Is it normal to see this badly underwater?

[NW6 1TH]

I know it's impossible to have clear vision when not wearing a mask underwater. I had always assumed everybody saw the same I see: nothing at all. But during one of my dives I saw someone lose his mask, and go to the bottom and find it without any trouble (I don't think he could see it falling so as not to lose track of it, since it caught him unawares when someone else kicked it off). If someone's in front of me, at a distance of, say, four feet, I can see a dark blur, but I would never be able to tell whether it's my instructor or a seal, and I think I wouldn't be able to recognise anyone even if he were very close to me, let alone see my mask on the bottom if I lost it. What is the normal thing, being or not being able to do it?

[techdiver]

Take a spare mask.

[Wibs]

You can see colours and roughly make out shapes. You should be able to differentiate the mask from the bottom so there’s a fair chance of recovering it.

But most divers will take a spare mask. Loosing a mask could be life threatening if you can’t read your depth or decompression obligations.

[1st Ade]

I couldn't recognise faces.

But could work out black suit, yellow cylinder, blue fins; that's my buddy!

[Divemouse]

I think it depends on how good you are at filling in the missing details - I think I can see without a mask, but I also think I can see while driving at night without my glasses, which is clearly not true.

[steelemonkey]

I think it depends on how good you are at filling in the missing details - I think I can see without a mask, but I also think I can see while driving at night without my glasses, which is clearly not true.

As shown by the blood stains and dents on the front of the car. Not all of them are deliberate.

[Divemouse]

Only the high up ones

[Nickpicks]

I remember reading an article about a fishing tribe where the kids could see clearly underwater, but as they age, the reduction in flexibility of the lens means the adults have lost the ability.

Just found and re-read it. They managed to teach european kids to do the same, so it appears to be just an age related thing.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/2...-like-dolphins

(Unless you're in Hollywood, in whichcase not only can you see clearly enough to find the key that's been dropped, but hold your breath long enough to find the key, see the lock, get the lock open and rescue the girl who's been chained up and dropped in the lake.)

[steelemonkey]

I remember reading an article about a fishing tribe where the kids could see clearly underwater, but as they age, the reduction in flexibility of the lens means the adults have lost the ability.

Just found and re-read it. They managed to teach european kids to do the same, so it appears to be just an age related thing.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/2...-like-dolphins

(Unless you're in Hollywood, in whichcase not only can you see clearly enough to find the key that's been dropped, but hold your breath long enough to find the key, see the lock, get the lock open and rescue the girl who's been chained up and dropped in the lake.)

Whilst breathing off your inhaler.

[Nickpicks]

Whilst breathing off your inhaler.

Or out of your car tyre valves.