Booze, Drugs, And Diving

[neuneu]

I know several people who are really stupid. Are these your role models?

absolutely not. thats why the next sentence in my comment was “personally not my thing”. however, i have under 10 dives and when a guy with 500+ says something i tend to listen. of course i dont act on it until i have cross referenced with other people who are knowledgeable. (which is what this thread was for)

 

[Gandalf-the-Diver]

How are your reefs?

Where I am; Vancouver Island, Jacque Cousteau described the waters here as ‘the best temperate-water diving in the world and second only to the Red Sea’

 

[kaylee_ann]

Are you admitting that there correlation between drinking alcohol and getting hurt in diving? What the dividing line here or is it a matter of convenience?

apologies if I missed something or am misunderstanding your comment....but, when did the OP think that there wasn't one? they made it sound like they weren't totally sure, and wanted to know. they were very receptive to all the comments explaining that there is a correlation.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Reefer on the reef
Super dry compressed air
Serious cotton mouth
No choice but seawater sips
No bueno
jus sayin'

 

[Nick_Radov]

I know people who tie one on every night of a dive trip and dive the next day with no problems. I also know a person who did the same and ended up getting bent, likely due to being pretty dehydrated from drinking so much alcohol.

That is a myth. Drinking alcohol doesn't cause dehydration.

Does Alcohol Really Cause Dehydration? Alcohol & Dehydration

Ethanol and acetaldehyde cause a tangle of issues your body has to deal with when you drink. But does alcohol really cause dehydration? See here.

zbiotics.com

I agree that drinking and diving is a bad idea for numerous reasons but let's be clear on the physiology. It is possible that some of the other effects of alcohol could increase DCS risk, but I haven't seen any good research on that.

 

[Outbound]

That is a myth. Drinking alcohol doesn't cause dehydration.

Does Alcohol Really Cause Dehydration? Alcohol & Dehydration

Ethanol and acetaldehyde cause a tangle of issues your body has to deal with when you drink. But does alcohol really cause dehydration? See here.

zbiotics.com

I agree that drinking and diving is a bad idea for numerous reasons but let's be clear on the physiology. It is possible that some of the other effects of alcohol could increase DCS risk, but I haven't seen any good research on that.

Thanks for the link. Interesting, seeing as how the myth gets perpetuated.

Perhaps it’s the inflammation it causes. Or that it tends to interfere with sleep patterns and thus can contribute to fatigue. Or it’s because staying up late and drinking on a dive vacation means less overnight rest. Or maybe those are all myths too? All I know is that since the risk of DCS is always present, I like to do the most I can to absolutely minimize it. Maybe alcohol doesn’t contribute to DCS risk. But I limit my intake while on a dive vacation anyway, just in case.

 

[johndiver999]

I knew a guy who told me that he would sometimes smoke a joint and then bounce down to 300, solo on air, to chill out (I believed him). I also witnessed someone who was high from smoking experience severe perceptual distortion at a depth of only 90 feet in cold water and without my presence and chasing him down and making him abort the dive, I don't know if he would have had the sense to ascend.

I personally will not use any recreational drugs before diving because of the potential for amplification of narcosis. There are enough things that can go sideways when diving (example sharks, equipment failures etc.) that makes it a very bad idea in my mind. Dealing with problems and some normal degree of narcosis is enough balls to juggle for me.

Let's just say.. if you are drinking Bud Light, I'm not diving with you.

 

[lowwall]

There are enough things that can go sideways when diving (example sharks, equipment failures etc.)...

Sharks?

Unless you're a South African spear fisherman, I think your risk perception could use some recalibrating.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Let's just say.. if you are drinking Bud Light, I'm not diving with you.

So is a Coors Light drinker OK for you to dive with.. What does Bud Light have to do with anything to do with this discussion? The only thing I can think of on the Bud Light statement is that some folks are just totally insecure homophobics.

Back on topic.........I am personally of the opinion that a cold beer (of any brand) between NDL shore dives is really no big deal. And any pot smoked the night before diving has completely no effect the next morning.

 

[arew+4]

So is a Coors Light drinker OK for you to dive with.. What does Bud Light have to do with anything to do with this discussion? The only thing I can think of on the Bud Light statement is that some folks are just totally insecure homophobics.

I think he was making a funny.