A year ago I took a "resort course" in Grenada and thought I knew what I was doing. But when I started descending, with an experienced diver, I couldn't equalize even though I kept going up and trying to start over. My right ear got a horrible pain in it and hurt more the further down I went. I probably only got to about 20-30 feet, I'm not really sure, and couldn't deal and had to get back on the boat. I'm going to Bonaire in the next couple of months, but am a little nervous about trying again. Is snorkling just as cool? Would scuba be easier in Bonaire for a beginner because there's a lot to see in shallower water? Any idea why my ears wouldn't cooperate? Thanks for any help...

Lots of reasons why your ears might not have been cooperative -- you might have been developing a cold or sinus infection, your ears may just have been cranky that day, or you may not have started equalizing early enough. Start from the moment your nose goes underwater, descend SLOWLY and keep clearing your ears until you're at your desired depth. If you feel any discomfort at all, come up a few feet and clear, clear, clear (wiggle your jaw, swallow, and only as a last resort pinch your nose and GENTLY try to blow through it -- do not force it if it won't clear, you'll potentially damage the eardrum). Then descend again SLOWLY, clearing the whole time. Never go to the point of pain, and never EVER push past that point -- you may damage an eardrum or a sinus.

And if nothing you do will allow you to descend past a certain point, don't go past that point. The good thing about Bonaire is that there are indeed interesting things in the shallows, so even if you can't get past 20 feet, you can still see fish, anemones, urchins, octopus, young corals, etc. I can happily spend forever in the shallows, poking around in the rubble for interesting critters -- think small, and you'll find all sorts of things living in the little crevices! And I'm told by a number of snorkelers here on the board that the snorkeling in Bonaire is excellent, so don't lose heart if you have trouble with scuba...

Faith

Hi Renee and welcome to the board.
If you have not been diving in a long time it is a good idea to take a refresher course. A good instructor can help you resolve some of your problems and help you to gain/regain some confidence. I have been diving since 94 and I still have problems equalizing at times, it's something we divers have to accept. While the snorkling is good it can't compare with diving once you get comfortable and your bouyancy under control. The diving on Bonaire is super easy and because you can do all of your dives from shore, you can go down as slow as necessary to help you clear. Here is a web site that might help http://faculty.washington.edu/ekay/MEbaro.html

I start equalizing BEFORE my head goes underwater!

Renee,
Since you took a resort course, the instructor may not really have taken time to explain everything completely. I was a fairly reluctant diver, learning it just because my husband loved it so, and also had trouble equalizing.

One thing that helped me, I realized at one point that when I'd go to equalize by holding my nose and blowing, I was also clinching my teeth. After figuring that out and making an conscious effort to relax my jaw, I did much better.

As every one else here pointed out too, when it comes to equalizing, start early and do it as often as you need to!

Renee,
I don't know the answer to your equalizing problem but as an avid snorkeler I can tell you that the snorkeling in Bonaire is incredible!!!!
If you ask a diver they will say that diving is a must in Bonaire, but I can tell you fist hand that there is plenty in the shallows to see if you decide to snorkel instead.
I have seen a seahorse, frogfish, nurse shark, queen angels,french angels, many turtles, octopus, spotted eagleray and much more just snorkeling!!!!! I have also seen beautiful sponges,seafans, seavases, stovepipes, barrel sponges, seawhips and much more. I have to say that I have seen some of my rarer sitings doing a guided snorkel with Renee from the Woodwind which I love to sail on.
You will enjoy the waters of Bonaire no matter weather you dive or snorkel!!! Have Fun!!!

You might want to have your doctor take a peek at your ears, to make sure there's not a structural issue which would prevent you equalizing. I start equalizing as soon as I start down-I'm one of the fortunate that can do it very easily.

The rule, equalize early and often should help you. Keep in mind that a resort course teaches you very little about diving, and more importantly, diving safety. When I did my resort course in Cozumel, I was amazed at how little I was taught. Think about taking an open water course, and doing the referral dives down there. That's what I did, and it was wonderful. Good luck!

Renee,

I broke my nose when I was a kid. As a result, I cannot breathe through my nose very well. I use nasal spray right before I dive to maximize air flow, and make equalizing easier.
Since it was only one ear that was in pain, it sounds like you had air flow in one sinus passage and not the other. I AM NOT A DOCTOR. SEE A DOCTOR FOR REAL ADVICE.
Also, I am a constant advocate for more learning. Take a refresher course. If time and funding permit, take PADI OPen water before your trip.
Even if you have to stay shallow, or just snorkel, you will have a great time on Bonaire. I went for the first time a month ago and think about it constantly.

John

I definitely agree with Bob's post. If you have any difficulty eaqualizing you must get into the habit of clearing your ears BEFORE you even get in the water. This will help open your eustachian tubes and make equalizing much easier once in the water. You should also keep gently equalizing every foot you descend. By the time you get past the first 10 or 15 feet things should be fine. If your ears clog while under, just ascend slowly until you can equalize again...then you should be able to resume your dive profile. We all have trouble clearing at some time so don't feel alone.

Renee:

I would not recommend diving with only a resort course as your certification level. I believe that you MUST have an Open Water Diver certification card to dive in Bonaire. Others- Is this correct?

Once you've obtained your OW certification, you will absolutely LOVE diving on Bonaire.

Have fun.

Yes and no - you can take _another_ resort course while there and dive with a divemaster accompanying you - you can probably take as many resort courses as vacations, but that wouldn't be all that cost-effective.

Resort courses as far as I know are not transferrable and not meant as "certification", so having taken one at one resort does not mean you can go to another resort and not have to take one there. I should think that the liability risks would hardly be worth it for the second resort.

When we were there a couple of weeks ago, a couple we met were taking a resort course at Captain Don's. They loved it, and were planning on getting their OW certification.

I think that's the main reason for resort courses - people can find out if diving is their "cuppa tea", and if so feel better about signing up for a real OW course (either while there or when they get home) and investing their time and money in the equipment.

You can also experiment with clearing your ears as you sit at your computer reading BonaireTalk. Hold your nose, close your mouth and gently force air into your ears, just as if you were 'clearing' them. If your eustachian tubes are open, your ear drums will move and you can feel and hear it. If they do move, you can clear underwater if you start early as noted above. If one, or both, ears don't cooperate after a few attempts, see an ENT to make sure that you don't have a physical problem. I have found that this sort of practise makes clearing in the water easier. Also, pushing your jaw forward when clearing helps open the tubes.

I am going to climb on a soap box here and say, 'please take an Open Water level scuba course before you go to Bonaire and dive.' A refresher course, at least, but better a full course. Resort courses are meant to the bare bone basics for shallow water, they don't make you a qualified scuba diver. That part is for your own safety.

The second reason is that no dive operation on Bonaire will allow you to use their dive gear without seeing at least an Open Water level certification card. So, if that truly was a 'resort course', you will be limited to snorkelling or bootlegging your diving.

I have never been able to clear my ears by holding my nose and gently blowing. The only way I have ever been able to clear is by swallowing and/or moving my jaw back and forth...... works great for me.

On a side note, I was talking to my former instructor about this very topic not long ago. He mentioned that "they" are not recommending the "hold the nose and blow" style of clearing anymore. However, I'm not sure who "they" are.... I assume PADI or DAN or some reputable organization.

Apparently, people are getting hurt by this method. (?)

Anyone have anything on this? Was I imagining things? Or misunderstanding what he was saying??

-dave.

I have stretched an eardrum by 'gently blowing' too hard: the pulse of air at clearing is too much for the eardrum. I suspect one could upset the mechanics of the small bones, the stirrup and else. And thus one's hearing.

Now I try to clear by swallowing with my jaw forward; an interesting muscle control learning process for me-- it doesn't want to happen so I sometimes have to fall back on 'gentle blowing'. Or slow down!!!

Come to think of it, I ruptured an eardrum that way 30+ years ago the only time I dove with a mustache. Bloody mask kept leaking. The eardrum healed fine with no lasting effects. I didn't get the vertigo that can occur when cold water enters the middle ear from the outside.

And while I was lying on the bottom to make sure vertigo wasn't going to happen, other funny things happened. Smokey Roberts was filming lobster life (we were off Provincetown on Cape Cod, MA, in shallow water) in an area where lobsters migrate over a sandy bottom. When I turned to lie on the slope with my forearms, I found that I was looking a goosefish in the eye, He had hold of a small skate which was also being held by Smokey's helper. I had the distinct impression from the goosefish that he really didn't understand all these big animals around him but wasn't about to let go of the skate. The fun of diving: things you can't see in an aquarium.

Glen,

Are you sure that ruptured eardrum didn't cause you to halucinate a bit?? Looks like you might have been narc'ed...... :-)

By the way, I have a full beard and a mustache (circa 1970's), and I haven't had any eardrum ruptures, so I doubt you can draw a cause and effect relationship from those..... ;-)

But it was still an interesting story.....

-dave.

P.S. I'm just pulling your BCD straps a little, Glen!

From someone with messed up sinuses.

I have to clear almost constantly. The only way I can clear is by holding my nose and gently blowing. All other methods do not work. I often clear before and after dives. When I am decending at the begining of a dive (A boat dive in particular) I hold my nose all the way down. Might look funny, but it keeps my ears from exploding. Do what ever works.

I also have found it very usefull to use ear drops. Ask your Doc. about this one. Sometimes a very simply non medicated ear drop is all you need.

I have yet to not be able to dive due to the ear thing, but on almost every dive I have to pay special attention to how, and when I clear.

Good Luck

how do those full face mask work?...i understand one does not need to equalize???

I am a sinus sufferer as well, and generally clear from the surface to about 45-50 feet before things equalize and I can just go about my business. I find that the blowing trick works well, as does the jaw trick. I was recently diving the flower gardens in TX and saw folks using ear plugs.
Anyone have the skinny on those things, how they work, and what good/bad points they might have? I got a wicked infection last year and would love to keep that from happening again.

Thx all!

John,

All I can remember is my OW certification course saying to never use ear plugs.

Les

I agree with Les on the ear plug thing. Everything I've ever read or been told was to stay away from them. They will do nothing but cause damage.... they keep you from being able to equalize correctly.

As far as the full face mask, my wife dives with one. You still have to equalize, trust me. She does it via the "hold the nose and blow" technique. The bask is made such that there's a kind of trough that your nose sits in. By applying pressure to the front of the mask with your hand, it pinches your nose shut. I've never actually used the darn thing, but this is what I remember from the couple of times I've done a "trial" fitting.....

-dave.

Dave~

I totally agree with you about just shallowing, I too can not clear my ears by pinching and blowing. I later found out that it's alot easier to dive with a full face mask just by shallowing, without pushing on the front of the mask. That leaves both hands free to do BCD/ reel line/ camera holding/or just watching my depth by waist computer. etc. I have never suffered any ill affects by shallowing air so as far as I'm concerned it works for me...

Safe Diving, jimini

Another thing that I do every day is to put ear drops in my ears every night to eliminate any germs from growing...they are many divers who miss their last day or two because of hurting ears...So far this hasn't happen to me and I contribute it to using this practice every night.

jimini

Regarding "resort diving" certification, PADI offers a transferrable resort course certification called "PADI Scuba Diver". With this certification you must dive with a divemaster or instructor, and the day's worth of training you do counts towards your PADI Open Water Diver certification.

Jake

Dave,

Understood. As far as the mustache thing, only time the mask kept flooding, only time with mustache. Could have been operator trouble but the two 'only's' were there. I didn't like the mustache anyway.

Halucinating perhaps, narc'd unlikely: only about 20 feet down.

I am not sure if Smokey got any film of the encounter but three of us agreed on the skate and goosefish bit. Well maybe one of us on the look in the goosefish's eye. I was the only one that close to it. Maybe the only one with the same imagination. :–)

Glen,

Actually, with my full beard and mustache, my mask leaks a little all the time. I usually swim around with about a quarter of my mask full. When it gets too bothersome, I clear it.

I guess it's part of the cost of continually living in the 1970s...... I still think I'm living in the "Outlaw" era (Waylon, Willie, Johnny Lee, Mickey, Kenny). Ahhhh.... the good 'ole days :-)

-dave.

Re: Doc's Pro Plugs

Just to jump in here on the ear plug issue... the long-standing admonition against ear plugs while diving is certainly good advise as pertains to standard ear plugs. The pressure can actually drive them so deep into your ear that you cannot remove them, and they prevent equalizing.

On the other hand, I imagine that what John saw on his Flower Gardens trip were Doc's Pro Plugs. They are vented and fit specifically to your ear size. I got a set last Fall and love them. I was also pleased to see that Frank at Bruce Bowker's uses them as well (a little reinforcement from a pro always encourages me). I have always had just a little trouble equalizing. Not a lot, it just seems to take me longer than some folks. With the Pro Plugs, it is much easier. Also, they cut down on the flushing, keeping your ears warmer.

I'm the worst with equilizing my ears. I have to let all others off the boat first. Then my husband (buddy) stays with me as I slowly descend and equalize. I start right when my head hits the water! One trick I have found that works great for me is to tilt your head toward the suface, while trying to equalize. The more nervous you are effects it alot. Bonaire's water is so calm that I don't think you would have a proble with being as nervous. Don't give up. Diving is worth it.

That is problem..... not proble. LOL.

I try to stretch out my neck, and eustachian tubes, well before going in the water. We were taught to stretch our heads left and right to help open them up.

I'm using the Pro plugs for scuba diving as well, makes equalizing a lot easier.

Not for the novice diver but as a last resort, remove your mask underwater and blow through your nose, you're ears will clear almost 100% of the time. :>)

Jim,

An interesting technique!!

It is necessary to remove the mask rather than just blowing through your nose??? Can you just 'release' the bottom of the skirt to give easy air passage??

All,

Here's a link to some interesting articles, written by MDs, on equalizing your ears, etc.

Les

http://www.scuba-doc.com/entprobs.html

Glenn~

Probably not necessary but I think its the little bit of water going up the nose that really make things clear out :>)

jimini

I've found that lifting the skirt will offer a little bit of water up the nose without a bit of positive pressure!!! :–)

I just take 4 hour Sudafed every dive morning.

Advice from my buddy's wife (a doc)...just drink alot of water

But then..I'm a little lazy

I have now been home from Bonaire 5 hours. ;(

I, too, have trouble equalizing. I use both nasal spray (ONLY when I dive...never any other time) and Sudafed.

I also descend slowly...I'm one of the first in the water...by the time my buddy gets in and descends, I'm doing well enough that I can continue with him and we descend the rest of the way together. I equalize every foot of the descent, if not more.

Don't let anybody or anything rush your descent; do it at your own pace! Make sure your dive buddy knows that you have problems equalizing. If you have to abort the dive, do so. Pain is not the objective in diving!

Thanks for all the great info! I went down to Bonaire on a referral last April. On my first dive I had trouble with my ears and gave up. I left Bonaire still a snorkeler and had a wonderful time. BUT... I'm determined to get certified before our next trip this April. My doctor (a diver) recommended Sudafed and a Dristan nasal spray. (My PADI instructor did not.) I had the Doc check my ears for any problems and there are none. I have no problem with my ears here in high altitude (Colorado Mtns.) always swallowing when we travel over the mountain passes to Denver. I'll try your swallowing techniques in a few weeks when I do my dives at the Crater in Utah. Thanks again for all the helpful information. I've printed it for later review.

Good luck, Linda! CArole