Deco beer?

[scubadada]

...As for my normal practices, I wait until I am home and the gear has been put away.

Same with me

 

[ScubaGypsy]

I dove with a Russian dude in Italy that had 3 or 4 vodka shots before the dive and another 3 or 4 during our surface interval.

 

[MargaritaMike]

As we surfaced at the end of the dive, the boat crew handed down the beer bottles. We each took one, descended to about safety stop depth, and drank them there. It's a little bit of a trick, but very doable.

That sounds like something I would like to try - ONCE. I guess I need to train my next boat crew. I try to drink a LOT of water after a dive and sometimes wash it down with ---- wait for it ---- a MARGARITA! I have a great recipe!

Cheers -

 

[JamesBon92007]

I'm fortunate in that I feel intoxicated by the world around me and don't need additional stimulation, however I have often wondered if I'm getting slightly narced at only 35 feet because I feel so ****ing good while I'm diving!

When I first read the title of the thread I thought you were speculating if beer somehow aided decompression. Maybe it does. It will be a new choice on future dive computers right after Nitrox and Trimix.

In the movie Dive to Danger there is a scene where a bunch of guys are drinking what appears to be champagne while watching some very well-trained green morays undressing two women. My biggest worry is what happens to those bubbles when they ascend.

 

[TMHeimer]

I have a beer or two while rinsing the gear. I have read alcohol after a dive is not so good as it slows down off gassing. Most of my dives are so shallow I could probably drink all I want. When I took the Deep course 11 years ago (late May, 35F water), the six pack (I think) was tied to the 15' emergency air bar. I was the only non-pro on the course. One of the instructors went back down to get the beer at day's end.

 

[Steve_C]

Depends: If I am diving off the coast of NC, and then have to drive 3 hours back to home. I take no beer until home and gear washed. It takes a double expresso to make sure I stay awake as it is.

If I am staying overnight and somebody offers me a beer on the ride back I will take it. Usually about 30 minutes after surfacing.

If I am in the Keys or in NC and staying close to the boat I will have a beer afterwards and a beer or glass of wine with dinner.

But I am 72 and if I have a couple beers/wines it is nap time.

In NC on the boats I dive most people do not have a beer on the boat. It is not unusual, however, for one or two small groups to have a beer or two on the ride back (1-2 hours)

 

[Stoo]

I can't cite any studies...

WELL I CAN!

Well, not quite, but almost. A couple of years ago, I did a presentation at a dive show in Toronto. The fellow following me was a PhD type who worked at DCIEM. (For non Canucks: http://www.drdc-rddc.gc.ca/en/index.page) Basically, DCIEM is the branch of the Federal Government that conducts research into many military "things" including hyperbaric medicine.

Anyway, this fellow's research was far-reaching, but one thing I do recall vividly was his Doppler recordings made from "non-bent, but close" Navy divers. Again I'm sorry for the lack of details, but basically that had some folks do pretty typical rec depths, but for times that were right at their NDL. The recordings were very clear and you could hear the sound of the divers' blood moving around. The divers did not exhibit any sign of DCS.

Then he had each diver do a single deep knee bend while he continued to record with the Doppler. Immediately, the sound changed and became much louder. He told us that was the sound of small bubbles that had formed presumably as the result of this mild exercise.

More extensive testing allowed him to conclude that divers that are near to a saturation point would do well to sit quietly and rest for a while. Again, I forget his exact time, but it was a while... like upwards of an hour.

After the presentation, I spoke with him and told him how for the past 40 years, my buddies "always" sat in our inflatables, drysuits around our waists, gear still tied off and in the water and enjoyed a cold beer. We have always felt it best to do that. He agreed, but when I suggested that given the long period of time he recommended, we would half to up our "treatment" to three beers. He would not endorse that, sadly.

At the risk of stating the obvious, I am talking about the last dive of the day stuff.

I'll see if I can find a link to his research and post it here if I can find it...

But ya, the Doc says "pause a while", and have a beer before you start the heavy lifting!

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

I wish my dive op had beer available for the ride back to town. (In their defense...I never asked) Between the yellow goo ball I hack up after a dive and the salt water I swallow, a Bohemia Obscura right after a dive would be amazing. On our Cozumel trips, we usually stop at The Thirsty Cougar on the walk back to the hotel for a beer, then on to the hotel for a shower, nap, and the rest of the day. It's a long 20-45 minute ride back with only water or coconut water to drink.

Safe travels,
Jay

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

It’s best to make sure you are very well hydrated before and after diving and before any booze starts (after diving of course).
Dehydration is one of the leading factors in DCS.

 

[boulderjohn]

It’s best to make sure you are very well hydrated before and after diving and before any booze starts (after diving of course).
Dehydration is one of the leading factors in DCS.

I m going to guess that this post that was made a minute after this one in another thread was actually intended for this thread: Mass confusion about computers????

It simply points out that although dehydration is often mentioned as a leading factor in DCS, there is no research supporting that belief.