Diving and alcohol

[altitudemike]

I think if you have a long surface interval 2hrs or more a beer won't hurt but if its more than that between dives to have a good time & relax then there are groups for that like AA.

 

[The Horn]

I guess its all up to personal choice. I will say though that through experience, for me, drinking heavy the night before anything will result in a clogged sinus and no chance to clear. Most dives I do involve some sort of drive then dive and it would be a major dissapointment to me but especially my buddy to show up unable to dive.

Vacation, never had one, so that type of drinking must be crazy. I can also say that working in the marine field I have seen more than my fare share of "functional acoholics" or people who can either be hung over or intoxicated and operate with extreamy high mobility/dexterity. You may not even realize they are blotto even under fairly techical requirements.

For the folks who run the charters, its thier butts, thier risk. If you are DM and someone dies on your watch it would not look very good if you tested for booze or witnesses put you doing the technicolour yawn in the bushes a few hours before a charter, especially if the victim was the result of your fatigue etc.

Booze is out there and quite frankly is pretty darn good from time to time, I love a nice rye to close out a day or some wine making dinner but out of respect for my buddy or buddies I can take a break from the bottle.

Some of the folks on the dive charters (ahh to dream) It would be difficult to stay off the booze.......

As an aside, I'm seding this email from out at sea right now via satelite, dang cool

 

[drbill]

We don't have beer, wine or liquor on board. Drinking during a day of diving is an absolute no no for me. In fact, I rarely drink the night before a planned dive unless it is just a beer or a glass of wine... and I do love my wine as I do my diving... and my life.

 

[beautybelow]

I was a commercial fisherman for 25 years and know that many people can "function" while drinking or after a lot of drinking the prior day. I did my fair share of it, just never diving. I don't think the point is whether thay can do the skills or not. I dont like citing my own liabilty as a reason for not letting, or should I say, recommending that someone doesnt do something. I look for for the reason for the liability. That's kind of why I asked the question, to get a little deeper than what is read off the cards for them most of the time.
I remember when cell phones came out..."oh..I will never need one of those on the boat" The next year I wouldnt leave the dock without it. Ha
Then the computers...and internet....the crew thought I was crazy for sure.

 

[DudleyNMU]

The party starts when the dive boat docks...

 

[matt_unique]

...two Black and Tans immediately after a good dive to go with clam chowder and a grilled shrimp salad.

That will be my lunch tomorrow after diving....I crave it now!

--Matt

 

[Diving Doc]

Also a big nono for me

 

[DavidHickey]

Well I don't drink before dives or during intervals usually, I did have an occasion were I was between dives and hot and thirsty, we were camping out and I opened the cooler and all that was left was a few Michelob Lites. I had no problem or second thoughts about pulling one out to go with lunch. Nor would I have a problem with a dive buddy doing the same. From what I can tell there must be a HIGH percentage of perfect divers on the board. It seems most dive locations and vacations I have been to at night if you want to talk to the other divers about your dives that day you head to the resort bar and usually find most of them a few drinks ahead ahead of you. And most will stay there till they are feeling pretty good. I've never seen "granted I'm a new diver" anyone get the bends the next morning. I would really figure if the night before drinking significantly raised the risk of DCS you would be reading about it on a daily basis. I'm not advocating drinking and diving, but I also do not think it has to be one extreme or the other. Moderation is usually the key to balancing everything. Just from my personal experience and seeing it first hand, and then reading the answers by most on this board I would think it has to be sorta like peeing in your wetsuit, there are those that do and those that lie. And probably a handful of honest ones mixed in!
David Hickey

 

[Blackwood]

Let me start by saying that I would never drink then dive. That's just me. Just to play devils advocate, wouldn't a couple of cups of coffee in the morning be just as bad as drinking a bottle of beer as far as dehydration goes?

Probably. Plus the caffeine is a stimulant which is also not-so-good.

When I'm diving, I pretty much drink water.

 

[Cacia]

I only drink one coffee in the morning...but I feel really bad without it. (headache, sleepy) So...I was thinking about dropping it, but now they are saying certain antioxidants in it are good for you.

"coffee is America's largest source of polyphenols, a powerful anti-oxidant" (from YOU: The Owner's Manual" by Roizen and Oz MD's.) Also, it has been pretty much put to bed as far as the indictment that it causes hypertension, so I am sticking with it for now, since good KONA is so enjoyable to me.

(they also recommend one drink a day) FWIW