stressful action or task, it has to be repeated many times for the to body instantly react to an issue without conscious involvement from the Brain.

Try TS&M's suggestions in the bath / Carry a spare mask and cultivate good situation awareness so that you can protect your mask before it gets to the point where it may be knocked off.
Someone also suggested seeing if local pools will allow you to SCUBA. Investigate this as this is great advice.

I wish you good luck and hope you have a great time on your trip.

Pete