a morbid question...

[Walter]

A few of my friends and I who have our open-water were discussing this, and weren't sure how to answer it. So, my question is out of pure curiosity, for curiosity's sake:

Say you're diving along a wall or something, or even in the open ocean. For some reason, you begin to sink, and are unable to swim up... Why isn't important. Anyway, you've still got a reasonable amount of air left, but are continuing to sink into an abyss of water... What happens to you, and how long do you remain conscious?

Why is important. We can't ignore physics. Unless you are grossly overweighted, it can't happen.

 

[letterboy]

Why is important. We can't ignore physics. Unless you are grossly overweighted, it can't happen.

Aren't there "down currents" near walls, or is that something else?

 

[Walter]

True, they are rare, but they do happen. My mistake. Swim away from the wall.

 

[letterboy]

True, they are rare, but they do happen. My mistake. Swim away from the wall.

OK just checking. . .

 

[stepup]

What is the current depth records and details of it. As in who was it, Where was it, What it was done on, Is anyone tryig to break it right now.

 

[wardric]

True, they are rare, but they do happen. My mistake. Swim away from the wall.

Just trying to find possible situations for fun
ok, then... let's say you are diving in a drysuit and it floods completely. Of course you have a bc but depending of it's size, and the lead you carry, it might not give you the necessary lift, even if not grossly overweighted, couldn't it?

 

[Walter]

Just trying to find possible situations for fun
ok, then... let's say you are diving in a drysuit and it floods completely. Of course you have a bc but depending of it's size, and the lead you carry, it might not give you the necessary lift, even if not grossly overweighted, couldn't it?

An uncontrolled descent is not fun.

Nope. A completely flooded drysuit is neutral. I've never heard of a completely flooded dry suit, so you'd have some lift in it. You may not have as much lift as you planned, but you'd still have lift. The BC should be able to pick up the slack. If it can't, it's time to drop lead.

 

[wardric]

Ok, for discussion then.

the drysuit's buoyancy depends on the material. I was thinking of my tri-laminate btw. True, It is neutral but you use much more lead than with a wetsuit.

We're talking about situations that could cause a rapid descent. I've heard of completely flooded drysuits, wether it's a large tear in the upper part, a teared neck seal or a diver who jumps in the water with a partially opened zipper. Of course, you can always drop weight so if you meant an uncontrolled descent without solution, then I agree with your statement.

Just found a nice study on the subject of flooded drysuits http://www.ndc.noaa.gov/pdfs/tr02-01.pdf

 

[String]

Even completely flooded my drysuit/undergarments are actually positive.
(and thats a membrane suit).

You'd have to be severely overweighted if you cant float on your BC, to the order of 20lbs or more with average lift of common ones.

A flooded drysuit doesnt/shouldnt be a worry about lift. Its just a pain in the arse when trying to climb back onboard a boat with the suit full from the stomach down - that water then weighs a LOT

 

[mello-yellow]

It all depends on the person. We used to have a max air depth of 297' and I know people who have exceeded 450' and are still here in a very normal state.

Normal for them, anyway. I would not call anyone who even attempt such thing "normal". Didn't Neil Watson also hold for a while world record for smashing concrete blocks with his head?