Regulator recovery and clearing is a fundamental skill taught to divers during discover scuba diving and an important skill during your Open water scuba diving certification.
Regulators can be taken out of your mouth. As you become a better diver, you will be more comfortable in taking out your regulator especially for that picture-perfect underwater shot.
Someday you will just take that equipment on the side and easily strike a pose.
This is also an important safety skill for when it gets knocked out of divers’ mouths or snagged on their BCDs.
During certification, divers practice recovery while kneeling on a stable surface, such as the seabed or the bottom of a pool. It’s crucial to practice recovery in more stable conditions.
Here are the key points to remember when recovering your regulator:
Don’t Panic
Remain calm and use the methods you’ve learned and practiced on the surface to locate your regulator mouthpiece.
Continuous Exhalation
Exhale continuously to prevent lung over-expansion injuries.
Avoid holding your breath, because as you remember the first and most important rule in scuba diving is
NEVER HOLD YOUR BREATH and Never Panic
So now let’s get into the methods of regulator recovery
1.Sweep Method
This is the most commonly used technique:
1. Lean to the right to let gravity move the second stage away from you.
2. Extend your right hand in front of you and make a sweeping arc back and right towards the bottom of your scuba tank.
3. The regulator hose should now be in front of you. Bring your arm forward and catch the regulator.
4. Make sure your regulator is in proper position by feeling the bottom part of the regulator and then replace on your mouth.
5. Purge the regulator before resuming normal breathing.
2.Over the shoulder reach technique
This is a more effective but slightly trickier technique:
1. Lean to the right and turn your neck to the right.
2. Reach back with your right hand until you feel the first stage of your regulator.
3. Lift the bottom of your tank with your left hand to see the first stage.
4. Follow the hose from the first stage with your right hand’s thumb and forefinger to find and retrieve the second stage.
3.Secondary regulator
If you can’t retrieve your regulator using the above methods:
Use your spare secondary regulator or octopus, which should be clipped to on your chest
Use it temporarily as you retry locating your primary regulator
Calmly try to locate your main second stage and repeat either techniques again.
Point is to breath, breath continuously, and stay calm
4. Buddy assistance
If needed, signal your buddy to help you find your missing regulator. Use your buddy’s spare regulator while your buddy assists you.
Watch this video by PADI on how to do your scuba regulator recovery and clear skill you will be learning on your confined water session.
Remember To clear your regulator:
1. Exhale sharply into it to expel water from the exhaust valve.
2. Alternatively, use the purge valve with quick bursts to remove water or debris before putting the regulator in your mouth.
3. If using the purge valve while the regulator is in your mouth, block the mouthpiece with your tongue to prevent a burst of air into your mouth. Release the purge valve before inhaling.
Divers should practice all these methods regularly in a controlled environment to stay calm in real situations. Use the method you are most comfortable with and practice more than one technique.