Hey everyone! 🌊 Welcome to my blog! For those of you who are new here, I’m Gabriella, and I’m thrilled to share a bit about myself and my journey.
Read MoreDiving with My Dad: A Journey Back to the Ocean
I learned how to scuba dive with my dad, and though he stopped diving years ago, we recently had the chance to explore the ocean together again for the first time in almost ten years. 🩵🤿 We went diving in French Polynesia, creating unforgettable memories.
Read MoreHow to Prepare your New Dive Mask Before Diving for the First Time
Burning a new dive mask I’m gearing up for a dive trip, and with my usual routine of packing two of everything in case of any mishaps, I've just added a new Cressi Super Occhio dive mask bag. Before I hit the water, it's time to prep this mask so it's ready for action.
Read MoreCosta Rica Jungle Adventure
Our 2024 Costa Rica adventure was an unforgettable experience filled with romance, thrill, and natural beauty.
Read MoreDiving with Mola Mola in California: A Surreal Experience
Encountering a sunfish, or mola mola, was one of the most surreal diving experiences I’ve ever had. These fascinating creatures develop their truncated, bullet-like shape because the back fin they are born with never grows. Instead, it folds into itself as the enormous creature matures, creating a rounded rudder called a clavus. The name "mola" means "millstone" in Latin, describing the ocean sunfish’s somewhat circular shape.
Read MoreDiving in the Blue Hole in New Mexico
Diving in the Blue Hole in New Mexico is a unique and exhilarating experience that every diving enthusiast should try. Nestled in the high desert, this natural wonder offers a stark contrast to the typical ocean dives, providing a freshwater oasis in the middle of the arid landscape.
Read MoreDiving with Kelly Young in Key West | Hand Spearing fish in murky water (catch, clean & cooking over primitive fire)
I went diving with Kelly Young a few weekends ago in Key West. I was busy taking pictures of mangroves and crabs but she was hand spearing mangrove snappers in murky water and the made dinner over the fire in the backyard! She prepared it with pineapple and Valentine Thomas’ Bahama Mama blackened spice mix and it was 🔥
Read MoreFree Dive For Longer! Must Know Exercises & Tips For EVERY DIVER
Salt Life Video - Let me walk you through my most effective exercises to free dive for longer. I focus on breathing techniques, stretches, exercises for depth, and more. Make sure your buddy knows what to do and stay safe- happy diving!
Read MoreThe Daily Salt - Get to Know Me Better
‘‘The Salt Life has always come naturally to one of our newest team members, Gabriella Gerbasi. The French-Canadian native and self-proclaimed “ocean child” has been diving for as long as she can remember. She first became a PADI-certified junior diver at the age of 12, and by 14, Gabriella had a full open-water certification.’’
Read MoreSisters of the Tide
We all come from the sea, but we are not all of the sea. Those of us who are, we sisters & children of the tides, we are bound by sand, salt, sea and we must return to it again and again 🧜🏼♀️🌊
I love how diving and the ocean forms bonds with people. Ocean people are my people. We still like to play just like when we were kids meeting after school. We look outside in the morning and when the weather’s nice and the water is calm, we make plans to spend time outside, no phone, no distractions. Just friends, nature and stories to tell.
New Dive Mask Pre-Treatment
I recently shared a video on TikTok showing how I was taught to prepare a new dive mask to make sure it doesn’t fog while diving. It got so many reactions and comments because a lot of people never new you had to burn your dive mask. New masks require pre-treatment before you dive with them because they leave the factory with an invisible protective film coating the tempered-glass lenses. Left untreated, a mask is prone to fogging.
Many divers are adamant that using fire to burn the silicone coating off the lenses is the most effective way to pre-treat your mask. It may seem counter-intuitive to your shiny new mask but when done correctly, it can be very effective.
You can only use this method on masks made of tempered glass and which do not have bifocal lenses.
Here are the steps to prepare your mask like I did in the video:
Find a sheltered area at the dive site or on the boat if you’re outside. Don’t position yourself on a windy dive deck where the flame will dance in the wind. You must be precise to make sure you don’t damage the mask’s skirt and frame.
Try to use a lighter that has a mechanism at sufficient distance from the flame. Unlike using it for a second to light a cigarette, you’ll need to keep the flame ignited for at least several seconds and you don’t want to burn your fingers or the mask’s skirt.
An ideal tool is a wand-style lighter for candles or barbecue grills that’s got a longer stem and keeps your fingers far away from the flame. If you’ve got one at home, burn your new mask before your trip.
Hold the lighter’s flame close to the inside of the lens, but not directly in contact with it. Begin at approximately 1.5 to 2 inches (35-50 mm) away from the surface.
Gently move the flame around the center of the lens in a continuous motion. The intense heat from the flame will make the mask fog and blacken slightly, but you will be able to see the silicone burn away and leave a clear area. When moving the flame closer to the frame be extremely careful not to get too close to the edge or you may burn or deform the skirt.
When you’re done, remember that the lenses will be hot. Put the mask down on a safe surface where it will remain untouched for 2-3 minutes. Wipe any soot away using a tissue or cloth. Make sure to wipe the soot away from the skirt without smearing it, especially if you have a clear or pale skirt. Once the mask is completely cool, rinse it with water to remove any remaining residue.
After using the lighter, I used some toothpaste with no microbeads.
Gently squeeze a small, pea-sized blob of toothpaste into the center of each lens on the inside.
Firmly rub the toothpaste around the inside of the lenses with the tip of your finger until you’ve worked the paste into all parts of the lens. In contrast to the burning method, there is no danger in going right to the edge of the lenses where they meet the skirt.
When done, put a small amount of water into the mask to cover the lenses.
Thoroughly rinse your mask and repeat two or three more times. The greater the repetition, the less chance you’ll have a foggy mask or condensation on your initial dives.
Need a New Mask?
Find everything you need for your next diving adventure in my Amazon List of essentials.
So let me know in the comments on the video, do you burn the lense of your new dive masks? If not, how do you prepare it?
Ready to Start Freediving & Spearfishing ?
Read my previous blog post about my favorite gear to either start or upgrade!
Dive Babe & Spearo Essentials
The following list is for all the dive babes and spearfishing aficionados. Whether you’re already a scuba diver that wants to get into freediving or a freediver that wants to start spearfishing, here are a few essentials to get you started or to upgrade your equipment.
Read MoreShop my Essentials on Amazon
Ocean child passionate about ocean conservation, imperfectly sustainable ocean advocate. Visit my #amazoninfluencer page where I’ve listed a selection of my favorite beach, travel & diving essentials from sustainable fashion to clean beauty. These are brands, companies and products that I like and use everyday.
Read MoreFreediving & the Art of Letting Go
I recently started my journey into freediving and so far, it’s been magical. Freediving offers more opportunities to see marine life and it’s a great complement to scuba diving.
I like freediving because it’s the most direct and intimate way to connect with the ocean. Freediving is all about letting go, all the distractions of life are left at the surface.
Read MoreBahamas Adventures - Caribbean Reef Sharks
When I first started diving, I never thought I would ever jump in the water on purpose to swim with sharks. A few year later, here I am observing and diving with sharks in the ocean. I discovered that they are not only fascinating creatures, their symbolism also really resonated with me.
Read More