“I Was So Foggy” — Woman Shares Scary PSA on Full Face Scuba Masks and How She Almost Died

A respiratory therapist's cautionary tale about a particular type of scuba gear will probably have you think twice before you hit the sea in search of some up close and personal looks at coral reefs and gnarly-looking fish.

Or, at the very least, doing that while wearing a full scuba snorkel mask.

According to Maria (@mskimmerling), she had a trying time while wearing one of these bad boys during a recent scuba excursion. She says that while in Jamaica enjoying some snorkeling while wearing a full face mask, she ended up becoming disoriented in the water.

It was almost as if she was just learning how to swim. Later on, learned why, and now she's urging folks to avoid these masks like the plague.

"So this is story time with Maria right now. I've been seeing on the news and stuff where a couple passed away in Hawaii while snorkeling and they were both wearing full face masks. Well, I just want to tell y'all about a scary story that happened to me and I just want to warn everyone about these masks," she says.

She continues with her cautionary tale: "I was snorkeling in Jamaica. We were pretty far out and I started feeling really strange. You know the scenery was so beautiful. We were having a great time, but I just started feeling really strange. And I was like, 'It's just because I'm out of shape.' So I tell my husband I'm kind of dizzy, disoriented, and I work my way back."

The TikToker goes on: "And I think OK, I'm just out of shape. So the next day, crazy me, I put the mask back on, we go back out. In about the same spot that I was the day prior, I get even more dizzy and more disoriented. But this time was different like I couldn't even focus on anything. I pulled the mask up. I threw up everywhere in the water."

She breaks down the terrifying scenario, and it doesn't sound like something you'd want to ever experience while going out and scuba diving. "And it was like I just couldn't catch my breath. So I tell everyone I'm like I'm gonna swim back to shore and I'm a pretty strong swimmer but as I'm trying to swim back to shore, I keep like bumping into coral and I ... can't get around," she says.

So not only is she having difficulty breathing, she can't even get her bearings while swimming, which is strange because she calls herself a "pretty strong swimmer."

"It was like I just couldn't hardly make it. I could finally see where I needed to go and it was like, I was so foggy by this time, I could barely make it," she continues.

Running out of steam and floundering through the water, Maria decided to reach her hand up in what sounded like an instinctual signal for someone, anyone, to help. Thankfully, there was a person there to assist her: a benevolent kayaker.

So what was the cause of Maria's harrowing encounter? She believes that the full face mask she wore while snorkeling spiked the levels of carbon dioxide she was breathing in.

"And I was holding my hand up, and someone in a kayak had to actually come practically save me. So I just want to heed a warning to everyone: Do not put the full face mask on your children. Do not put them on yourself."

"I'm actually a respiratory therapist and I think my CO2 had risen so high. I think it was at very dangerous levels. So I just want everyone to be warned," she says at the end of the clip.

Other snorkeling enthusiasts chimed in with their own bits of advice in the comments section of Maria's video. One person remarked: "I just wanted to add, if you have an improperly fitted snorkel mask or too narrow tube, the same thing can happen. When snorkeling, float rather than swim. Feel dizzy — STOP. ROPE is also a concern."

It seems that others have heard about the dangers of full face masks when snorkeling from other divers: "We went snorkeling on a catamaran, the captain did not allow anyone to bring full face masks on the boat with them. He said they have been too dangerous."

Another person shared a tragic tale of someone who died while snorkeling on their son's wedding weekend in Hawaii: "My close friend’s dad died the SAME WAY in Hawaii. It was horrible. It was on his wedding weekend. He was in the news. I am SO GLAD you’re making this PSA because I tell everyone … no full face mask!"

And someone else remarked: "We went to the Turks to do deep blue snorkeling and they WILL NOT allow you to use full face mask. They say they are not safe."

Have you ever gone snorkeling with a full face mask? What's your verdict on them?