Is the severity of narcosis greater when diving cold water?

[Scubagermany]

Shallow breathing will lead to higher CO2 levels!

Only if you are panting in such a way that you are using exclusively or mostly your pulmonary dead space.

 

[Angelo Farina]

In my experience with deep air, definitely YES.
In cold alpine lakes, such as Garda or Maggiore, I got severe hits at just 24-30 m.
In the Mediterranean, which is warmer but not tropical, I usually had narcosis only at 45+ meters, around 40 if diving in winter.
At Maldives, when there were no depth limits, we did dive routinely at more than 50 meters with no narcosis.
However, low water temperature has a secondary relevant effect, translating in larger muscular effort due to heavier suit and equipment.
At Maldives we were basicaly "skin diving": no suit, no BCD, just long snappy fins, mask and a single tank...
Moving was effortless, and this contributed certainly in reducing CO2 production. CO2 is a powerful narcotic...

 

[clownfishsydney]

I am not even going to respond to OP as he/she has posted numerous questions that should not even be asked by an unqualified diver.

 

[Wibble]

Hyperventilation will lead to lower CO2 levels!

And a very short dive.

Hyperventilation is a symptom of hypercapnia (and IPO/IPE -- Immersion Pulmonary Oedema). On a rebreather, hyperventilation can cause CO2 breakthrough. Hyperventilation underwater is a bad thing, possibly requiring rescue.

 

[tridacna]

Some people have used the word ‘bot’ in this thread. Is the word ‘troll’ no longer de rigueur?

 

[lexvil]

Some people have used the word ‘bot’ in this thread. Is the word ‘troll’ no longer de rigueur?

It comes down to intent, a bot is just doing what it’s told and doesn’t know better.

 

[Bob DBF]

It comes down to intent, a bot is just doing what it’s told and doesn’t know better.

A minion would be the human version of a bot then?

 

[rgkv]

But were you narked?

no,, nothing felt, nothing happened

 

[rgkv]

Not lucky, you probably think narcosis doesn't affect you at that depth, because you never felt a thing.

No one ever feels a thing untill one has to think, and finds out they are not up to the task, that's where training and muscle memory can save the day. When most divers feel narcosis it's usually, in my experience, a CO2 hit, rather than narcosis.



I'd bet money on it.

I had left my dive buddy, who wasnt that experienced, to go deep. While down at that depth I started to worry alittle about my dive buddy and after a few minutes thought I best go back up beside him. So I was thinking and was able to do as I wanted,, no problem

 

[Still Kicking]

I had left my dive buddy, who wasnt that experienced, to go deep. While down at that depth I started to worry alittle about my dive buddy and after a few minutes thought I best go back up beside him. So I was thinking and was able to do as I wanted,, no problem

The decision to leave your buddy simply for the thrill of going deep.....your decision making was influenced to some degree by the "martini effect" of narcosis.

The worry about your buddy and your decision to leave him alone ......influenced to some degree by the "dark nark" form of narcosis.

Identifying our altered emotional states and poor judgments is how we learn to recognize narcosis.

Unless your neurological function is different to every other human, saying you weren't narked is the equivalent of the driver who says, "I drive better after three beers."