Floating on the surface

[DKB01]

Matt:

Digging a little deeper in to your question about surviving on the surface while floating...

I learned diving many years ago from an ex-navy diver. He taught us that attempting survival by traditional unaided floating would lead to exhaustion quickly and subsequent early demise. He taught us the technique of "drown-proofing" , the assumption of a vertical relaxation position. He proposed that one could deploy this technique nearly indefinitely, until succumbing to eventual exhaustion or dehydration.

I hope I never have to find out, but learning this technique erased my "fear" of the water forever.

Darrell

 

[k ellis]

Hi, I'm very new to the forum and just started browsing looking for advice on bouyancy - this thread is somewhat helpful in answering my question: do I have trouble descending because I am so fat? I'm 5'4", and when I first started diving (1995) I weighed in at a whopping 100 pounds. I didn't have any trouble descending. Then, after 35, my metabolism changed dramatically. Without any other lifestyle changes, I went from 100 pounds to 145. Ick!!! I went diving in Cozumel and Maui last year, and even with 15 pounds of weight on I had to pull myself down the bouy anchor - anything less than about 10 feet and I popped up like a cork. I'm trying to lose some of the weight (which is REALLY hard when you're almost 50 and have been skinny all your life!!), but until I do how do I descend without burning half my tank fighting to get down? Help! I'm diving in Roatan in early May and would like to be able to stay down more than 45 minutes :cool2:

Like Rick said you will need to trial and error it. Try 20 lbs and if you sink too fast back it off to 18. If you still cant go under try 24. There is really no magical formula for this as every single person is different.

 

[DandyDon]

Matt:

Digging a little deeper in to your question about surviving on the surface while floating...

I learned diving many years ago from an ex-navy diver. He taught us that attempting survival by traditional unaided floating would lead to exhaustion quickly and subsequent early demise. He taught us the technique of "drown-proofing" , the assumption of a vertical relaxation position. He proposed that one could deploy this technique nearly indefinitely, until succumbing to eventual exhaustion or dehydration.

I hope I never have to find out, but learning this technique erased my "fear" of the water forever.

Darrell

They taught that in the Marines in '67. Don't know how long they continued that? See Drownproofing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia There are variations, but one key is to not try to hold your head above water - too much weight. We went limp and relaxed until we needed to breath, then used arms and legs to push up for a breath - and in our version, look around for a boat. Hypothermia and other affects were considered a bigger risk than drowning.

I was younger and fitter then. I'm the one who wears at least a snorkel vest on a moving boat now.