How do you not get water up your nose when you remove your mask?

[bygolly]

@Walter....very nice....best approach I've ever heard of. I remember doing many of those things when I learned in '79. I didn't think much of the skills then, but I appreciate them now.

 

[scubadiveilat]

Water as they is everywhere. They to this skill is to keep calm and relaxed. Breathe normal and exhale from the nose excessive water. keep your head leveled not looking up position. Practice and practice. Have fun with it!!! And you'll see the difference.

 

[MisterPG]

Great thread, everyone. And, thank you, bygolly, for the link to this..... A lot of good stuff to practice in the hot tub

 

[lowtech]

This is something that another board member mentioned some time ago,
and I think it's worth repeating.

With no mask breathing visualize
sipping hot soup while inhaling
blowing out birthday candles exhaling

 

[inventor]

This is something that another board member mentioned some time ago,
and I think it's worth repeating.

With no mask breathing visualize
sipping hot soup while inhaling
blowing out birthday candles exhaling

I believe that be wicked smahtness.

 

[Insta-Gator]

SO..I see me standing there with my eyes shut tight..sucking water up nose and choking..please tell me this is not the case.

Lots of good practice skills mentioned here. Common theme is keep head horizontal. The two most important skills you can learn in scuba (in my opinion) are breathing and buoyancy control. If you can master your buoyancy and remain horizontal and have control of your breathing, you won't have a problem removing your mast. I've seen too many people who will stop swimming (at depth) turn themselves vertical to remove their mask for cleaning then don the mask and clear. If you can incorporate your buoyancy control into all your skills practice you will be way ahead of the game. As TSandM said in a different thread, "you must trust your horizontalness."

(btw, mask removal is a tough thing to get used to at first so don't beat yourself up about it or over think it into anxiety. You'll be fine. Have fun )

 

[dv]

You probably have all the info you need but..

I just took my OW course and whenever I had my node exposed to the water, I exhaled through it. Also, I found when taking the mask off and putting it back on, a slow exhale through the nose prevented any water from getting in. I always tended to push water up my nose when putting the mask back on, but the exhale solved that issue.

For me, I always time it with my breathing. I make adjustments to the mask during an exhale, and do nothing on inhales. A bit crazy, but it helps me stay relaxed while doing it.

 

[TMHeimer]

dv, As long as it works for you. I believe the no mask removal skill requires 30 secs. mask off. Are you nose exhaling all that time? Also, you mentioned water gets in (only nostrils, I assume) when putting the mask back on. This would appear to defeat the purpose of your exhaling. Easier to just close off the nasal passages. Especially if it were a real life situation.

 

[dv]

No not exhaling for 30 secs.. I just meant that i inhale from the reg and exhale through the nose. When I am putting the mask over my nose and fitting it to my face, I exhale because the water gets pushed up my nose as I press the mask on. Maybe I am not shutting the the nasal passage correctly? I thought I was doing it right because I had no problems with no-mask swimming/breathing, and all the mask removal/replacement skills.

 

[knowone]

I wanted, to attempt to practice, in real world conditions
so I filled up the front load washing machine, then found
I couldn't open the door "ahem" so instead I waited until
the instructor instructed and haven't had to take my mask
off in the few decades that have followed unless I wanted

Or when 'someone' sneaked up behind me, when I didn't wanted