snot...

[MisterPG]

Sorry... no polite way to put this... Only done 4 dives, but after every time I come back up and get my mask off, I have to immediately <...sorry...> hork up the biggest "nasal loogie". Now, in order to do this (as most of you will know) I have to forcefully inhale through my nose to draw it from my sinuses and spit it out. Sounds pretty much impossible to do with a mask on at depth, yes???

A) Is it possible to eliminate this, or is it just the nature of having to mouth breathe for half an hour?

B) Is it possible to "hork and spit" at depth in order to regain a sense of comfort?

** God, I can't believe I'm actually posting this here...

~m

 

[tkdgodess]

Wipe snot away discretely. Tell buddy/students discretely if they have snot. Its one of those "don't talk about things" I'd rather be told quietly that I'm covered in snot rather than walk around with snot on my face. It's harder to wipe away snot in drygloves...

 

[Insta-Gator]

Not sure if you can prevent this. Sounds like you may be producing excess mucus. Maybe try some Mucinex DM

But if you just gotta do it, don't spit it overboard where everyone is swimming. It makes a great mask defogger, so don't waste it.

 

[fisheater]

They're often referred to a "mask oysters." Happens all the time. Get used to it.

(They're also the reason why many/most of us refuse to use communal mask buckets.)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Charlie99]

I find this is best taken care of during the dive, or at the latest, at the safety stop.

I just remove my mask, blow my nose while slightly pinching my nostrils, then clean up and replace the mask.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Wipe snot away discretely. Tell buddy/students discretely if they have snot. Its one of those "don't talk about things" I'd rather be told quietly that I'm covered in snot rather than walk around with snot on my face. It's harder to wipe away snot in drygloves...

... or discretely tell your dive buddy to smile, snap off a photo, and then explain that you were documenting evidence of nudibranch smuggling ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TMHeimer]

How about removing your mask at depth, closing off one nostril with your finger (then the other), and blowing it all out before ascending, then replacing and clearing your mask? You must've been taught that in the pool-- I think that it's PADI's 21st Open Water skill, no?

 

[tkdgodess]

water is very cold....my mask only comes off if it needs to..or if my instructor removes it from my face. again. I do try not to gag teaching OW when student does mask skill and a huge "nudibranch" is hanging. (try-not-to-dry-heave) Never mind the pool booger balls....

 

[The Chairman]

Sorry... no polite way to put this... Only done 4 dives, but after every time I come back up and get my mask off, I have to immediately <...sorry...> hork up the biggest "nasal loogie". Now, in order to do this (as most of you will know) I have to forcefully inhale through my nose to draw it from my sinuses and spit it out. Sounds pretty much impossible to do with a mask on at depth, yes???

A) Is it possible to eliminate this, or is it just the nature of having to mouth breathe for half an hour?

B) Is it possible to "hork and spit" at depth in order to regain a sense of comfort?

** God, I can't believe I'm actually posting this here...

~m

Snot a problem!

I blow snot rockets all the time, both above and below the surface. If I can't clear, my mask comes off and I blow my nose, one nostril at a time underwater. If I feel the uber goober developing on ascent, I snot it right out and rinse the mask. After all, it's snot how you feel, but how you look that's really important. Good to get those drippy little hangers away from my face to obey the first rule of diving: Always look cool!

 

[Jax]

B) Is it possible to "hork and spit" at depth in order to regain a sense of comfort?

~m

Yes . . . but I'll never forget the feeling in the pit of my stomach the first time I figured out what the DM was doing . . . .