How deep is dangerous?

[nereas]

Yes you were very lucky,

If you would have hold your breath,you would have had a nice embolism.
On the otherhand I've tryed this once(yes I know very stupid)holding my breath during a assent.Tryed this from 6 meters upwards.Well I did not made it,it hurst like hell so I had to abandon the effort.:11:
Kids don't try this ever.:no

6 metres should have killed you.

 

[leapfrog]

I hear a lot of recently certified and sometimes even "experienced" divers who don't know that it's the last few feet near the surface that kill you. Maybe in teaching syllabus it's not explained enough. I know of at least one certification agency that tries not to address the topic too much at OW level so that new divers don't "freak out"

 

[perdidochas]

Can anyone tell me, what is the maximum depth before an uncontrolled ascent becomes dangerous ? Last August, I had been using my own BCD with no problems but on the last day of holiday diving, I stupidly used a BCD from the back of a dive schools supply. I confess that I did not test the deflate properly. Yep ..... you've guessed it, it wouldn't. I was only about 14m and slowly rising, trying to let air out of the BCD but it would not deflate. I tried everything I could think of as well as splaying out for drag and exhaling as much as poss before taking in a short breath and exhaling. I could not stop the uncontrolled ascent. unfortunately, I was in mid water and there was nothing to hang onto. Anyway, on surfacing, I waited, checking out if I felt anything different, I didn't. I klept aware of my body for the next 36 hours but I was fine. So .... this is making me think that maybe there is a depth at which these problems begin. Is this true ? . not that I would push my luck ever, but it would be good to know the facts. Can anyone help ?

Well, what you should have done was disconnect your LP inflator. Any uncontrolled descent all the way to the surface is dangerous--from 4 ft (as the next poster says) on.

 

[Neff]

Thanks guys ( n girls) I was beginning to wonder if I had been taught "scare stuff" but now I realise that I'd better hang on to everything that I had learned. Tell you what tho' this year, on holiday, I'm gonna use my own BCD for every dive, even if it does mean packing wet gear in with my clothes. I know my stuff is regularly serviced and it works. Many thanks everyone, for your help

 

[300bar]

6 metres should have killed you.

Tell me about it.Man it realy hurts,I did this in a controled situation,witch could have left me in very grave danger I know.
Ever since i've done it, I don't understand how so many divers can do it.
btw I didn't make it all the way true the 6 meters. to much pain.

 

[300bar]

Thanks guys ( n girls) I was beginning to wonder if I had been taught "scare stuff" but now I realise that I'd better hang on to everything that I had learned. Tell you what tho' this year, on holiday, I'm gonna use my own BCD for every dive, even if it does mean packing wet gear in with my clothes. I know my stuff is regularly serviced and it works. Many thanks everyone, for your help

Neff,that's why we al joined :sblogo:

To have FUN - learn alot - and have some more FUN.

 

[nereas]

Thanks guys ( n girls) I was beginning to wonder if I had been taught "scare stuff" but now I realise that I'd better hang on to everything that I had learned. Tell you what tho' this year, on holiday, I'm gonna use my own BCD for every dive, even if it does mean packing wet gear in with my clothes. I know my stuff is regularly serviced and it works. Many thanks everyone, for your help

I also bring an extra power inflator with me on all dive trips. I have found that these can start to stick open at any time. Remember to test your gear, even your own gear, every time before you go diving:

1) Hook up everything and turn on your air/nitrox/gas-mix

2) Breathe on each of your 2nd stage regulators (and/or octo), and then listen carefully to see if you hear any hissing afterwards; test the dials, if yours have dials

3) Listen at the 1st stage carefully as well to see if there is any hissing there

4) Fully inflate your wing/BC with the power inflator and test the overflow valve operation

5) Test the deflator valve on the hose and the dump valve on the wing/BC

6) Operate the inflator intermittently and see if it functions properly (especially critical with any Halcyon inflator)

7) Check your SPG reading

8) Turn off your tank(s) and dump your air and check your SPG again.

9) Fix or replace anything that is wrong before you go into the water.

That's why I bring an extra power inflator, tools, O-rings, and duct tape.

You can indeed get a lot of good tips on ScubaBoard.

 

[AbyssalPlains]

When you sit down and do the math, you will see that your lungs expand much more going from 15 feet to the surface than, say going from 130 feet to 100 feet. It all depends on the depth you are at. There is no limit that is "safe."

 

[24940]

1) Hook up everything and turn on your air/nitrox/gas-mix

2) Breathe on each of your 2nd stage regulators (and/or octo), and then listen carefully to see if you hear any hissing afterwards; test the dials, if yours have dials

3) Listen at the 1st stage carefully as well to see if there is any hissing there

4) Fully inflate your wing/BC with the power inflator and test the overflow valve operation

5) Test the deflator valve on the hose and the dump valve on the wing/BC

6) Operate the inflator intermittently and see if it functions properly (especially critical with any Halcyon inflator)

7) Check your SPG reading

8) Turn off your tank(s) and dump your air and check your SPG again.

9) Fix or replace anything that is wrong before you go into the water.

Breathe the regs before charging the system. This way any defects in the exhaust valve or diaphragm will be evident.

 

[matt215]

this may sound like a stupid question, but what about holding breath while in a stable fixed position ... hiding behind a rock for a photo for example