Concerning spit on lenses, John Bird wrote:

> Did you give the lenses the once over with the toothpaste?

Yep.  Scrubbed vigorously, inside and out before the first dive with every
mask.

> Honestly ...it really does work.

Not for me!  Same results with at least three masks in recent years.  YMMV.

> I have used de-fogging
> solutions in the past but found that without a darn good rinse,
> some of them can really irritate the eyes.

True.  Sea Drops warns on the label to rinse before use, and also has a caution
statement that it is an eye irritant.  (Toothpaste, dish soap and baby shampoo
are also eye irritants.)  However part of my ritual is to rinse my mask just
before donning, in the water I will dive in.  I've never had a problem with
irritation, although sometimes the sunscreen from my nose will run into my eyes
and that DOES sting!

> Never tried Sea Drops though. Any idea what's in it?

Label does not say.  Has no odor that I can detect, so probably is not alcohol
or vinegar or guppy oil!

As to cost, a 1.25 oz. bottle cost me a bit over US$3.  (Spit has the edge
here.)  I have been using one bottle for more than two years, so my per-dive
cost is, frankly,  insignificant.

And I have had excellent results in all kinds of water and weather.  I'm a
confirmed WWW, so most of my dives are in tropical waters, but the local quarry
can get down into the 50'sF and I have no fogging problems unless I forget to
use the defog before every dive.  (Don't try to stretch it for two dives!)

> Just thinking about spit....I wonder if what you consumed the
> night before would have any effect on the chemical make-up of
> your saliva? Garlic Prawns comes to mind. That would ward off
> anything evil...including fog I suspect.:-)

I've never eaten prawns, but I think you may be onto something here!    8^)

> Dontcha just hate it when you flop off the boat and head off
> only to discover either a smudge or a circle of fog is right in
> the center of where you're looking?

If it was anywhere else I could ignore it!  Naturally, the spot that I miss
with the defogger is always right in front of my eye!
Dive safe [\],
-Dave

--
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Dave DeBarger
[log in to unmask]

"ASSETS make things possible.  PEOPLE make things happen!"
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