How was your first experience with the Mask Removal Scuba Diving Skill?

[Scuba Diving Tips]

How was your first experience with the Mask Removal Scuba Diving Skill?

 

[Bigbella]

There was no difficulty.

My two brothers and I were always rough-housing while snorkeling, as kids, and had to replace many a kicked-off or flooded mask, so that it became second nature. It was really the first "trick," after equalizing . . .

 

[Diverlady13]

I had no trouble with it and it didn't bother me to have to do it. I grew up living either on or near the water (mostly lakes) and am very comfortable in and on the water (other than the fact that I still get seasick). That probably helped. I'm perfectly fine to remove or flood my mask if I have any sort of issue (fogging, pinching, whatever). My husband wasn't as big of a fan of the mask removal, but he did just fine with it. He is not as apt to remove his or flood it though. The only time I really hate to remove my mask is at the aquarium when volunteering. We stir up so much debris while cleaning, I shudder at the thought of all the algae and fish waste getting in/near my eyes.

 

[rmssetc]

How was your first experience with the Mask Removal Scuba Diving Skill?

Very poor.

I've got no problem free-diving or swimming with a mask off, and no problem clearing a gradually flooding mask, but the sudden sensation of water on my face when I remove my mask while I'm breathing underwater on SCUBA induced near-panic. I worked on it with my OW instructor (probably too little), then with the @The Chairman during a trim&buoyancy lesson (much better).

I practice mask removal on most dives, and it requires a very strong conscious effort to keep breathing after the moment the mask is off. I'll typically remove my mask, pretend to clean it, etc. to practice keeping it off for several breaths, then replace & clear it....but it's still hard.

My cat says that you can also become accustomed to the sensation by showering while wearing a mask and breathing through a snorkel, then removing the mask and letting water hit your face (particularly nose)...but that must look so silly that I've got to take my cat's word for it and won't say whether I've done such a thing.

Look up "mammalian diving reflex" for info on the physiology behind this response:
Diving reflex - Wikipedia

 

[Jay Adams]

There was no difficulty to report.

My two brothers and I were always rough-housing while snorkeling, as kids, and had to replace many a kicked-off or flooded mask, so that it became second nature. It was really the first "skill," after equalizing . . .

I didn't have a brother kicking off my mask, but I too had a lot of mask clearing when I was younger, mask too big, and learning to put them on under water

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

How was your first experience with the Mask Removal Scuba Diving Skill?

For the love of God Marcel show videos performed neutrally buoyant.

 

[Jonn]

I’m mostly worried about my contact lenses floating out with my eyes immersed, so I close my them and work blind. I don’t really need vision to do the sorts of things that need doing with the mask off so it’s not a problem. I certainly don’t experience any weird phobias or anything!

 

[Esprise Me]

Welp, I'll admit it. Mask removal was terrifying for me. It was scarier than having my air turned off and watching the needle drop to zero while the resistance increased. I knew, intellectually, that I could still breathe, but my body didn't quite believe it when all that water hit my face. I wasn't a swim champ before, but I'd spent plenty of time in the ocean, been snorkeling with a leaky mask, opened my eyes underwater, all without issue. Somehow this was different. And I don't think it's a weird phobia or anything to be embarrassed about.

 

[TMHeimer]

It was easy. I snorkeled for decades before OW course, so the airway skills presented no problem. Also, some are nose breathers, some are mouth breathers. I always considered myself a both breather.

 

[yle]

It's not just the water hitting the face, but also the sudden loss of sight (since most people close their eyes when removing their mask.) Since our sense of hearing is already inhibited when underwater, suddenly losing sight leads to serious sensory deprivation which can send the brain into a spin. Keeping eyes open can help... but then it means open eyes are hit with cold water.

Unfortunately, this tends to cause people to get their mask strap tangled up after removing the mask, which pushes them closer to panic.

How to mitigate? Fill the mask slowly before removing it; remove the strap first, flip it over in front of the mask; remove the mask and hold the strap in front of the mask; replace just the mask on your face, leaving the strap in front; clear the mask; then replace the strap.