CESA - why? I'll never run low on air!

[Diver Dennis]

I agree Stephen. A CESA is not an out of control ascent and even with gas, you would still be breathing out all the way up because of the ascent rate. Rick definition of a CESA is correct IMO. I always thought it was ascending at a rate that you had to be breathing out all the way up, not necessarily only because you you were out of gas.

 

[String]

Your question makes no sense given how Rick has defined CESA for this thread. Nowhere has he suggested that one should not continue to breathe while they still have air available. To suggest otherwise is silly.

In that case its not called a CESA, its called an ascent.

All divers train to do them and get to practice them on every dive.

A controlled rate ascent executed while breathing through a reg. Yep, thats an ascent.

CESA to me is non-breathing bolt n pray.

 

[caseybird]

I believe thats called brown nosing. . .and here is a bigger gun for you. . .

Thanks for the gun.

 

[fisherdvm]

CESA to me is non-breathing bolt n pray.

Or better, non-inhaling, non-breath holding, exhaling bolt and pray.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

There have been a couple of threads on the CESA lately, with several folks declaring it an unnecessary skill, because with "proper" diving skills you'd never need it.

Here are just two of many examples (I ain't pickin' on you two; y'all just said it clearer and in fewer words than the others )


It seems many folks feel the only reason anyone would want to do a CESA is in an out-of-gas situation, and since any good diver will never, ever be in that situation then the CESA is not a necessary skill.
I'd like to revisit that.
What is a "Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent" and what are some of the reasons we might want to do one? The CESA is simply the means to make an emergency ascent to the surface. Are there reasons we might want to do that other than being low on, or out of gas? I say "Absolutely!"
Because there are reasons other than "gas planning and buddy skills" that might lead to the CESA decision, the ability to do a safe CESA in the face of great stress, pain or distress or injury is an essential skill for all Scuba Divers.
What are some of those reasons?
1. CVA. A cardio-vascular accident - a survivable heart attack, stroke, etc often leaves little time for decision-making and action before complete disability to do anything useful, like informing a buddy you're in distress. An immediate CESA could give you a chance to avoid certain drowning, and to get to help on the boat in time to save your life. Every second counts.
2. Bleeding. A severe cut or bite can start the blood-loss clock; your ability to do anything may be short lived and a CESA while you can do something can once again get you to a more survivable environment.
3. Severe pain. Whether it be some internal source (sudden burst appendix or ovarian cyst or kidney stone etc) or from injury (poisonous spine, sea wasp etc), once again, pain of this magnitude may severely limit your time of useful consciousness; time to topside help is of the essence and a CESA may be your best choice.
4. Impending panic. It is far, far better to do a CESA while still in control than to allow panic to take over and do a UPA ("Uncontrolled Panicked Ascent"). Indeed, just knowing you have the option and are competent at the CESA can go a long way in keeping under controll in the first place.
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The CESA should remain in the syllabus at the entry level; the ability to conduct a safe, rapid emergency ascent without danger of an overexpansion injury should be ingrained to the point of "automatic" in every Scuba Diver, even those who will never, ever run out of air. IOW, I think the CESA is as important in a Scuba Diver's "tool kit" as a wrench is to a mechanic.
Rick

I praise you Rick

 

[D_B]

They don't teach spin recovery training any more, only stall avoidance ... Why? ... because you should not get yourself in a spin ... Well guess what? it still happens .
Good post Rick, I want to have ALL my options, for whatever reason

 

[friscuba]

I've had to essentially CESA before with plenty of air, to rescue a panicky diver. 60 feet to 20 feet in all too fast of an amount of time. I exhaled all the way and caught up with them before they caused themselves a whole lot of possible harm. Perhaps I shouldn't have bothered.

Some of the...proper buddy awareness/management posters take some things for granted - like being able to see your buddy. It's only happened to me once, but I was on a dive off Oregon where the viz went from about 8-9 feet to 4 inches in about 15 seconds (a red tide rolled in) or less. If he hadn't been right next to me we'd have never been able to find each other. I felt him grab my leg I looked down and all I could see was his arm, then his hand, then my own bcd then nothing. He basically wrapped up on me and we went straight up slowly. There was no such thing as proper light signals, it was nasty soup. Afterwards he said he was right behind me and then saw it go dark and it was pretty much luck that he caught my leg becasue he's just seen the fin moments before.

Stuff can happen, just because it generally doesn't shouldn't mean it shouldn't be taught... otherwise all the DIR guys with seven foot hoses in clear tropical caveless and wreckless environments are just wasting hose.

later,

 

[fisherdvm]

1. CVA. A cardio-vascular accident - a survivable heart attack, stroke, etc often leaves little time for decision-making and action before complete disability to do anything useful, like informing a buddy you're in distress. An immediate CESA could give you a chance to avoid certain drowning, and to get to help on the boat in time to save your life. Every second counts.

Nitty picky stuff:

1. CVA - cerebral vacular accident - or a stroke. Certainly can happen underwater. We would like to treat it as a "brain attack", but rushing to the surface would add a few nitrogen bubbles and blow out a few more pieces of brain. Ascend at a safe rate - or have your buddy help you ascend at a safe rate. Then they can rush you to the hospital for determination the type of stroke - thrombotic vs. hemorrhagic, and can give you thrombolytic therapy ASAP. But don't rush to the surface because of a CVA.

2. MI - myocardial infarction - or a heart attack - certainly exertion can exarcebate it. I don't think rushing to the surface would make a difference. Pain in the chest that improves with rest is angina. A relaxed slow ascend without panicking would be preferred than rushing to the surface and risk adding more damage to the rest of your body. I don't think spending time in the compression chamber is preferable to being in the MI-CU at 1 ATM. I would say - have chest pain? Signal to your buddy to assist you, and swim up to the surface at a safe 30-60 ft min rate. Take your 1 min to 3 min safety stop if you can. Getting you to the surface faster will just mean they can give you an aspirin earlier, and hopefully some oxygen.

3. Massive MI with cardiac arrest under the water?? You are a dead man.... Whether they get you to the surface fast enough or not. CPR on open water - then NO AED on the dive boat equals a deader than a door knob dead man. Without defibrillation - your chance of surviving a cardiac arrest with a normal IQ is ZERO. Certainly, by the time they get ashore... continueing CPR ... you might still be alive, but probably can not take care of yourself ever.... If I had cardiac arrest diving... at least I died doing something I love.

In either of this case, buddy assisted slow ascent will add less burden to your brain, or your heart.

 

[fisherdvm]

2. Bleeding. A severe cut or bite can start the blood-loss clock; your ability to do anything may be short lived and a CESA while you can do something can once again get you to a more survivable environment.

Yes, perhaps if a shark rip out your leg... Can't swim too fast, so I guess a bouyant ascent is the easiest way to go. But if your buddy was near, and the cut is small enough for a direct pressure with his hand or thumb .... Slow ascent is still the way to go. Unless you know that your nitrogen level is very low.

 

[fisherdvm]

4. Impending panic. It is far, far better to do a CESA while still in control than to allow panic to take over and do a UPA ("Uncontrolled Panicked Ascent"). Indeed, just knowing you have the option and are competent at the CESA can go a long way in keeping under controll in the first place.
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I totally agree with this. The more we discuss about CESA, buoyant ESA, swim ESA, wet ESA (without a reg in the mouth), dry ESA (with a dry reg in the mouth), etc. etc... The more comfortable a diver will be when the situation arise. The best valium for a scuba diver is a working reg and at least 1000 psi. The best valium when your reg doesn't work and 0 psi is the quick thinking, instant reflex.....

... "I am gagging... got water in my mouth.... my reg is flooded.... pull weight belt... whistle as you kick.... Hopefully, the bend wouldn't hurt too much...."""