Explaining 'Dive Stuff' to Non Divers....

[scuba_junkie]

Ever since I got my OW cert, there are a lot of my friends and family that ask questions about the sport and its many topics. Explaining the gear is one thing, but when they start asking about the physical effects encountered when diving thats a whole different thing. The biggest one is when they ask 'Arent you afraid of getting the bends if you go too deep?'... then I get to have fun explaining the differences between DCS and nitrogen narcosis. I have had many puzzled looks when I tell them all about what happens to the different gasses in the compressed air you breathe when at depth. I like to use the 'soda pop' analogy when explaining the basics of getting bent. My favorite for getting narc'd is one about thinking you can breathe like a fish and taking the reg out. I will say that I probably didnt know the difference myself a long time ago, so I'm not knocking anybody. Its just funny now that I'm into scuba. Just one of those odd observations.... ut:

 

[JamesK]

Try explaining cave diving to someone. When you tell them you go there to look at wet rocks, they are ready to have you committed! LOL!!!

 

[Northeastwrecks]

Sounds about as successful as explaining why it is interesting to look at broken ships that have no treasure. One person asked me why I don't go to the landfill.

 

[JamesK]

LMAO!! Now that is funny! Hmm, I wonder if Landfill Diving could catch on. Maybe a new PADI cert!

 

[Northeastwrecks]

Why not. I was looking at some commercial diving employment opportunities and found a job posting that calls for diving inside nuclear reactor vessels.

I somehow doubt that my DS3 is rated for that.

BTW, I'm not knocking commercial divers. I was hoping to find a job for an industrial or materials engineer that called for commercial diving.

 

[Rick L]

If you get that nuclear diving job.
You wont need a flashlight anymore!!!
You will be glowing:fury:
Rick L

 

[Uncle Pug]

When telling tales...
If you would be well received...
Seek to entertain rather than inform...
Understand what non-divers want to hear...
And feed them clichés that include trigger words...
Such as Great White Shark, Giant Octopus or Giant Squid...
And of course Rapture of the Deep and be sure to describe...
The horrors of dying from the Bends ~ using a shaken soda...
Which you open at the appropriate juncture in the tale...
And nonchalantly proceed to drink in front of them...
Lifting your left eyebrow and eyelid exposing...
The white of your eye above the iris...
Allowing some soda to dribble...
From the corner of your...
slackened mouth...

 

[voidware]

The soda bottle analogy is my favorite. I love to scare people like that. It works very well for explaining decompression. Other than that I usually get really mundane questions.

brandon

 

[JDostal]

I always like the one....so how long can you spend down there...or...how long does that tank there last you?


Hrmm...do I go into the long explanation of different times at different depths, or do I just give 'em the average?

Heh.

 

[Spectre]

Northeastwrecks once bubbled...
Sounds about as successful as explaining why it is interesting to look at broken ships that have no treasure. One person asked me why I don't go to the landfill.

I've always made sure to explain to folks that the difference between 'trash' and 'artifacts' is their proximity to a sunken ship!

Around the office, any 'why wrecks?' question is answered 'cause bugs like wrecks!'

Saves me from having to honestly explain the facination...