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It does not come natural, it takes practice to get over the panic you are feeling. I have had people just blow a little out of their nose to help keep the water from going up your nose. It come easy for some and some really have to fight it. But if you practice the feeling will become familar to you and it will become easier.
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From DIVERHERB: It does not come natural, it takes practice to get over the panic you are feeling. I have had people just blow a little out of their nose to help keep the water from going up your nose. It come easy for some and some really have to fight it. But if you practice the feeling will become familar to you and it will become easier. ...
thanks.. I have 3 weeks until my open water dive in California.. will need to get in pool and practice..
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Hi Kathy, don’t feel alone on this issue. I have seen many people with the same problem and each of them did different things to get past it. I say this from experience and don’t mean anything by it personally, but women generally have this problem, I have seen a few men with this problem too. Generally women I have talked with don’t like putting their faces in water, but they get past it. Not many will probably agree with me on this but try taking your mask off putting your regulator in your mouth and sit in the shallow end of the pool and practice breathing without your mask. This will help you to learn to breathe through your mouth as opposed to breathing through your nose. this also helps when you are diving with a group of people and someones fin swipes your mask off your face, this happens a lot. Hope this helps.
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Thanks. I was getting real worked up over this. I have actually arranged to work at another session in the pool and hoping can get past anxiety by not coming to surface but working thru it. Which is what I will need to do when in open water.
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Check out the (new diver q&a topics) from July. Another new diver, Rochelle, had issues taking her mask off and much of the advice we gave to her would be helpful for you. (there’s too much for me to try to copy it).
I am a major nose breather and always will be. Sometimes I STILL get water in my nose - after hundreds and hundreds of dives - and I’ve just learned to go with it. Most of the time, I pretend I have a stuffy nose and it really helps me focus on being a mouth breather. Work on mouth breathing when you’re doing chores around the house so you can get really good at it.
The more time you can spend under water without your mask on, the more normal it will seem. If you have a bathtub at home, take your snorkel with you and lay face down.
So check the forum for the tips we gave Rochelle and most importantly, be patient with yourself. Lots of us have been there and you’ll get through it too.
Good Luck!
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Kathy the worst thing you can do is get "worked up" over it. That will just make it worse. Most people are nose breathers so it is sometimes hard to "reprogram" yourself. It will come to you if you practice.
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Yes, do not get worked up about this. Don’t forget diving is to be fun. But also recognize that you are not ready for an open water dive yet until you can stay relaxed knowing you can easily clear your mask when needed ... but don’t let that bother you since it will come. :)
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I know this sounds lame, but just get your mask and get in the tub, if you don’t have your own pool. Either on your back or face down, start with a partial flooded mask and work up from there. Or you can just pinch your nose and blow bubbles out you nose then slowly stop blowing out. Work with it every day and eventually you will get it. This is what we teach at our classes.
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Thanks to everyone for the advise. I have been swimming without mask and breathing thru snorkel and it is getting easier with each day
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A big thanks for all the advise I received.. glad to say I am now a certified Diver.. no issues.. was relaxed and did great.. Catalina Island was awesome.. 50 plus viz.. water temp at 60 feet was 62 degrees.. hope all my dives are that nice..
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get in a pool with a snorkel and swim goggles the ones that leave your nose open to the water and do a few easy laps
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