Drinking and Diving

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I stopped drinking even diet coke between and before dives. Just lots lots of bottled water. I find being dehydrated very unplesant, not to mention dangerous. Been there, done that, no thanks. After the dive a good beer if fine, Miller does not count.

 

[DivingCRNA]

In our club, the rule is, if you start drinking, your diving is over for the day. Even one beer.

I understand having this rule and I do not personally drink and dive. However, how do you enforce this rule if someone wants "just one beer" during a SI? Are you shore or boat diving?

Basically, I see the same way I see the "how deep can I go" newby question. No one is at 60 feet checking for AOW or Deep Diver certs. If you do it (going that deep) you are ultimately responsible for the consequences. Unless you somehow restrain a diver, how do you keep them out of the water, other than not inviting them next time?

I am not being sarcastic. I am curious how this is handled.

 

[scratchmyback]

I understand having this rule and I do not personally drink and dive. However, how do you enforce this rule if someone wants "just one beer" during a SI? Are you shore or boat diving?

Basically, I see the same way I see the "how deep can I go" newby question. No one is at 60 feet checking for AOW or Deep Diver certs. If you do it (going that deep) you are ultimately responsible for the consequences. Unless you somehow restrain a diver, how do you keep them out of the water, other than not inviting them next time?

I am not being sarcastic. I am curious how this is handled.

Well it's not like we have a bunch of loose cannons in our club. We all respect the rule. Our club focuses on safety first. We are all there to dive. I'm generally referring to boat dives here. Some people bring a beer in their cooler to crack open after the last dive. To answer your question, nobody wants to have a beer during their SI. I see a lot of bottled water, or Gatorade being consumed.

 

[SkuaSeptember]

Basically, I see the same way I see the "how deep can I go" newby question. No one is at 60 feet checking for AOW or Deep Diver certs. If you do it (going that deep) you are ultimately responsible for the consequences. Unless you somehow restrain a diver, how do you keep them out of the water, other than not inviting them next time?

You are ultimately responsible for you first. If you see someone doing something that could endanger you, don't dive with them! Start politely with something like "Why don't we save those for after the dives are done for the day." if that isn't hint enough then let them know that you aren't comfortable with the situation and if you need to sit out the dive to make your point, then do so. There is always another day to dive.

 

[hollywood703]

Every place that I have been to, you are not to drink until you are done diving.....The best place I was at gave you band, and you turned it in when you got a drink......no band no dive......I personally wont dive with anyone who has had even a half a drink......Im not gonna risk my life, becuase they make some stupid decison/action. I always ask when making my dive plans what the rules are for drinking.....if they say its ok to drink before diving...I call someone else......It is just irresponsible for a them to condone and a huge liability.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Oh, we're talking about alchohol....

 

[emcbride81]

I have never seen anyone dive drunk...I am sure it happens though. It would be very dangerous and completely stupid...the only thing I could think being stupider would be to fly drunk! Imagine have a gear issue when you are gooned up! That would be just about the worst case scenario I can imagine. I save the beers for the fish stories later that night!!!

 

[ReefHound]

I personally wont dive with anyone who has had even a half a drink......Im not gonna risk my life, becuase they make some stupid decison/action.

Have you ever rode in a car withone who has had a drink? Ever drive yourself? Maybe not you but I'll bet a lot of divers clucking about the dangers of a beer on a surface interval are no stranger to having several beers at a bar and then driving home. Ya know, if you wanna drink and dive, you might be stupid and might become a statistic, but you aren't going to wipe out an innocent family. Let's keep some sense of relative risk here.

That said, I don't drink between or before dives as a matter of preference. I want to be hydrated and clear minded.

 

[Spratman]

Wait! This was rhetorical....now you're making it personal!!

 

[Damselfish]

Maybe not you but I'll bet a lot of divers clucking about the dangers of a beer on a surface interval are no stranger to having several beers at a bar and then driving home.

I actually doubt this is that common.

Ya know, if you wanna drink and dive, you might be stupid and might become a statistic, but you aren't going to wipe out an innocent family. Let's keep some sense of relative risk here.

How would you feel if you were buddied up with someone who was impaired? How would you feel if you had to make the decision to rescue someone or not, who screwed up because they were impaired and possibly put yourself at risk? How would you feel if your diving day got messed up because someone was drinking and it contributed to an accident? How would someone's spouse or kids feel if someone died because of a dive accident caused by drinking.

I'm being overdramatic, just saying unless you solo dive and have no one that gives a rats behind about you, your actions can affect other people. Sure there's always other risks and it's true chances are that nothing will happen, but why add additional risk factors for no good reason?