How do deep free divers survive decomp sickness?

[Frank O]

Never say never (grin). Scubatoad and Wildcard are on the right track with their depth/time/available-nitrogen-in-one-breath comments as far as record-breaking freedivers is concerned, but there are reports of venous bubbles and decompression symptoms in aggressive repetitive freedivers.

True. Freediving with a scooter is a plausible way to get bent -- you can race up and down and end up spending more time at depth than on the surface. I've heard of at least one case of an advanced freediver getting a serious spinal-cord hit after a lengthy scootering session and ending up in a wheelchair this way. My freediving instructor urged me to include ample surface intervals when doing breath-hold scootering.

 

[Charlie99]

Article on freediving and DCS

 

[freediver]

yes, repetetive freediving is the primary concern. In fact the pearl divers of Japan have had several reports of DCS hits. Pipin has also had a case of DCS.

 

[joedelt]

It's a depth vs time thing. They probably don't spend enough time breathing at depth to build up the extra nitrogen.

they'd better not be breathing at all if they're free diving at debth

 

[freediver]

they'd better not be breathing at all if they're free diving at debth

heehee, that's good, i missed that!

 

[Table6A]

He's right: They aren't breathing compressed air under pressure is the simplest explanation.

 

[Hank49]

Didn't Pipen's girlfriend die because the tank that she was supposed to get a breath from at depth was too low in pressure to deliver any air, and as a result she didn't make it back to the surface? (someone didn't fill it before her dive) This is a different situation. One breath at 130 meters and a fast ascent.....?

 

[freediver]

Didn't Pipen's girlfriend die because the tank that she was supposed to get a breath from at depth was too low in pressure to deliver any air, and as a result she didn't make it back to the surface? (someone didn't fill it before her dive) This is a different situation. One breath at 130 meters and a fast ascent.....?

Actually, it was the cylinder that was connected to the lift bag. It wasn't filled and by the time she reached her safety point she had lost consciousness.