Is is safe to dive throught the surf with a reg in your mouth?

[Rick Inman]

But yes, the senario is just as you've described where one would be inhaling at the same time the wave was passing directly overhead. So you would go almost instantly to a shallower depth as the wave passed. It may in reality be only a 4 - 6 foot difference, but that is the main point.

Timing this would be problematic. Waves don't have a straight edge, suddenly popping you to lower or higher depth. They are hilly, the larger the wave the greater the area of the slope. To inhale at the perfect rhythmic moment that would have you at full lung capacity exactly as the depth dropped would be difficult to do even if you were trying.
As a kid, we used to dive Zuma beach for clams in 10' surf. As you approach a large wave, the surge sucks you forward toward the cresting wave, slowly dropping in depth as the wave builds before you until, crash, the wave breaks or rolls or boils over you. The fast change is usually from shallow to deeper, which is not a problem.

 

[headhunter]

Timing this would be problematic. Waves don't have a straight edge, suddenly popping you to lower or higher depth. They are hilly, the larger the wave the greater the area of the slope. To inhale at the perfect rhythmic moment that would have you at full lung capacity exactly as the depth dropped would be difficult to do even if you were trying.
As a kid, we used to dive Zuma beach for clams in 10' surf. As you approach a large wave, the surge sucks you forward toward the cresting wave, slowly dropping in depth as the wave builds before you until, crash, the wave breaks or rolls or boils over you. The fast change is usually from shallow to deeper, which is not a problem.

That makes sense. I used to dive a man made reef off Zuma Beach made of old trolley cars and toilet bowls. At least I think it was Zuma. I remember it being about a 1/2 mile off shore. We'd swim out, do our dive and swim back. Some of our friends would surf while we went diving.

 

[jagfish]

Most of the diving here in Japan is shore entry, and some of it is pretty rough in winter and spring. However, on some boat dives, I've had pretty good changes in depth holding on to and anchor line when a boat is priinning around pretty good for whatever reason.

I've been told, and it seems like a pretty good idea, that in additioan to not holding breath, in the breathing cycle as one cycles from inhale to exhale, to not close the flap over the wind pipe (dang, can't remember the name of it right now. Been out of the country too long, losing my English!)

Anyway, as long as you do not shut your windpipe, I believe that even during inhalation, if you move up a few feet or more in the water column, your windpipe is essentially open and any air expansion in your lungs will naturally vent. The catch would be if you felt the rise or wave disturbance and held our breath. Does that sound right?

I practice this breathing with just diaphram control, not using my "windpipe closing mechanism"(this is just embarrassing!), at the transitions of the cycle. My impression is that if I can breath this way all the time, I would be protected from overexpansion in any sudden upward depth.

JAG

 

[headhunter]

Most of the diving here in Japan is shore entry, and some of it is pretty rough in winter and spring. However, on some boat dives, I've had pretty good changes in depth holding on to and anchor line when a boat is priinning around pretty good for whatever reason.

I've been told, and it seems like a pretty good idea, that in additioan to not holding breath, in the breathing cycle as one cycles from inhale to exhale, to not close the flap over the wind pipe (dang, can't remember the name of it right now. Been out of the country too long, losing my English!)

Anyway, as long as you do not shut your windpipe, I believe that even during inhalation, if you move up a few feet or more in the water column, your windpipe is essentially open and any air expansion in your lungs will naturally vent. The catch would be if you felt the rise or wave disturbance and held our breath. Does that sound right?

I practice this breathing with just diaphram control, not using my "windpipe closing mechanism"(this is just embarrassing!), at the transitions of the cycle. My impression is that if I can breath this way all the time, I would be protected from overexpansion in any sudden upward depth.

JAG

I agree with you completely. The only time when this would be a problem is if somebody held their breath.

Although I have no actual evidence to support it, I am under the impression that most people when caught by surprise and hit with a large turbulent wave would hold their breath as sort of a "panic response".

Christian