I can't help but notice....

[dmaziuk]

Ah, yes, that jack'n'coke dressing... must be that evil high-fructose corn syrup.

 

[ofg-1]

1st case ever in recorded history of a person violating the laws of thermodynamics.

I doubt he ever studied law.

 

[billgraham]

Not so much here... Our local coroner is very qualified and has a background in hyperbaric meds. Most common "CoD" is drowning, but similarly, the drowning was precipitated by something. A number of the fatalities occurred on the surface, swimming in the current. He doesn't even classify these as diving accidents. "Death while diving" as opposed to "Death from Diving"... as in golfing.

One of the local shops lost one of theirs in Newfoundland the other day. I didn't know him, but looking at pics on FB after the accident, and again, he looked like a heart attack waiting to happen...

Hit the treadmill folks... it ain't that hard.

My long-time buddy has pretty much quit diving after an incident last year. He's never exercised in the almost 40 years we've been diving together and it's caught up to him now.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a bit of a fitness freak and I'm with you on this topic. I just think the reports usually give you little information about what actually happened. We had an incident here (Long Island, NY) on Saturday, and all I know is the diver was in his late 50's and is recovering. I was on another wreck and it was lumpy with a surface current, did the tie in, 60 min dive at 120 FSW and when I was on the ladder, I was getting beat up. I'm 55, and I absolutely know that I'm nowhere near as strong as I was 20 years ago, despite weights, yoga, surfing, biking, etc. 90-100 minutes feels long to me now, I had a great dive but it's way more difficult as I get older, for sure. I've scaled things back, I look for ways to make things easier, but time marches on.

 

[Schwob]

... Hit the treadmill folks... it ain't that hard....

BS I say! It's hard as heck! Now my knuckles hurt and the darn thing didn't even flinch...

 

[Stoo]

I'm 55, and I absolutely know that I'm nowhere near as strong as I was 20 years ago, despite weights, yoga, surfing, biking, etc. 90-100 minutes feels long to me now, I had a great dive but it's way more difficult as I get older, for sure. I've scaled things back, I look for ways to make things easier, but time marches on.

Oh I hear you.... I am off to BC again in a few weeks.... 3 or 4 dives a day, 48° water, strong currents... I have no problems sleeping at night.

 

[CuzzA]

Its the dressing that gets you.

 

[Stoo]

As for scuba diving, I've seen divers of every shape and size and I don't see any reason whatsoever that someone who is obese cannot be a diver. There are some complications, like needing extra ballast and finding gear that fits... but in general I don't see being obese as being incompatible with diving. I do see it as being something that generally makes life harder and may prematurely block you from continuing to be a diver as your body ages, but to disqualify someone for being obese alone is not something that I would feel comfortable doing.

I don't think I suggested that obesity was something that should disqualify someone from diving, although I can see a Doctor flunking a potential student on a physical.... Diving like so many things, is 98% boredom and 2% shear terror.. A few of my buddies are "larger" and certainly looking at the charter boats going past my house, lots of the divers on board are similarly built. I suspect one could support an argument that diving actually APPEALS to larger folks... on a good day, they're gliding effortlessly through the water. On a bad day, and if they're older, they may be into more than they bargained for.

Anyway, I think I've been more offensive than I ever intended, and to those who fee slighted, I apologize... that was not my intent.

 

[Stoo]

I thought this thread was about age...??

Ya, it kinda got derailed... I was about to post that I think the real "killer" in divers, is the combination of unfit, and age. And let's toss in "experience" too... Any one of these, and someone is likely going to have a crappy dive. Add a second factor... or a third....

 

[Kharon]

... If you are going to the gym six days a week, and "really" only eating 1000 calories a day, something isn't right. ...

DUH!!! Have you ever heard of genetics, metabolism and hormones?

 

[Stoo]

DUH!!! Have you ever heard of genetics, metabolism and hormones?

Of course... and I completely understand that people come in many shapes. I am not talking about people who are "a few" pounds overweight... Like me... I am talking about people that are 50, 60, 70+ pounds overweight... I know I sound like an insensitive jerk, but everyone I have ever known who was morbidly obese and "swore" they couldn't lose weight, ate poorly and if they exercised in a random, pointless way. But everyone of them swore that that ate like hummingbirds and worked out like fiends.

I guess I am just suggesting that if someone feels that that's "them"... that they eat and exercise "well" and they're not getting results, than perhaps they need to get some help from an expert.

Anyway, this thread has gotten away from it's original question about age and accidents... I guess I would summarize my believe by saying that age in and of itself isn't a huge issue, but age combined with lack of fitness, obesity and perhaps more than anything, lack of experience, makes for a potentially bad outcome.