Mask Clearing

[lyonqueen]

I'm on my third week of Open Water Dive class. Tonight is my actual third class. During my second class, I had a problem clearing my mask. Actually we were supposed to take our masks off and then put them back on, underwater. I ended up spitting out my regulator! Thank gosh my instructor was there to help me get through, and I didn't panic and shoot to the top of the pool...just swallowed and choked on water. I've been a nervous wreck thinking about class tonight because of what happened last week. I found this site and am sooooooo grateful for it!!! Like all these people, I thought "I" was the only one. Thank you to everyone for posting their messages as it has helped me to understand what I need to do to get my mask cleared! In addition to my having my hair flailing everywhere in the water!!!! I will be visiting this site very often and will let you know how my class goes tonight!

THANK YOU!
Sheryl

 

[Tavi]

Welcome Sheryl,

Let us know how it goes.

Tavi:tree:

 

[lyonqueen]

Thank you Tavi.

Class last night went much better. I took some time and tried several of the suggestions posted here on the board. The best one for me was to hold my nose as I took my mask off then take one big deep breath and put the mask back on and then using that big breath to clear my mask. I'm going to practice more on just concentrating on "out my nose, in my mouth" to see if I can eventually do it without holding on to my nose like a big wussy! Plus, this weekend, I will be getting my own M,S,F and hopefully the mask will fit better than those we use in the pool. Next weekend is our Open Water Dive! Wish me luck! The first day we are going to do our dives from a boat...the instructor feels we are doing sooooo good!

Thanks again and thanks to the message board, I love it!!! I bragged about it at my class last night!!

Take care and happy diving!

Sheryl

 

[haggis]

Hi Sheryl, if you look back up the posts you'll realise I had similar problems a few months ago. I always found it quite difficult to breath out through my nose and then in through my mouth until I tried a little bit of experimentation. If you breath mostly out through your nose and then a last little puff through your mouth, it is only natural to take your next breath through your mouth as that is the airway that is already open and "primed for action". Anyway, just thought it might help, good luck and persevere...it gets easier I promise!

 

[Tavi]

Sheryl,

Glad to hear it's going so well. Good Luck on your open water Dives. You're gonna Love it.

Tavi:tree:

 

[scubadweeb]

Has jennifercorbitt been back in the water to try out the new mask clearing techniques? How'd it go, girl?

 

[Dawn]

Thanks for the great tips! I can't wait to try the shallow end method of overcoming the fear. I know that's where my biggest fear is. When I clear and still have water, then the panic! But it's getting better. I was ready to try a smaller mask.

 

[lyonqueen]

Thank you all for your suggestions and hints for mask clearing! I ended up in my bathtub with my snorkel and faced my fears!! It worked!

I am now a CERTIFIED DIVER! woohoo!!! I had my open water dives this past weekend...boy was it cold...43 degrees at the bottom! Yikes, in a wetsuit! I will NOT be going back into that cold water without a dry suit!

I look forward to some "fun" diving without the stress of accomplishing skills! My instructor is the BEST!!! Now my husband and I will continue our education and dives on our way to instructor!

Thank you all!
Sheryl

 

[scubadweeb]

Congratulations!!

 

[jobowker]

I wish I knew of this board when I did my OW! I had some serious anxiey clearing my mask. The mistake I made was after flooding, I looked up and inhaled through both my nose and mouth, and things went downhill from there. That night I went home and stuck my head in the slop sink in our basement with mask and snorkel. 20 minutes later there was water all over the floor, I was pretty well soaked, but was finally getting the hang of it. Once I got the hang of breathing out through my nose for the first part of the exhale, and then through the mouth for the last little part, I tended to inhale through my mouth and life was good. I don't enjoy getting water in my nose, so I DON'T look up while clearing my mask, I actually look slightly down. This gets all but the last half inch or so, then I look up to get the last of the water out. Much easier on the nose. When doing it in the ocean, the shock of the cold water made it a little more difficult, so before I went under, I took off my mask and just plunged my head underwater. That got my skin used to the temp. I still partially flood my mask every now and then, mainly becasue I still hate it but don't want to forget what I learned.