A grizzly question

[Thrillhouse]

A few months ago my friend and I were doing our first dives alone after open water, and came onto the discussion of what it's like to drown. I'll warn now this is a fairly grizzly topic, but read on if you're game to that. While packing up our stuff, we decided to drain his remaining tank and see what it's like. Yes, I know you're supposed to leave air in the tanks for the dive shop, but for just this once we figured we'd empty one to see what it's like. What we found out was fairly haunting, as we breathed off both regs (in the parkinglot) until it got down to the point we laboriously had to draw breaths from it. Eventually, no more air would come.

So, how do people die when out of air? Do they eventually find themselves unable to draw more gas and make the fatal decision to spit out the reg and gulp down sea water?

 

[tstormdiver]

There have been threads on this topic a time or two. The facts are both interesting & disturbing at the same time.

 

[almitywife]

....So, how do people die when out of air?....

generally very quickly,..... aboot 3mins will do it

..... Do they eventually find themselves unable to draw more gas and make the fatal decision to spit out the reg and gulp down sea water?

i would has a guess that most divers that die will be found to have some air in their tanks..... panic usually would set in first, unless its the standard "drowning" death attributed to heart attack or some other medical reason

i update my local forums on dive news so cover alot of diver deaths, was at a funeral only 2 days ago for Sven..... please be careful out there guys!

cheers

 

[rookers]

Its 'grisly'. Grizzly bears would be insulted.

 

[pakman]

Its 'grisly'. Grizzly bears would be insulted.

:lol: ah, cut him some slack, he's from BC... :joke:

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

Read the book "A Perfect Storm". It has an excellent chapter about drowning, both from a medical point of view and from the view of survivors of near drowning. Besides, it's a great book with a lot of info about fishing, wave dynamics, weather and how boats sink. the movie didn't do it justice...

 

[MurkyRockDiver]

AN easier way to get the out of air feeling is just turn off the tank valve, works the same way and saves you the time in the parking lot

 

[Garrobo]

Yeah well, this discussion is why I'm doing CEA's next week with an instructor.

 

[PlayaCountryBoy]

Grizzlie is RIGHT! From what I've read, its the CO2 build up that MAKES someone respire, whether they want to or not. Now here's the grizzlie bit, when someone first takes water into their lungs, they don't pass out (die) straight away...meaning their eyes are open, they know what's going on around them for a few seconds, but incapacitated. If you were just glancing at your buddy and their eyes were open, you might not be as worried as you should be. Either way, its not good!

 

[Doc]

Another argument for Spair Aire.