More dangerous! eg. heart attack induced by the climb, pushed by someone else and break the neck, rushing down so fast and with same consequences etc etc.
How dangerous is diving?
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je76
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Here you go; http://www.si.edu/dive/pdfs/DAN_Diving_Fatalities_Proceedings.pdf and NSAA : National Ski Areas Association : Press.
According to DAN in the United States there are around 80 deaths per year from diving and according to the NSAA there are about 40 fatal accidents in skiing. Of course you need to look more in depth at the number of those participating and other factors but this gives you a rough idea. The number for diving isn't something drastically higher in simple terms but the question is how many more people ski than dive or vice versa.
Reading though the DAN Diving report thought is quite interesting. I would also add that trying to compare diving and skiing isn't comparing apples to apples though.
According to DAN in the United States there are around 80 deaths per year from diving and according to the NSAA there are about 40 fatal accidents in skiing. Of course you need to look more in depth at the number of those participating and other factors but this gives you a rough idea. The number for diving isn't something drastically higher in simple terms but the question is how many more people ski than dive or vice versa.
Reading though the DAN Diving report thought is quite interesting. I would also add that trying to compare diving and skiing isn't comparing apples to apples though.
vladimir
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Diving is more dangerous than skiing, on average. Measured in micromorts*, a day of skiing = 1/2 micromort, a scuba dive = 5 micromorts, a heroin dose = 30 micromorts. If you skip the heroin this week, you can do six dives and break even. 
Understanding uncertainty: Small but lethal | plus.maths.org
*a one-in-a-million chance of dying. About 200 miles in an automobile, or 6 miles on a motorcycle.
Understanding uncertainty: Small but lethal | plus.maths.org
*a one-in-a-million chance of dying. About 200 miles in an automobile, or 6 miles on a motorcycle.
SHiBBY
Registered
As long as you know the risks, know and follow the rules and have you gear serviced and/or replaced according to manufacturer/industry standards, I'd say the risk is fairly low. You have a much bigger chance of pegging as a result of gear failure and stupidity than of attacks from marine life IMO.
Here's an example: A while back, I went on a boat dive after not diving for a month or so as a result of flu. Seeing as the winter weather in Cape Town is beautiful during the week and monsoon over weekends (Murphy's Law), I was very eager to get a dive in even though my nose was still a bit stuffy. On top of that, it was a deep dive so I was psyched (IF you know your theory, you should be seeing red lights just about now)
Now, equalizing while descending is fairly easy as we can use our stomach muscles to put some pressure behind our lungs, but when going up, this is not the case... And there I was, stuck at 25m with a reverse block. It was the most helpless I've felt in a long time, running out of air and not being able to ascend without feeling like I'm about to pass out. Luckily, after going up slowly and then hovering with my inner ear pressurized, the pressure would eventually escape slowly though what sounded like a very small, bubbling passage.
And right then and there, I learned that there's no grey area when it comes to scuba rules. You either dive by them, or break them. They cannot be bent. And when you break even one seemingly silly rule, you're increasing your "micromorts" from under 10 to about 700,000,000
Here's an example: A while back, I went on a boat dive after not diving for a month or so as a result of flu. Seeing as the winter weather in Cape Town is beautiful during the week and monsoon over weekends (Murphy's Law), I was very eager to get a dive in even though my nose was still a bit stuffy. On top of that, it was a deep dive so I was psyched (IF you know your theory, you should be seeing red lights just about now)
Now, equalizing while descending is fairly easy as we can use our stomach muscles to put some pressure behind our lungs, but when going up, this is not the case... And there I was, stuck at 25m with a reverse block. It was the most helpless I've felt in a long time, running out of air and not being able to ascend without feeling like I'm about to pass out. Luckily, after going up slowly and then hovering with my inner ear pressurized, the pressure would eventually escape slowly though what sounded like a very small, bubbling passage.
And right then and there, I learned that there's no grey area when it comes to scuba rules. You either dive by them, or break them. They cannot be bent. And when you break even one seemingly silly rule, you're increasing your "micromorts" from under 10 to about 700,000,000
waterpirate
Contributor
Beyond 130fsw, when rules get bent- so do you.
Eric
Eric
As long as you know the risks, know and follow the rules and have you gear serviced and/or replaced according to manufacturer/industry standards, I'd say the risk is fairly low. You have a much bigger chance of pegging as a result of gear failure and stupidity than of attacks from marine life IMO.
Here's an example: A while back, I went on a boat dive after not diving for a month or so as a result of flu. Seeing as the winter weather in Cape Town is beautiful during the week and monsoon over weekends (Murphy's Law), I was very eager to get a dive in even though my nose was still a bit stuffy. On top of that, it was a deep dive so I was psyched (IF you know your theory, you should be seeing red lights just about now)
Now, equalizing while descending is fairly easy as we can use our stomach muscles to put some pressure behind our lungs, but when going up, this is not the case... And there I was, stuck at 25m with a reverse block. It was the most helpless I've felt in a long time, running out of air and not being able to ascend without feeling like I'm about to pass out. Luckily, after going up slowly and then hovering with my inner ear pressurized, the pressure would eventually escape slowly though what sounded like a very small, bubbling passage.
And right then and there, I learned that there's no grey area when it comes to scuba rules. You either dive by them, or break them. They cannot be bent. And when you break even one seemingly silly rule, you're increasing your "micromorts" from under 10 to about 700,000,000
CamG
Contributor
SKiing / Diving........numbers well I guess it has been covered pretty well.
I agree that the safety of either hinge on the training / experience of the individual.
I think if you ahead to the set of guidelines / rules for both and do not exceed your level of training the odds you will be able to manage the risk is pretty good.
Both can end badly for no apparent reason though there is a element of risk that has to be assumed with each.
The real hazard is driving everyday if you want to look at numbers look at those.
There is a element of risk when we walk out our doors everyday.
Is it comparable well it can be argued that we choose our acceptable level of risk as we choose our hobbies / sports.
I am certain the numbers are out their just call your insurance man and he will give you some even if they are made up from no research.
The positive physical mental characteristics that come from the activities for the individual are a factor for me.
Hard to tell if I let the numbers dictate my life where I would be........maybe $$$$$$$$$$$$$ ahead financially that is!
CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!
I agree that the safety of either hinge on the training / experience of the individual.
I think if you ahead to the set of guidelines / rules for both and do not exceed your level of training the odds you will be able to manage the risk is pretty good.
Both can end badly for no apparent reason though there is a element of risk that has to be assumed with each.
The real hazard is driving everyday if you want to look at numbers look at those.
There is a element of risk when we walk out our doors everyday.
Is it comparable well it can be argued that we choose our acceptable level of risk as we choose our hobbies / sports.
I am certain the numbers are out their just call your insurance man and he will give you some even if they are made up from no research.
The positive physical mental characteristics that come from the activities for the individual are a factor for me.
Hard to tell if I let the numbers dictate my life where I would be........maybe $$$$$$$$$$$$$ ahead financially that is!
CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!
Bob DBF
Contributor
You can't breathe water, this puts you at a distinct disadvantage in any emergency. I believe that anyone that believes diving is not dangerous is deluding themselves and therefore may not mitigate the risk they are taking properly and possibly suffer some severe concequences. A&I can provide you with details.
I don't believe that the danger in another activity has any bearing on how dangerous SCUBA diving may be; if you die in any activity I believe it turned out a tad more dangerous than you expected at the start.
Bob
------------------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.
I don't believe that the danger in another activity has any bearing on how dangerous SCUBA diving may be; if you die in any activity I believe it turned out a tad more dangerous than you expected at the start.
Bob
------------------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
I have discovered that 100% of all divers are going to die.
In addition, 100% of all skiers will also expire at some point in their lives.
It's this life thing. In the end it's just plum fatal. NO ONE'S GETTING OUT ALIVE!
You can die on the couch.
You can die in your sleep.
Or, you can die doing something you love.
In addition, 100% of all skiers will also expire at some point in their lives.
It's this life thing. In the end it's just plum fatal. NO ONE'S GETTING OUT ALIVE!
You can die on the couch.
You can die in your sleep.
Or, you can die doing something you love.
How dangerous is diving? Great question. And the answer is... as dangerous or as safe as your want it to be. If you limit you dives to open water, within recreational limits, maintain good health, and maintain your diving skills as an active diver, and dive only with quality equipment, well maintained, do a thorough buddy check, dive with a competent buddy, follow no decompression dive limits, and don't feed the wild life, scuba diving is not very dangerous at all. Oh, there are inherent dangers, no question, just as there are in most activities. But they can be minimized. However, try diving without proper training, or with rusty skills, poorly maintained gear, no planning, no buddy check, and an "every man for himself" attitude in the water, and it can be very dangerous.
Even tech divers and cave divers ( who are the best at safety planning, redundancy with equipment, etc. )will tell you that a properly planned and executed dive, while having substantially greater danger factors than a recreational dive, can be executed quite safely.
When you read of dive fatalities, usually there is an issue with at least one of these: 1)the diver's health before the dive; 2) diving in conditions beyond the training and competence of the diver; 3) inattentive diver; 4) poorly maintained equipment malfunction. Train, be active, maintain your equipment, plan and execute dives within your personal limits, maintain good health, and diving is not nearly as dangerous as most people think. Ignore any of those things, and diving is very dangerous.
DivemasterDennis
Even tech divers and cave divers ( who are the best at safety planning, redundancy with equipment, etc. )will tell you that a properly planned and executed dive, while having substantially greater danger factors than a recreational dive, can be executed quite safely.
When you read of dive fatalities, usually there is an issue with at least one of these: 1)the diver's health before the dive; 2) diving in conditions beyond the training and competence of the diver; 3) inattentive diver; 4) poorly maintained equipment malfunction. Train, be active, maintain your equipment, plan and execute dives within your personal limits, maintain good health, and diving is not nearly as dangerous as most people think. Ignore any of those things, and diving is very dangerous.
DivemasterDennis
Bombay High
Contributor
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