Mask Clearing: Stay Calm and Regain Control

Mask clearing is one of the first scuba skills taught, yet for many divers it never feels fully comfortable. A flooded mask can trigger stress, rapid breathing, or even panic. Worse, many divers stop practicing it after certification, losing sharpness over time. This guide shows how to clear smoothly, remain calm, and regain control even if your mask floods completely or gets knocked off.

Why Mask Clearing is a Critical Skill

• Fogging, leaks, and dislodgement are common and unavoidable underwater.
• Water in the mask reduces visibility and can trigger stress responses.
• If you cannot fix your mask mid dive, the dive may be cut short unnecessarily.
• Clearing calmly builds confidence, control, and resilience underwater.

Why Mask Floods Feel So Uncomfortable

• Flooding stimulates the nasal passages and can trigger a gag or panic reflex.
• Unexpected water movement toward the nose or eyes increases stress.
• Cold water, mask squeeze, or contact lenses can amplify discomfort.
• Anxiety raises CO2 levels, making calm breathing harder.
• The instinct to inhale through the nose may cause choking or coughing.

Proper Mask Clearing Technique

• Press the top frame of the mask gently against your forehead.
• Tilt your head slightly up - you do not need to be vertical.
• Exhale gently through your nose only, not your mouth.
• Keep exhaling until the mask is clear of water.
• Maintain calm breathing and avoid rushing to inhale.
• Practice clearing while hovering, not kneeling.

This method relies on air pressure rather than force. Pulling at the skirt or pressing the bottom often worsens the seal and makes clearing harder.

When Mask Clearing Breaks Down

Some divers, myself included, struggle because of subtle breathing habits. I often exhale through both mouth and nose simultaneously, which fails to build enough pressure inside the mask to expel water. The result is frustration mid dive when water lingers inside. This “simple” skill often reveals whether you are truly in control or just repeating motions.

Full Flood and Mask Removal

Sometimes a mask gets kicked off or floods completely. Handle it calmly by:

• Pausing and breathing slowly through the regulator.
• Closing eyes if water exposure causes stress.
• Retrieving or replacing the mask (a reason to carry a backup mask).
• Checking for hair or hood trapped in the skirt before reseating.
• Pressing the top of the mask and exhaling gently through the nose to reseal.
• Regaining trim and neutral buoyancy before continuing the dive.

The key is not to rush. Trust your breathing even when “blind,” and restore vision only once calm control is re established.

Practice Strategies

• Start in shallow, calm water.
• Work up from small leaks to full floods.
• Always practice clears while hovering in trim.
• Include at least one clear during safety stops.
• Remove and replace your mask once per dive to stay sharp.
• Have a buddy film your practice to spot technique issues.