Blind friend wants to dive...

[mike_s]

The sensation of weightlessness (which, admittedly, you can get in a pool), the feeling of the ocean's surge and currents, the sounds of whales calling, toadfish mating calls, parrotfish crunching the reef, dolphins clicking, and a sense of accomplishment at successfully challenging an alien environment.

Maybe someone who is blind can better tune in underwater to sounds than the rest of us, but I'm betting since it's not a natural environment, they won't be able to tell what the sounds are any more than the rest of us. (maybe I'm wrong).

I think that the sense of the dive in the pool would definately be a good experience for a blind person, but I don't see how being 100 foot deeper would make any difference?

This might seem like a weird question, but would a blind diver wear or need a mask? (assuming they wore a nose clip to keep water out)

 

[Wolfie2012]

I think some of you are really limiting yourselves if you think the only thing to get out of diving in the ocean is with your eyes. Vladimir has it right when he says that there is so much more to get out of diving than just what you can see.

Assuming there is a way to accomodate audible or tactile alerts into a dive computer, pressure gauge, as well as redundant gas supply, etc, there isn't any reason a blind individual shouldn't be able to dive. Admittingly the risk is greater, but the problems are not insurmountable.

 

[undefined]

I would imagine that a blind diver would be best served with a FFM w/ commo gear. This would enable audio input from their dive buddy as to depth, pressure remaining, and so forth. Either way - not for open water. Confined water could be an interesting experience, but the dangers of open water exist for the seeing and are amplified for the blind.

Some sports/hobbies don't work real well without usable eyesight. Diving and shooting are two that come to mind.

 

[MikeFerrara]

This might seem like a weird question, but would a blind diver wear or need a mask? (assuming they wore a nose clip to keep water out)

I don't know anything about teaching the blind to see but I do know that the reason we wear a mask is so that we can see. I don't think a mask would do anything for a blind person...and if they did wear one, they wouldn't use much defog.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

This might seem like a weird question, but would a blind diver wear or need a mask? (assuming they wore a nose clip to keep water out)

You don't need a nose clip to keep water out, a slight exhale through your nose does the job just fine
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I would think that with a dedicated buddy who they dive with regularly, diving would be safe and enjoyable for a blind person. The need to dive with the same individual who they've trained with in terms of how to communicate time, depth and air pressure would be important. I would also think that a blind individual might enjoy diving quite a bit. First, it would help them to feel and experience something that typically only sighted people experience. I would think that would be exciting. Second, the experience of being underwater surpasses sight. Sight is certainly the primary sense utilized, but it's not the only one. Lastly, while you certainly wouldn't want a blind individual touching a reef, both for the safety of the reef as well as their own safety, I don't think that same limitation applies to wreck nor cave diving.

 

[undefined]

Jim,

Sorry to come off the handle - but are you nuts? As if cave diving is not challenging and potentially dangerous enough, you want to send someone in who starts the dive with a major disadvantage. I'd be surprised if you'd find a cave diving instructor anywhere that would take on a blind student. While the environment would not be as sensitive to being damaged by a diver as a reef might be, the danger to the diver increases exponetially. Taking a blind person cave diving would border on criminal negligence in my not so humble opinion.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Lastly, while you certainly wouldn't want a blind individual touching a reef, both for the safety of the reef as well as their own safety, I don't think that same limitation applies to wreck nor cave diving.

Caves can be every bit as fragile or more fragile than any reef and the cave won't grow back. Bite your tongue.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Jim,

Sorry to come off the handle - but are you nuts? As if cave diving is not challenging and potentially dangerous enough, you want to send someone end who starts the dive with a major disadvantage. I'd be surprised if you'd find a cave diving instructor anywhere that would take on a blind student. While the environment would not be as sensitive to being damaged by a diver as a reef might be, the danger to the diver increases exponetially. Taking a blind person cave diving would border on criminal negligence in my not so humble opinion.

Good point about cave diving. I'm not a cave diver myself. I simply threw that in as an environment where a blind diver could follow a line with their hands. Cavern diving would be a better option when they have a permanent line run that can be followed and ready access to the surface.

It's also important to recognize that most blind individuals have some level of light sensitivity. Not all, but many do. There are many levels of blindness. Many blind people, for example, can see well enough to recognize the location of a window or door. I mention this because even a little sensitivity to light would enhance their ability to dive. Granted they would not be able to read their gauges. But I'm thinking of a situation where a blind individual pairs up with a permanent buddy in order to experience safe, conservative dives that are low on the risk curve.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Caves can be every bit as fragile or more fragile than any reef and the cave won't grow back. Bite your tongue.

I was thinking more about caverns with permanent lines. I misspoke when I listed caves. I'm not proposing sending a blind diver down into a cave to feel their way around unaided. I was simply trying to think of types of diving that can be safely experienced while also allowing for a good amount of physical contact.

So ... let's say shallow, safe caverns with a permanent line to follow and ready access to the surface or a shallow, safe wreck. If a blind individual has a permanent partner to train with and buddy with, I can see how the blind individual would be able to (1) safely dive with the buddy and (2) would find it enjoyable and freeing.