So what if my mask is on my forehead - dmdoss

[Vercingetorix]

Like sex, politics, and religion, discussing wearing the mask on the forehead is a social conversational taboo. One man, dmdoss, dares to issue the challenge. Let us discuss.


I see no reason that such an act of rebellion would make a diver a pariah among peers.

Dive Training magazine (Oct 2006) discusses the issue in depth.

Let's get these out of the way:
1. "It indicates a diver in distress". B.S. Does dmdoss looked distressed to you? If he were anymore relaxed, he'd fall asleep. While divers gather on the surface prior to descent, they are not distressed. If they are, they need to abort that dive NOW. Heck, they ought not to have giant-strided off the dive boat. At the conclusion of the dive, as the diver surface-swims towards the exit point or walks on the boat, beach, or dock, the diver is clearly not distressed.

There are other actions in the behaviour cluster other than mask on forehead. Flailing about. Throwing the mask and reg away. Screaming. Splashing on the surface. Pay attention to those signs

2. "There's a better chance of losing the mask if struck by a wave". OK. But this is a personal choice. If I choose to lose my mask this way, then so be it.

3. "We've ALWAYS done it this way. It's the way of NAUI, PADI, SDI, SSI, ABC, XYZ,..." Oh, please...

My opinion FWIW: a diver may wear the mask anywhere he/she chooses. On forehead. Around back. Around neck. Wherever. dmdoss, I applaud you.

Now. Give me a moment while I don my flame-retardant wetsuit.

Flame on.

[Splitlip]

Vercingetorix has said it all, and quite well.

No flames from me.

[BSea]

I agree. I pull mine down around my neck when I surface in a lake. That way I can't lose it. I'm not DIR, more like DWFR (Do What Feels Right). But all those who complain about a mask on the forehead, just go soak your head. . . . . . . .Hey, that's a good idea, Might need to go soak mine for about an hour or so about 30 feet below. But I think today is Honey Do Day, so no diving for me.

[WaterRat]

I wear mine backwards when not under. Besides not having a nose on the back of my head to hold it on, it's almost as secure as wearing it correctly.

Ron

[Queen]

My mask has resided comfortably on my forehead since I started snorkeling when I was a kid. I would pop to the surface, shove my mask up and yell towards shore "hey dad, do starfish bite?", pull the mask back down and disappear to chase the fishies.

[texdiveguy]

I have been know to slide that pup on my forehead in 'lakes' upon surfacing to take a second to clear the snot from my nose!!

[medic001918]

Originally Posted by Splitlip

Vercingetorix has said it all, and quite well.

No flames from me.

Agreed.

Shane

[DougNR]

Now if you had posted this on "that other board" you would probably get that flame you were looking for. This is one of the things I really like about the ST forum.

IMO the mask on the forehead is just one more 'thing' used to criticize others. I see more perfectly comfortable divers on the surface with their masks pushed up than otherwise, and if they were in a panic there were much more obvious signs than where the mask ends up, which as often as not might be completely off and lost.

The May/June issue of ALERT DIVER commemorated Richard Vann as Diver of the Year for Science, and a photo shows him at the surface with - you guessed it, his mask perched on his forehead. The caption even had to make a jokeing comment about it.

Bottom line - a pushed up mask might be one sign of many to factor into the big picture for a particular situation, but is not in and of itself a sign of distress. Again, just my opinion.

Now - go dive with your mask pushed up on your forehead while you're on the surface. At least you'll be in the water!

[thesmoothdome]

No flames from me because if someone is happy, someone's happy. The only thing I'd point out that if lifeguards and DMs are trained to look at this as a distress signal they'll have to do at least a double take to make sure that person is not in distress. Odds of something bad happening somewhere else during that time: slim. Possible: yes.

[ScubaToys Larry]

Ok.. I just have to share. So there I am at Lake Travis, on my back, slowly kicking along with 4 students I have. Mask on backwards proudly showing off the ScubaToys Logo. We're relaxing, taking in the day, and talking about the dive we've just finished. Some guy with more Patches and chevrons on his jacket than logs in his book is standing on shore and yells over to me, "Hey Buddy! I'm a trained Rescue Diver and a mask on your forehead is an international sign of distress!!"

I smile, reach down and pull out my knife and start cleaning my blade, and shout back, "Well then sport - you're a rescue diver, why don't you come save me?"

He walked away... I smiled some more.