Is it painful?

[bowlofpetunias]

:blinking:The fact that these things seem to be going through your mind so much and the fact that you are seeking answers indicate to me that you really NEED good answers. I am not sure that you can find the answers you need here with all due respect for all of us well intentioned SB members (do I need to add IMHO?):depressed:

You obviously care a great deal about this person or you wouldn't be so worried. We can all talk of our own losses, experiences. We can quote statistics that prove we are more likely to die driving to the dive site than during the dive. I'm not sure that can or should reassure you.

In my opinion the only one whose training, dive skills and safety practices count here are the ones of the person you are worried about. Have you talked openly and honestly to them about your concerns? If they can't set your mind at ease perhaps you need to add a good instructor &/or dive doctor to your discussions. It seems to me you need to talk with real people in the flesh to resolve these fears or determine if your fears are excessive and you need help to resolve them.

I do hope you find the answers you need so you can find a way for your partner to enjoy our wonderful sport and you can enjoy it with or through them as well.:blinking:

 

[Nemrod]

Rebreathers are not exactly mainstream scuba. Scuba is proven safe and effective for all but the most aggresive Darwin Award aspiring candidates. Rebreahters require a skill, knowledge and professionalism that is not present in the vast majority of scuba divers today. They are simply zero tolerence. Often there have been comparisons to scuba diving and flying and I always thought such comparisons were lame and contrived, insert rebreather in place of scuba and now we are making a better comparison, both rebreathers and flying are zero tolerence activities that will kill you dead. Just ask the well known and famous aviator whose wreakage has recently been found up a dead end canyon. Do stupid things in an airplane, you are dead no matter how smart you are or how nice you are or how undeserving you are, do stupid things with a rebreahter and you are equally dead, do stupid things with open circuit scuba and you generally live to brag about it and argue here on scubaboard about just how dumb you were or were not.

N

 

[Garrobo]

The most dangerous thing I do when I go diving is the drive to the airport

 

[kadleck]

Hi,
when I was 19 I drowned after being trapped underwater for too long. No it was not painful, apart from the first gasp of water which felt like a cold knife in my chest. However the intense need for air, the convulsive gagging and coughing at the start were more than intense enough. It got a lot easier towards the end when I felt great and felt like as if I could breathe the water for probably the last 10 seconds or so, but the first 30 seconds or so were certainly some of the most intense of my life.
Also took me 2 days to recover from a lung infection afterwards.
In the end I suppose I still feel it's a better way to go than most other ways of dying. It hasn't scared me away from diving anyway.

This story is typical of many (all?) near-drowning reports. Contrary to popular belief, drowning is not painful. 'Breathing' water is neither difficult nor painful, once beyond the initial gag reflex. I can think of many worse ways to go.

However, I agree with most of the posters here - there is no point in pondering what might go wrong. Live for the moment.

The most dangerous thing I do when I go diving is the drive to the airport

I have to agree! In Dubai, the most dangerous passtime is the drive to work among the many idiotic drivers on Sheik Zayed Road.

 

[Nemrod]

The most dangerous thing I do when I go diving is the drive to the airport

You are exactly right for the vast majority of dives. That is why people who cannot swim, who are afraid of getting water in their eyes or nose, who are phobic about eeky marine life manage to complete dive after dive in good shape.

N

 

[SouthSideScubaSteve]

This story is typical of many (all?) near-drowning reports. Contrary to popular belief, drowning is not painful. 'Breathing' water is neither difficult nor painful, once beyond the initial gag reflex. I can think of many worse ways to go.

However, I agree with most of the posters here - there is no point in pondering what might go wrong. Live for the moment.I have to agree! In Dubai, the most dangerous passtime is the drive to work among the many idiotic drivers on Sheik Zayed Road.

“Painful” or not, it has to be terrifying until the lack of o2 kicks in and while it may not be the “worst way” to go, I’d prefer to just not wake up one morning …. about 40 or so years from now!

 

[diver 85]

If you're skeered, get a dog.......