More on Alcohol

[durian]

I think much more should be said about alcohol and diving. I have been in areas in Thailand where guys would drink till 2 and be out the next morning with their hangovers and in some cases still under the influence.

There is, at times, a lot of bravado in the vacationing diving elements and I think this is a much bigger problem than I have heard voice be given to. Of course you are told not to drink much before dives, but that is relative and perhaps not taken seriously enough.

How many "not yet sobered up people" have got on the dive boats? This is especially true in the resort areas.

I think PADI and others should do a lot more education and enforcing of this.

I do not want to dive with someone under the influence or suffering from a bad hangover.

Bye the way, I enjoy drinking! I do drink, but if I am diving the next day I drink very little the day before. If it is enough to give me a hangover, it is then too much.

If this was better understood it would make it safer and more pleasant for everybody.

Any Instructors or DM's have to deal with a diver suferring from "the night before"?

 

[Doc Intrepid]

How many of them died?

In fact, how many vacationing divers died last year from diving with a hangover?

None?

Guess it isn't that serious a problem...

No one (in their right mind) wants to dive with someone under the influence.

"Just say 'No'".

All the agencies teach their OW students not to drink and dive. I don't want PADI anywhere near any 'enforcement' of this.

 

[hecker-the-wrecker]

I in no way encourage drinking and diving or diving with a hangover. I have tried the second, and it's NO fun. Is it really that big of a problem? I don't remember anytime someone has ruined a dive. Haven't even heard of anyones dive bieng jeopardized by a drinking diver?? have you??

 

[aquaticaggie]

We have all seen people get hammered on weekend dive trip, a week long vacation or any diving occasion. I personally don't see the point in getting blitzed outta my mind when I went there to dive, I can do that anyday at home lazin around with the boys. I really try not to associate with those who do. I don't want my dive trip ruined by some else's "Party Time" I tell them if they want to get sloppy, don't expect me to be your buddy because I am better off alone. But like I said if you have a regular group you dive with and trust, there shouldn't be any worries.

 

[otter-cat]

I agree with Doc Intrepid that PADI should have no place enforcing alcohol regulations. However, I do believe that the individuals directly involved with a diver who has been drinking (i.e., boat captains, DMs, Instructors, etc.) should enforce a "no diving with alcohol" rule on their boats and in their classes.

In other words, I agree that drinking and diving should not be mixed, but it is up to individuals and companies providing dive experiences that need to step in and try to change the trend you describe. PADI should EDUCATE divers not to consume alcohol before diving, not enforce it.

OTOH, it is, quite rightly IMO, against PADI standards for an instructor to engage in "drinking & diving" or to condone it. If a PADI professional is involved in these actions, then that instructor could be reported to PADI for violating standards. Professional dive instructors are and should be held to a higher standard than recreational divers.

For the record, I don't see very many divers drinking prior to a dive, but then again, I mostly do shore dives in Oregon and Washington, which is a very different environment (above and below the water) than most resort/vacation dive areas.

 

[cmalinowski]

There are lots of stupid things one could do before/while diving. To try and police them all would be futil. Should there be a speed-cop on the anchor line to make sure you're not ascending too quickly? Should there be a depth alarm on peoples tanks to make sure they don't go below the 1.4/1.6 pp depth? OK, we have computers for this, but they don't enforce anything.

I hope that I never have to be in the position to be stuck with a drunk/hungover buddy. Should that be the case, I am sure that I would just stay on the boat. Should that person choose to dive, then it's just darwinism working I would imagine.

 

[Wijbrandus]

I would not dive with a buddy I saw getting smashed the night before. In fact, even though I enjoy my alcohol, I don't drink the night before diving. Even just having one, in my case, tends to lead to more. You are having a good time, the booze is flowing, and next thing you know you've gone too far. I save it up for the night before the flight out.

If I was paired up with a buddy who was still hung over, or worse yet, under the influence ... not a chance. It's an accident waiting to happen, and I'm here to dive, not pull some yoyo out of the drink.

Fortunately, my wife is my #1 dive buddy, and we both take the cautious side of diving very seriously.

 

[zboss]

It's not like a large percentage of boat tropical-local captains and mates were not out drinking and/or smoking dope the night before so give me a break.

 

[aquamarin]

I spoke to Dr. Taher, who is the head of the hyperbaric chamber in Sharm el Sheikh; one of the busiest centres worlwide. In fact, most Doc's get educated in Sharm el Sheikh, because there are so many dive accidents.

According to Dr. Taher, 80% of all accidents treated in their chamber are caused by dehydration following excessive alcohol consumption the evening before the dive.

Not serious?

Karin

 

[durian]

I would say diving while on vacation and where there are famous nightlife places is quite different than diving in local areas.

Interesting about the dehydration. It makes sense. I saw one guy who cliamed to have dived often and we went into a shallow area and he freaked out and a few DM's had to rescue him, I am almost certain this guy had tied one on the night before.

When I mention enforce, I mean not allowing them to dive if you know they are in danger or endangering others due to drink. Also more stress on the dangers of it in the materials and teaching. I love drinking and when I go to those famous resort areas in Thailand there are literally thousands of bars and it is one of the most popular dives places in the world. Need more caution and how can we prove that many dive accidents are not related to alcohol? It affects our judgement,our physiology etc.