Why do people spit their regulator out as soon as they surface?

[Allen-1]

I'll take my regulator out when surfacing if it's calm enough, and I want to talk to my buddy. When I decide that I'm heading for the ladder to reboard the boat, the regulator gets cleared and goes back in my mouth before I'm on the ladder.

I've come up three types of ladders so far. Two are "standard", with the steps between the rails, one off the aft of the boat, the other in a "cutout" in the mid fore of the boat. I generally take my fins off and hand them up on these ladders, and climb with my fins off. If the boat's pitching at all, there's an opportunity to slip and if I end up back in the water with my fins off - I want my regulator in.

The other ladder is the afore-mentioned "christmas tree". I was introduced to that type a couple weeks ago for the first time, and it was very interesting climbing it with my fins on. The fifth time I used that type of ladder, we had a squall approaching and the boat was bouncing pretty good, (for your basic landlubber type like me). It's a learning experience climbing a ladder with fins on, and I absolutely wanted my reg in if I fell off.

As for snorkel - I carry a rollup in a pocket, it's in case things go south and I need to swim.

 

[TMHeimer]

After 45 years I still have a reg in my mouth when I’m in the water. A friend of mine died a few years ago in 2ft of water because they didn’t have a reg in their mouth when they fell over exiting the water. By the time others spotted them and got over to roll them over, it was to late, no more than 5 minutes.

This is one reason why I bungee my reg in with a cord around the back of my head. If I did go unconscious underwater, from a fall or otherwise, the reg MAY stay at least somewhat in my mouth and I may not drown. If I had the $ I'd go for a FF mask. But I'm not really gunna worry about falling in 2 feet of water and dying. I just spent 7 weeks in a campground alone with no one around to help if I had a heart attack. That's another reason why I don't worry much about diving solo.

 

[johndiver999]

Different strokes for different folks. Weak swimmers who enjoy SCUBA are well-advised to keep the reg in as stated by many above. On the other hand, others including (but not limited to) experienced surfers, freedivers, competitive swimmers and triathletes, have a very different relationship with the water and might reasonably decide that they'd rather chat, save gas by using their snorkel, or whatever.

I can't imagine telling a surfer, who routinely gets pinned to the bottom by rough surf after wipeouts, that he might drown if he doesn't keep his reg in. I'd be laughed off the boat!

The regulator should be in the mouth during the exit. I have seen a loose second stage get caught on a ladder more than once, and when the diver climbs, the second stage is ripped off the hose and sinks - It is quite dramatic.

Also, some boats have the engine running as divers exit and if you are wearing a mask, you can not smell the exhaust and you may continue to inhale the exhaust fumes - until you can taste them, and by then, it is too late, you will most likely becomes sick from the exposure.

In addition, if you are breathing nitrox, it makes sense to stay on the enriched air from a nitrogen absorption aspect, probably until you are seated on the boat and maybe afterwards.

There are a lot of good reasons to keep the reg in and they don't necessarily have anything to do with watermanship skills.

 

[happy-diver]

How do you climb a ladder with fins on?

Yeah here it is lots'a bubbles, that's because all my exhaust goes out the left the right one is blocked

I just wish there was a water droplets tickling the throat course
followed by five minutes, of coughing, spluttering and gasping

Is there something wrong with me

 

[Still Kicking]

"Why do people spit their regulator out as soon as they surface?"​

Because we have spent our entire lives prior to scuba breathing uncompressed air and it is what we are conditioned to?

Personally, I freedive a fair bit and 2+ minutes without air is NBD.

 

[34109411]

Maybe you should rephrase your question to why do "some people" etc. It depends on the surface conditions and if communications is necessary. Of course, it's always best to keep it in your mouth.

yes most accident happen at the beginning or the end of the dive. I always find it funny when i see people holding the reg in the air, i rather have it in my mouth!

 

[34109411]

Believe it or not, from what I have heard, some people do not breathe from the regulator at the surface at the end of the dive because they want to make sure they are back on the boat with 500 PSI (or reasonably close to it).

As I said, I got the information from Thalassamania, who I believe was involved with NAUI standards at one point.

I remember when i was diving in the riviera maya dm where always saying make sure you finish the dive with a least 500 psi.

 

[34109411]

I never understood the fuss about this. I feel like this whole thing is a non-issue for people that (a) are comfortable in the water and (b) have a necklaced backup. I almost always take the reg out of my mouth after establishing positive buoyancy on the surface, usually to talk with my buddies and hang out while waiting to get picked up by the boat. If the conditions were really bad on the surface, I might consider keeping it in a while longer. If I fell off the ladder, I'm confident I could get the necklace in my mouth and surface without problems, even if I didn't have a mask on. The only reason I keep the mask on my face until I'm on the boat, is so that I don't lose it, and I almost forget it's on my face after a dive. But if the weather is really nice and I want some sun on my face, I'll take it off.

If you are experience diver it's ok, your most likely one cause you use a necklace. The guy that does one trip a year in cozumel might be better than if he keep it.


Cheers

 

[DanBMW]

I remember when i was diving in the riviera maya dm where always saying make sure you finish the dive with a least 500 psi.

500 psi was/is a target so that the bottle is not empty requiring a VIP. No one should get reprimanded if it is a few 100 pounds less.

 

[GreggS]

When boat diving, I usually will leave my regulator in while on the surface. If I need to talk to someone either in the water or on the boat, I'll remove it temporarily. But when I start to climb the ladder, I'll put it back in my mouth. As others have said, if something happens that I fall back into the water, I'm already breathing from it. But another reason is not for falling backward into the water but falling forward onto the boat. There are all kinds of hard surfaces on a boat...the ladder, the deck, rails, gunwales, raised motor covers...and if you slip or are suddenly pitched forward, that regulator with a rubber mouthpiece is going to be a lot more forgiving than any of the aforementioned boat features. And even in relatively calm water, it's easy to be thrown off balance.