How To Clear Scuba Mask

Having flooding problems with your mask and want to know how to clear a SCUBA mask? Great news--it's easy to do, and mastery of this skill can truly be a life saver. Flooding masks are one of the primary causes for panic among divers, and anything you can do to make you feel more in control of the situation is going to help.

To clear your SCUBA mask, you will need:

• SCUBA Certification - This is important! SCUBA diving, while normally a very safe and fun hobby, can be deadly without proper training!
• SCUBA mask
• Full weather-appropriate SCUBA gear
• Water. Lots and lots of water.

Ready to learn how to clear your SCUBA mask? Here you go!

1. Get Certified. Really, this has to be done. Most dive shops won't do anything for you unless you're certified. Certification is fast, fun, and easy, and it can save your life. Additionally, mask clearing is one of the skills taught in all certifying courses!
2. Get Wet. It's easiest to practice this skill when you have some room to work, so get down to five or six feet underwater and kneel on the floor (alternatively, float so that you're maintaining buoyancy above the floor, but still some distance away from the surface.
3. Get More Wet. Flood your mask. You can do this by lifting the seal around your face or completely removing the mask. This is a surprising sensation! Don't panic--remember to breathe through your mouth and keep calm. Keep your eyes shut if you're wearing contact lenses.
4. Reposition. Put your mask back on. Ready for the important part?
5. Clear! Tilt your head back and press on the top-front of your mask, so the mask is being pressed into your forehead. Breathe in through your mouth, and out through your nose. You'll notice that the water level goes down significantly in the mask. Do this a few times to completely clear the mask, and you're good to continue enjoying your dive!
6. Investigate. If you need to do this multiple times on a normal dive, something's wrong. Make sure you have a mask that fits your face. If your mask is fogging, use defogger before you dive, or take Ajax or Comet and scrub your mask's lenses until they squeak. Spitting on the lenses and rubbing the saliva in (followed by a quick rinse!) also helps keep fog away. Make sure you're comfortable and happy on your dives!