BREAKING THE MYTHS. FULL FACE-MASK DIVING

Text By Duncan Pattenden

FULL FACE MASKS (FFMs) have been around for many years, traditionally seen only as part of Technical Diving Equipment. If you ask most experienced divers what they think about FFMs, they will probably tell you that FFMs should only be used by commercial divers because they’re complicated and have many issues. These issues include: difficulty breathing and equalising, high air consumption, and the possibility of CO2 build up, free-flowing, and flooding. Well, I was one of those divers who believed some of these myths.

In September 2024, I was invited to the Ocean Reef Factory in Genova. It was an opportunity to meet Mr Sergio Gamberini again and find out what all the fuss was about over the new Neptune III FFM. This also provided me with a chance to dive the famous Nemo’s Garden; an underwater greenhouse situated 60km south of Genova in a beautiful town called Noli.

Having been in the dive industry since 1983, I was developing a “been there, done that” attitude. What could Ocean Reef possibly bring to the table that would expand my love of diving in our wonderful oceans? I went to Italy in the hopes of finding something new and exciting Getting reacquainted with Mr Sergio Gamberini and meeting his wife, son, and grandson, I realised “WOW, what a passionate family man” I found myself humbled by the success of this family-driven business, which started along with many other greats of the dive industry shortly after the Second World War. I invite you to visit the Ocean Reef website and read their history and adventures: wwwoceanreefgroupcom.

Before leaving for Italy, I completed the online theory for the Neptune III FFM, Space FFM, and the Underwater Communication Systems. I was surprised by the amount of information it contained, and it took longer to complete than I expected, leaving no room for errors. As with SCUBA diving, I realised that you will get the most value by attending the FFM course, no matter what your skill level of diving is.

With the theory complete, I printed my two certificates and departed for Italy, feeling a bit apprehensive and wondering if I had done enough preparation. I must mention that Ocean Reef is not a certifying training agency, but instead, as an instructor, they provide you with specialised knowledge and tools to enhance your instructional capabilities and make your courses even more valuable to your students.

The first day started early at the Ocean Reef headquarters’ heated indoor pool in Genova Two course directors, Rene and Andy, observed us five candidates doing our best to be as smooth as possible. After two days in the pool with expert guidance, it didn’t take long for all five of us to feel comfortable with our newly acquired skills. Classroom presentations were received and given, exams passed, and it was time to travel to our new dive site; Nemo’s Garden.

Unfortunately, the fun stuff would have to wait, as a score of four out of four had to be achieved during our practical evaluations. Anything lower than this, and you cannot progress to the Instructor Trainer Level I had not travelled all this way just to receive another diver’s certificate, but to make it all the way to the top. Our course directors were strict but patient, and with some hard work, a week later, we all passed. With my Accredited Instructor Course (AIC) under my belt, I returned home to Cape Town, feeling my passion for diving rekindled.

What’s Nemo’s Garden, you may ask? We all know Italians love talking about food. Mix this with Sergio’s passion for diving and his extensive knowledge of the sea, and in 2012, a new project began an underwater garden or greenhouse (See QR code for a must-watch video).

This experience completely changed my perspective on full-face masks In the next issue, I’ll be sharing more insights on their advantages, addressing common misconceptions, and explaining how they can enhance your diving experience. Stay tuned!