Ever "lost" your mask?

[silvernotch]

Almost lost a mask at Dutch Springs during AOW training. On descent I all of a sudden started getting a ton of water in my face. I reached up and grabbed the mask before it came off. The cloth strap was sliding over the top of my hood and was just going to come right off.

 

[Bedros A]

Last month, on a cavern dive, the diver in front of me kicked me..dislodged my mask...my reg and cut my lip in the process...so yea...fun times

 

[BUGBAGGER]

Years ago my mask came off my face while I was assisting to tickle some lobsters out of an awkward hole in the reef.

My dive buddy's gear caught on my snorkel. As he lunged to catch the escaping culprit his gear pulled my mask up and off. I wear contacts, so, I was instantly aware that this could be a difficult situation. Based on training, when I felt the mask loosen and suddenly flood I reached up instinctively and fortunately caught the mask and snorkel just before they were out of reach. I replaced them and went on to catch the lobster's partner.

Some of you are saying "See, that's why I don't wear a snorkel!" but not me. When we concluded that dive and returned to the surface we found that the boat had lost track of us n the drift dive. We arrived at the surface to find that we were in 12-15 rolling waves that were kicked up by a very severe localized storm. Obviously top side visibility was also very diminished. Needless to say, it took a while for the boat to find us even with our surface marker buoys and I was very happy to have my snorkel. My remaining air in the tank might have surficed but I liked keeping it as an extra reserve and using my snorkel as I wasn't sure what more might happen on this day.

Another time a buddy of mine was diving a wreck. For an unknown reason his mask frame cracked and a lens fell out while he was deep in the wreck. He was startled by the sudden loss of vision as his mask filled with water but was still on his face. At first confused he realized what had happened as he reached to clear his mask and his hand went right through where the lens should have been. Fortunately,as a well trained wreck diver (or any overhead environment diver) he was carrying a back up mask. So, he let his clipped light rest as he accessed his other mask and replaced the faulty one. He continued to exit the wreck with his group and none of them were aware what so ever of his experience as he had remained so calm.

 

[diver_doug]

Yup. Around my 10th dive I was at the beach...surf was fairly big but me being the stupid new diver I was I thought "I can handle it"...well the ocean thought otherwise. I got knocked over and my mask/snorkel was ripped of my face never to be found again. Kinda worked out though...I didn't really like my "dry" snorkel and I wanted to get the Atomic Frameless so when I lost my mask/snorkel I had the justification I needed to upgrade.

 

[dmoore19]

I think it was my 4th or 5th OW dive and first night dive. While trying to see whatever the divemaster was pointing out I was bombed from above by the same person 3 different times on the same dive. 1st one she knocked my reg out of my mouth, 2nd time she knocked my mask almost off of my face and the 3rd time she kicked me in the jaw and almost knocked me out. I stayed away from anything the divemaster was pointing out and went looking for my own stuff to see. Plenty of practice during the pool dives in OW training prevented any real problems.

 

[Hatul]

I never lost a mask, but I've wondered if instead of carrying a spare mask, to leash it with a short bungee cord to the sternum strap of my BC.

Adam

 

[k374]

I have never lost a mask, but once when I was shore diving in Laguna Beach in California a very strong wave hit me and broke my mask literally into pieces!!! Unfortunately I am clumsy doing shore entries... I was doing my AOW course and my instructor was like WTF just happened to your mask LOL! I was pissed not only because I had to abort the dive but I paid over $100 for that damn mask. Model was EagleEye SL supposedly a very popular model. Now, I bought the same mask again because it fits me perfect so it's too bad the quality is crap.

 

[AndrewA]

I took a fin in the face when the guy in front of me in a swim through was spooked by a reef shark. I had my second stage knocked out and my mast knocked off. I was able to switch to my necklaced back up reg and caught the mask as it was falling. (The guy in front never noticed anything!)

 

[Guba]

Three times, all in the Gulf of Mexico.
1. Giant strided from the MV Fling (high dive gate) and descended only to find my mask flooded a bit. After repeated clearing, I got a bit exasperated and gave a pretty good puff...and blew my mask right off my face! When I hit the water, the strap rode up onver my head and only water pressure was holding it on. I caught the mask before it got away, donned and cleared it, and went upon my merry way.
2. While hanging on the mooring line, I turned my head and the current shoved my mask around my head. Yup, the current was really a-rippin' that day. It was only dislodged, so I don't know if this counts as "losing" my mask or not.
3. While towing a diver along the tagline, I looked back to monitor his condition. Just as I turned to look forward again, I encountered a short line to a float attached to the tagline, and it dislodged and flooded my mask. Bad timing...I had to clear my mask before I could see to continue the rescue. Took about three seconds, but that seems like a loooong time in those conditions.

 

[ferretchen]

My mask was kicked off of my face during a night dive by a panicking diver. I've also had it dislodged by strong currents. If I were a deco diver, I'd probably carry a spare, but it doesn't seem like a big problem for recreational diving. It has made me a little more cautious though!