Snorkeling - Popping your ears???

[bambam]

By all accounts, I'm a fish in water, and I have snorkeled from Key West to Hawaii. One thing I can't get a hold of is the pressure on my ears when I dive down to take a pic. What does one do to release this pressure???? Is it like popping your ears on an airplane - hold your nose and do a light blow??? Thanks in advance....:D

[CruiseKing]

By all accounts, I'm a fish in water, and I have snorkeled from Key West to Hawaii. One thing I can't get a hold of is the pressure on my ears when I dive down to take a pic. What does one do to release this pressure???? Is it like popping your ears on an airplane - hold your nose and do a light blow??? Thanks in advance....:D

You are correct. That is exactly what is taught to divers when getting their Open Water Certification.

[Gaston]

Although I completely agree with Bruce on this issue, another option is a good swallow. I always pinch my nose to release pressure at depth while diving. In fact, I bought a new mask for my Enchantment cruise on 12/19/2005. My old mask had a plastic ring around the front which made it hard to pinch properly. Anyway, on one of my dives during the cruise, I couldn't seem to get my ears clear so I swallowed and viola! Unfortunately, while snorkeling, time is of the essence as opposed to diving where we can stop at varying depths to clear our ears. You have perhaps 30 to 45 seconds to dive down, take the picture, and get back up before you run out of air. So, give a good swallow a try and see if that helps.

[iamkidc]

Clearing your ears and swallowing both work well. You could also try yawning (without opening your mouth of course) or moving your jaw from side to side. I find this help me a lot when I have trouble clearing my ears while diving.

[NM_Eman]

You might also try a light valsalva maneuver (pinching nose, blowing out...) at the surface just before you dive down. The slight over-pressurization will probably carry you to the depths your going, unless of course your a really good free diver. :D

[bambam]

You have given me the info I seeked.... I can go 40+ feet down, and one time I tried popping my ears by pinching my nose and blowing, but that made it hurt worse (but I was already at 35 feet or so...guess I need to do it on top or as I'm going down... Thanks again!!:D :D

[NM_Eman]

Basic physics here. The pressure in salt water increases by one atmosphere by about 33 feet. That means at that depth there is twice the pressure on your ear drums. The first 15 feet are the most vital in starting your equalization. The slogen we teach scuba students is "equalize early and often."

 

By the way many of the folks we used to work with in Belize regullarly would free dive to 70 feet and stay down for 3 minutes actively hunting conch and lobster. Now those guys are fish!