Diving and alcohol

[Cacia]

I am not trying to be controversial, but I think reasonable people could see how one beer at lunch during a 2-3 hour midday break is at least as safe as people who get smashed the night before, don't sleep well, and dive in the am.

I just don't like the 0-tolerance stuff that seems to comfort some people. Because people lose touch with reading their own body once they surrender their judgement to the "rule makers"... And start just trying to live "in compliance".

I do agree that it is a thing to respect if an operator has a rule about diving on their boat and not drinking...

If you are on your own boat and think you can handle one over several hours with lunch, well...it's a free country. (still, sort of) Diving does not endanger others near to the scale of driving a vehicle, so unless you never have one and drive home...then the logic seems pretty flawed in my mind.

I have probably had 5 beers/ total miday in 20 years on dive days, so please don't assume I am a big mess. I just hate it when people post "if you do X and then X...you are a moron". Some people like their rules, I guess, it keeps things simple for some to follow along that way. Just don't make judgement so easy that you don't get any practice actually thinking situations through!

If some of us don't constantly hold our ground around here, this board would have blanket rules like "no diving without redundant air" "No diving if you have had one beer in 24 hrs" "no diving if you don't have 02 on your private boat". It is just too much for people to try and nanny everybody else. Makes me crazy.

There is ALWAYS something you can attend to in your own life, if you are in the mood to attack safety concerns, on any given day. I like to remember that I have way more impact on my own life than on anybody else's.

 

[Daner]

I am not trying to be controversial, but I think reasonable people could see how one beer at lunch during a 2-3 hour midday break is at least as safe as people who get smashed the night before, don't sleep well, and dive in the am.

I just don't like the 0-tolerance stuff that seems to comfort some people. Because people lose touch with reading their own body once they surrender their judgement to the "rule makers"... And start just trying to live "in compliance".

I do agree that it is a thing to respect if an operator has a rule about diving on their boat and not drinking...

If you are on your own boat and think you can handle one over several hours with lunch, well...it's a free country. (still, sort of) Diving does not endanger others near to the scale of driving a vehicle, so unless you never have one and drive home...then the logic seems pretty flawed in my mind.

I have probably had 5 beers/ total miday in 20 years on dive days, so please don't assume I am a big mess. I just hate it when people post "if you do X and then X...you are a moron". Some people like their rules, I guess, it keeps things simple for some to follow along that way. Just don't make judgement so easy that you don't get any practice actually thinking situations through!

If some of us don't constantly hold our ground around here, this board would have blanket rules like "no diving without redundant air" "No diving if you have had one beer in 24 hrs" "no diving if you don't have 02 on your private boat". It is just too much for people to try and nanny everybody else. Makes me crazy.

There is ALWAYS something you can attend to in your own life, if you are in the mood to attack safety concerns, on any given day. I like to remember that I have way more impact on my own life than on anybody else's.

Well said!

 

[Diver Dennis]

If some of us don't constantly hold our ground around here, this board would have blanket rules like "no diving without redundant air" "No diving if you have had one beer in 24 hrs" "no diving if you don't have 02 on your private boat". It is just too much for people to try and nanny everybody else. Makes me crazy.

There is ALWAYS something you can attend to in your own life, if you are in the mood to attack safety concerns, on any given day. I like to remember that I have way more impact on my own life than on anybody else's.

Exactly Catherine. I'm with you. As you said, it is not like we are condoning certain practices but there are a lot of folks here that are adamant about THEIR way of diving. Recreational diving is inherently safe but a new member here could sure get the idea that it isn't sometimes.

No, I don't ever drink between dives but I won't flame someone for having a beer if that's what they want to do during a two hour SI. More than that could be a problem...

 

[Cacia]

he he. I just came from the pony thread, I am imbibing too much coffee.

 

[boulderjohn]

he he. I just came from the pony thread, I am imbibing too much coffee.

Watch out! You'll get dehydrated!

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Just like drinking before a dive , intoxication isnt the only danger.

 

[Drewski]

But seriously drewski, was the beer available only after the last dive, or was it available to them at all during their surface interval, i'm a bit confused by the wording there.

FREE beer, as long as it lasted, AFTER the dive. We kept 2 coolers for drinks - "During" and "After." Kind of gave them something to look forward to...

As far as "boat policy" went, our diving liability insurance policy was REALLY clear about drinking prior to diving, including a "suspect impairment" section. Basically, if we suspected someone was drinking prior to diving (on the boat), or if they were "impaired" prior to boarding, their diving day ended. If we didn't follow this, we could have lost our liability insurance policy. Once you get "cancelled" in this business, it's REALLY tough to get it back.

To avoid "issues" the first time, divers that drank got a full refund on the boat ticket if they hadn't already dived. We had a talk with them about it (I can only remember this happening once or twice) and noted who they were for future trips. If it happened again, they were off the boat, NO refund.

As a licensed captain that ran boats for a number of years, I can tell you that USCG takes VERY seriously any issues that could contribute to an unsafe passenger environment. If they saw a bunch of divers drinking and suspected we were taking them diving, they would have pulled my ticket faster than I could say "they were doing what?" USCG focuses enforcement on the vessel's Master, not the passengers. Considering I ran boats from a dock right NEXT to a USCG base, well, let's just say I was careful...

I'm not suggesting what people have posted as far as drinking and diving is wrong or right (it's all up to you), I'm just saying that if you were going out on MY boat, this is the way we would do it.

 

[sbrooks]

Body chemistry & dehydration aside, alcohol consumption can lead to poor decisions, tunnel vision, and symptoms similary to narcosis narcosis (at shallow depths). Similar to dRiving, diving requires conscious thought and on-the-spot decision making. If that is not reason enough - I don't know what is.
S.

 

[Thalassamania]

Just out of curiousity, what are your views on drinking one or two beers between or before diving. I know what my opinion is, but I have to deal with this more than I would have guessed. I would not do it nor recommend it.

I am opposed to any alcohol use within 24 hours preceding the dive, not on the basis of intoxication (which I'm assured is a gift for the god(s)) but on the basis of osmoregulation. But there was that paper, from a reputable Chinese Journal that Glen Egstrom showed me, indicating that mild alcohol may be a prophylaxis for DCS.

 

[Vayu]

"no diving without redundant air" "No diving if you have had one beer in 24 hrs" "no diving if you don't have 02 on your private boat".

These sound like pretty reasonable guidelines. There are plenty of diving sites around here that do not allow solo diving. I consider my buddy a redundant air source so the first suggestion you posted is already moderately regulated.