Skill demonstration – How to demonstrate Mask Removal and Replacement

Today we will look at a skill that is useful for your PADI Divemaster or PADI IDC course, as it is part of the skill circuit that you are required to complete for both of these courses.

Getting comfortable with the skills require some practice and also to understand the intent of the skill: what it is meant to explain or make our students understand about diving?

The mask skills, including the mask removal and replacement, is usually one of the skills that most people find quite difficult to master. New divers tend to find it uncomfortable to have water in the mask or the mask off their face.A good tip if your student is not too happy about this skill is to have them practice breathing with no mask at the surface, so just put their face in the water with regulator in but no mask on and breathe for a minute or so. It helps them getting used to the sensation and building their confidence.

To make your demonstration look smooth, you can follow these steps:

• Instruct your students to watch you and give them the skill signal
• First step is to slowly flood your mask all the way
• Second step is gently remove the strap and then remove the mask from your face
• Show your students that you are breathing nice and slow from your regulator and that you are holding onto your mask
• Show them orientating the mask with the nose pocket at the bottom before you start replacing it
• Push hair out of the way and replace the mask skirt on your face, then replace the strap. Show that the strap is not twisted, skirt is fitting properly and the snorkel is placed where it should be
• Finally, slowly exhale through your nose while looking up to clear the mask, while holding it in place on your face

During your PADI Divemaster course or your Instructor course you will practice this skill and hopefully these few tips will help you master it!