big wave surfing

[gillest]

hello there
just to say im not a scuba diver but i think it rocks.
i surf and have a query that maybe someone here would be able to answer.
when surfing big waves the biggest risk to a surfer besides hitting the bottom is of course, drowning! i was wondering would it be possible to have an emergency oxygen supply tank, which would be small enough to strap to your side or something without causing to much obstruction, which whilst underwater and low on breath you could reach for, stick over your mouth or whatever and get a big gulp of breath?
would this work?
do such "emergency" compact cannisters exist?
would love if anyone could shed light on this!
tom

 

[SoggyPretzel]

Link: Submersible Systems - Spare Air SCUBA Diver secondary air supply

 

[diversteve]

It's called a Spare Air.

Not sure about strapping it to yourself but it should be possible.

Remember Baywatch? it's what they used.

 

[dkktsunami]

hello there
just to say im not a scuba diver but i think it rocks.
i surf and have a query that maybe someone here would be able to answer.
when surfing big waves the biggest risk to a surfer besides hitting the bottom is of course, drowning! i was wondering would it be possible to have an emergency oxygen supply tank, which would be small enough to strap to your side or something without causing to much obstruction, which whilst underwater and low on breath you could reach for, stick over your mouth or whatever and get a big gulp of breath?
would this work?
do such "emergency" compact cannisters exist?
would love if anyone could shed light on this!
tom

Look for "Spare Air", a product which will give you several breaths depending on depth. It is generally thought that this product is not adequate for scuba emergency but would likely be beneficial to a surfer if securely strapped to body. It's possible to kill yourself with this if you hold your breath while ascending, so learn how to use this properly.

 

[vixtor]

While splashed by waves, I see a big risk in the fact that you might inhale air at depth, then you would swim back to surface very fast (or the waves might push you), putting you at risk from lungs overexpansion. During scuba, you are not exposed to 2-3 meters waves usually and you are not trying to follow your training while knocked in the head by a huge quantity of water. Only the dizzines of being crushed under a wave might make you do a mistake.

So I think it is a bad idea.

 

[fisheater]

I agree with vixtor.

Even if you're trained and willing to avoid a too rapid ascent, the big waves may have other ideas.

 

[SlowRain]

Just one other thought...I would imagine that most shops would require a certification card to get it filled should you have to use it. Usually spare air's are filled by an adaptor that hooks onto a charged scuba tank, and is filled directly from the tank...however you probably don't have a scuba cylinder. Shop owners feel free to chime in?