Do you Drink and Dive?

[Cacia]

and I will probably lay in the sun for two...... but "have a beer and you cannot dive again that day" is just too harsh. UNLESS it is a business policy and then it is your perogative. But to be honest, I would not go on a liveaboard if I knew that was the policy. I just don't need that level of supervision. Having said that, it is not a good idea to be flamboyant around new divers still trying to figure things out.

 

[cbborromeo]

I've seen three emergencies during my diving career of people who went on a dive when they shouldn't have...and two paid with their lives.

As a responsible diver, the first thing I do before I get on the boat or check gear is to determine whether I am fit for a dive or not. As Rick pointed out, we are affected by sun as much as from anything else.

 

[Cacia]

well, the people that died, what did they do?

 

[ScubaTexan]

For me, drinking is for apres plonger...

 

[cornfed]

One beer folks with your fish tacos....

I'd also avoid the fish tacos.

 

[DavidPT40]

I found out very quickly that drinking is a huge part of the diving community. I remember my last night in Cozumel, as a large group of divers entered the hotel I was staying at. They guzzled down beer and mixed drinks left and right.

As for me, I don't like do anything more than shore dives in shallow water if I've had a drink that day or if I am feeling some residual effects (ie hangover). I want to be in top physical condition if I have to dive to 100 feet.

So really, if its just a pure scuba diving trip, I like to cut out the booze . But if its a combo trip ( sight-seeing, nightlife, etc), I really have to judge how much I dive on how I feel. Even though diving is a relatively easy activity, pressure still does some wierd stuff to your body.

 

[MoonWrasse]

well, the people that died, what did they do?

Decompose, of course


The thing that gets me is that the 3 accidents, I presume, incurred rescue attempts by the non-drunk divers. That to me shows the additional selfishness of those who chose to drink and dive, inspite the warnings to the contrary.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Never.

 

[dmmike]

I'm happy to say I've never had a drink before diving, nor ever gone off the deep end the night before a dive. There's so much that is still unknown to what brings on a DCI hit I'm sure not going to chance it.

Call me a sissy...... it's been done before, but if I have to save your *****, you'll be glad I'm sober.............

 

[spacemanspiff1974]

While I have sworn never to do this again, a friend and I went diving while hungover. When I hit 60' the headache completely went away and I felt just fine. My friend, on the other hand, vomited. When we were back on the boat I was just fine and he ended up skipping the next dive.

Alcohol, dehydration, pressure and oxygen percentage do funny things in different ways to different people. I don't even know if my experience would be the same if I repeated the incident.

60' feet underwater is a bad place to find out what your body is going to do.