Wet equalization

[groats]

Hi there!
I started on freediving last week and since then I`ve been in the water three times. Back in the pool today, at four meters, it happenend again: I had to equalize but as well water in the nose, so after equalization water was inside of the ears, which is quite painful when back on surface. Thing is: how can i get that water out again? I dove and re-equalized, i shook my head and laid on the side, i tried everything, it just won`t get out for hours sometimes and keeps diving painful... BTW, I`m diving with small swimming goggles yet but will buy a serious mask ASAP.

I know it sounds stupid, but this incident always ruins my concentration and therefore the training....

Thanx for help, Joe

 

[immerlustig]

ouch!

swimming goggles are NOT built for diving!! reason is that since the airvolume inside your goggles gets compressed it needs to be equalised, otherwise you can get masksqueeze! that's a pressure related injury! if you haven't had any problems yet, it only means that your goggles are flexible enough to give in to the pressure of your 4m dives.

a diving mask always has a skirt which encloses the nose, which means you equalise the air pressure inside your mask by simply exhaling a little bit through your nose. you do that continuously during a descent.

i don't water equalise, i was told that's a technique which is applied by some divers on deep-deep dives (+90m or so). you won't really need it in a pool. supposedly the water will get out by itself after a while.

anyhow, read a bit about diving/freediving or buy a book to get some information to avoid hurting yourself. a course is recommended also. unfortunately rather difficult to find.

be safe

roland



p.s. i recommend: "tauchen-noch sicherer" by dr.EHM
you'll very likely find that in a dive shop. almost every diver i know in austria/germany knows that book. it's very good.

 

[groats]

I know swimming goggles are not quite perfect. I will go buy a cressi minima asap (which will be about next week). Really looking forward to it, no more red rings around the eyes! And yes, the water gets out by itself, after half a day or so...

Ciao, joe

 

[JimGlynn]

Before you submerge, hold your nose closed and keep it pinched the whole dive. Or before you equalize on the bottom, exhale slightly through your nose and then pinch it to equalize. Force the water out gently first, then you will not have a problem.
Jim

 

[groats]

dry now

just solved the problem by buying a cressi minima, pretty cool thing by the way, although it looks quite a bit odd, kind of like one of those masks they wear in the musical CATS... Tight and comfortable to wear.

regards Joe