Mask on Forehead reliable distress signal?

[Lonefox]

I just completed my O/W cert this weekend. I found it a lot more comfortable to put the mask on my forehead when floating around that around my neck but my instructor said that I owed him a 6-pack of beer every time that I did it. If he had collected my debt, he would have got several cases.

I don't see the harm in it but I'm a newbie.

Trust me, when it falls off, you probably won't feel it go, and they don't float. Generally you can't tell where you were when it fell off, and unless you are very lucky, it's time to cancel the dive, and apologise to your buddy for being a numpty. I know, cos I've done it, and it wasn't a cheap mask either. After bobbing about on the surface for 30 minutes while my buddy did his best to try to spot it in 2 metre vis, I had to concede defeat, the afternoon dives were stuffed as well as there was nowhere to get a replacement in time.
If you aren't distressed when it's on your forehead, you will be when you realise that it isn't anymore!!

 

[Tortuga68]

^ Sounds like a good reason to carry a backup

A mask decreases your field of vision

True. Although this is just another reason why I like my clear atomic aquatics frameless - I know some people prefer black masks & for good reasons, but there's hardly any FOV decrease with the clear

PS This thread is gold!

 

[String]

A mask on forehead isnt a sign of distress. A mask ripped off the face whilst arms and legs are going everywhere whilst screaming is a far more accurate sign of a problem.

If someone wants to put a mask on their neck then of course they can. If they want to put it on their head as its more comfortable then of course they can. Mask position means absolutely nothing. The individual can decide what they want to do and when.

Hell, if they want to wear 1 on their neck, 1 on their face AND 1 on their head i dont really care.

 

[wardric]

^ Sounds like a good reason to carry a backup




True. Although this is just another reason why I like my clear atomic aquatics frameless - I know some people prefer black masks & for good reasons, but there's hardly any FOV decrease with the clear

PS This thread is gold!

... plus, it's got the usual Atomic Aquatics build quality...

I wonder if the 1000th poster in this thread will get a free mask :huh:

 

[Tortuga68]

heh

PS Was this the 1000th post? What, 900 to go? Damn

 

[I Dive]

I'd be much more concerned if a person removed their swiming suit and placed that on their forehead...

 

[D_B]

Here's a point to consider that was recently brought to my attention.

What do the Life Guards your area think about MOF?
... at the local area beaches where we dive, they notice and look at someone with it there, and then continue their scan after they see that the person is OK .. I find it inlightening and will be even less inclined to put my mask up knowing that I'm taking away a tiny bit of the Life Guards scan time ... something to consider

 

[Tortuga68]

What if it was Ursula Andress?

Or Christian Bale?

(didn't want to typecast you I Dive)

 

[Walter]

Thanks for directly answering my point.

You're welcome, Anthony.

My logic was that your field of vision with your mask on is actually greater above water than below.

I believe it is the same.

If my FOV is acceptable for the underwater portion of the dive, it's acceptable above water for a few moments.

Why assume it's a few moments? On many dives, it's no time at all, as I surface on the ladder. On other dives, there's a long surface swim (beach dive) or a long wait for the boat to finish picking up other divers and come to pick you up (float dive).

I just couldn't be bothered and tend to leave it in place till I doff my gear on the boat or beach.

On a beach dive, I usually drop my mask around my neck when I start the swim to the shore or, if I swim to shore underwater, when I stand up I drop my mask around my neck and remove my fins before exiting the water. When diving from a boat, I drop to the bottom of the ladder, remove my fins, put them on my wrist, remove my mask, put the mask in a fin pocket, blow my nose, surface and exit the water.

 

[wve]

When diving from a boat, I drop to the bottom of the ladder, remove my fins, put them on my wrist, remove my mask, put the mask in a fin pocket, blow my nose, surface and exit the water.

I assume that's when conditions allow it.

Last time I was diving from a boat, the waves were high and the boat was rocking so much that climbing the ladder to exit was like trying to stay on a bucking bronc. Most everyone kept his or her mask on AND regulator in until well onto the boat and no longer in danger of being thrown back into the water.

In calmer conditions, there is no telling where my mask might be. Heck, now that I'm well into my 50's, I'm always looking for the darned thing.