articles search
- Dive Tips
- A Few Good Tips for Great Underwater Pics
- 10 Diving Tips I Learned the Hard Way
- SCUBA-Free Diving?
- Scuba Destinations
- Go Galapagos!
- Florida's Top 5 Artificial Reef Dives
- Swimming with Whale Sharks: Australia’s Ningaloo Reef
Purge Masks -- Are They An Easy Way Out?
08/26/2008 - By Melissa E. Malka
Ocean Master's Open View Purge Mask
Although I say, “go for it” to everyone who prefers the comfort and ease of a purge mask, I've been reading several threads where divers state that they are “scared to try a normal mask” and to them I ask, what will you do if you lose it mid-dive?"
As a diver that wears contact lenses, I am excited by the thought of wearing a mask with a built-in one-way purge valve, to facilitate equalizing and mask clearing. One of the most disconcerting parts of my Open Water training was having to sit at the bottom of the ocean for sixty seconds with my eyes closed and mask in hand, waiting for my instructor to tap me on the shoulder to let me know to replace and clear my mask. I’m not actually scared of the “not-wearing a mask” part, I’m just afraid to lose my contacts, I swear!
But since those first training dives, I’ve accustomed myself, or rather, the divers that have accidentally kicked my mask off have helped me in getting used to the idea of having to completely clear a full mask, usually with my eyes closed. (My current mask is a TUSA model without a purge valve).
Although I say, “go for it” to everyone who prefers the comfort and facility of a purge mask, I have been reading several threads where divers state that they are “scared to try a normal mask” and to them I ask, what will you do if you accidently lose your mask during a dive (as is common)?
So first things first, a few tips on clearing your mask (this also works to defog your mask mid-dive):
- If you simply need to equalize the pressure (to avoid a “mask squeeze”, that painful headache from pressure buildup in your mask) simply exhale through your nose once, in a slightly more forceful way than when normally breathing. That should sort you out. I usually place two fingers at the top of my mask to hold it in place.
- If your mask is leaking and starting to flood and you need to clear it out just lift the bottom part of the mask (barely) off of your face and exhale through your nose, hard. I tend to “tilt” my mask up so that the top of the skirt is still sealed against my forehead; this prevents more water from leaking in. To facilitate this, lean your head back slightly (whether you are swimming horizontally or vertically) and then follow the same steps above. The theory behind that slight movement is that gravity helps!
- If your mask if fully flooded (as if you’ve just put it back on your face), you may need to exhale a few times before its empty. I just slightly tilt the mask off my face, exhale through my nose, and set it back. I take another breath and repeat until the mask is completely clear (and now fog-free)!
One of the hardest parts of learning to breathe underwater (besides the constantly breathing part) is learning to breathe through your mouth and treating your nose as an annoying ornament with no purpose other than the clear your mask!
Ocean Master makes some pretty cool looking purge masks; they call it their “Equalizer” line (what a clever name!). Here’s a link to their site: http://www.oceanmaster.com/MasksSelection.htm I’ve included a picture of one of their models, an open view model.
Bottom line: Use a purge mask for convenience but be prepared to comfortably clear a full mask, purge valve or not!
--Melissa
melissa@diveshops.com
