Questions on breathing

[herbdb]

The OP had some great questions. As a photographer, I try to make sure I am neutral, set up my shot, then inhale very slowly while making the shot. I don't have to contend with bubbles from my reg and the slow inhale keeps me from settling on the coral while my attention is on the camera.

Breathing during an ascent should be the same as the rest of your dive.

Some of this discussion makes it sound like it is OK to "ride" to the surface on your BCD and control the rate with the dump valve. I was taught to work for neutral buoyancy at all times and let your fins control the rate. You can really hurt yourself with uncontrolled ascents and descents. You should be able to stop and hold your position in the water column at any time. Its a skill that you will need to practice.

An experienced diver very familiar with their equipment can get away with things a new diver should not be doing.

 

[beanojones]

In time, you will also learn to "inhale & hold" to ascend or "exhale & hold" to descend while you're diving. Of course, you never hold for very long, 2-5 seconds at the most normally. My LDS never taught me this trick. For the first 25 or so dives I used my inflator to ascend or descend. Obviously, I went through a lot of air until I learned.

Why would inflating and deflating your BCD cause you to use more air?

(Not that inflating and deflating your BCD is how ascents and descents should be done, but that's a different point of misunderstanding.)

 

[lozadora]

Thanks guys.

So a couple of you mentioned "there is a difference between stopping breathing (wth the airway still open) and holding your breath, with a stopped glottis" - how can I tell the difference? Is it that feeling in the back of your throat that when you shut you airway there is almost a clicking sensation when it re opens.

Sounds like such a daft question! Haha

---------- Post added June 10th, 2013 at 02:53 PM ----------

PS. If you stay at the same depth, what is the issue with blocking your airway? What would prevent it reopening / cause issues?

 

[herbdb]

PS. If you stay at the same depth, what is the issue with blocking your airway? What would prevent it reopening / cause issues?

There would be no issue, but sometimes its hard to be sure you are at a stable depth ie low vis, open water, night, etc. Forming good habits that fit most situations will make you a better and safer diver. Then you can make a deliberate decision to do something different if the situation arises.

 

[windapp]

If you had to do an emergency buoyant ascent it would make sense to not take deep breaths as you say, assuming you can think of that at the time.

I am pretty sure that you don't have to worry about "[taking] deep breaths" if you are doing an emergency buoyant ascent. The last I checked this really isn't possible when you are out of air.

 

[boulderjohn]

I am pretty sure that you don't have to worry about "[taking] deep breaths" if you are doing an emergency buoyant ascent. The last I checked this really isn't possible when you are out of air.

You actually can inhale while doing a buoyant ascent in an OOA incident, although you probably won't be able to do a deep in hale, and even if you did, it would still be safe.

If you are doing a buoyant ascent, you probably started pretty deep. When you thought you were OOA, you were not actually OOA. It was just that your regulator was unable to deliver air at sufficient pressure given the ambient pressure at that depth. As you get to shallower depths and a lesser ambient pressure, the regulator will once again be able to deliver some air. That is one of the reasons to keep your regulator in your mouth during any emergency ascent.