What kills ya? I'd like to avoid if possible

[divebomb]

Yep...being a newbie, I'm reading reports of people buying the farm while diving. Not sure I always understand the underlying reasons. It seems (on the surface) that diving should be safe if you're careful.

So what ARE the big mistakes? Tell me how to stay smart (and alive)

Thanks!

 

[JimC]

Panic will kill you every time underwater.


Good ways to reduce the risks:
- Dive within your training and experince level
- Dive within your comfort level
- Dive often
- Dive conservitavly
- Dive with a like minded buddy

And

- Pratice emergency procedures, which should start long before you get wet.

 

[ReefGuy]

It seems to me that almost all diving tragedys occur when a diver dives beyond his/her capabilities.

 

[Atticus]

I'll take a quick stab at this, but really this is a good conversation to have with your instructor over a beer

1. Be conservative. Don't push your training. Work up to things.

2. Good skills - work hard every dive on buoyancy. Consider a peek buoyancy workshop (where you and a couple others put some energy into thinking about and practicing the skill).

3. Monitor your air supply and don't push it. Make sure you always have plenty of gas for a safe ascent, a safety stop, *and* to be able to handle nasty conditions on the surface. I like to call a dive at 1000 psi (on a 3000 psi tank) instead of the more common 500 psi, just so I have a little more reserve.

4. Stay well away from the NDL limits for recreational diving. They're the point where you statistically you'll start having problems. Consider subtracting 10-20% off the NDL time.

5. Ascend rates - one of the biggest problems I see with newer divers is fast ascent rates. Consider stopping for 1 minute every 10 feet during your ascent.

6. Overhead environments. Don't. Not until you have lots of experience and training.

7. Equipment - dive only with high quality equipment that has been regularly serviced. Rental gear is *ok*, but owning your own is much better. There are regular articles about people getting into trouble due to equipment problems.

8. Buddy - dive with one. A good one, that you know and trust. The blind date approach is more than a little scary.

9. Health - it's incredible that people still go on dives with colds, the flu, etc. Don't do it.

10. General physical condition - diving should never be the most serious exercise you get. Consider bicycling, running, swimming, etc. to go hand in hand with diving.

I hope at least some of this is useful. Your mileage may vary. Best of luck, and welcome to the sport!

 

[DandyDon]

Hey Divebomb! :boom:

The best news is that diver fatalities are rare, and you can do much to avoid being one of these rarities.

If you are a member of Divers Alert Network (which I recommend) you can log on to their site and access the newest dive fatality studies. 77 in all of North America last year is more than we want, but not bad considering all. Even if you are not a member keep their number handy: 800-446-2671 in your cell phone, in your log book, taped to your C-card. Call them for medical questions and advice, before a trip, after a mild accident, or of course - in any emergency. I limit non-emergency calls to business hours, but you can get a medtech or a :doc: dive doctor 24/7.

I've noticed several times in the recent months I've been on this board that divers will have a close call, that they fear might develop into DCS or another problem may show up in time, but they CHAT ABOUT IT HERE INSTEAD OF CALLING DAN?!

I have but one idea that I don't think :scratch: has been offered already in this wonderful advice: Most accidents happen at the surface, I think and most divers who do die drown with their weights still on! If you're having difficulties at the surface, drop weights. DAN may even replace them for you; check their coverage about that, though.

Dive safely and have fun! don

 

[Karl_in_Calif]

Here is my short list of things that can kill you on scuba:

1) natural causes, like a heart attack, which you cannot do anything about if your number is simply up, and God wants you now;

2) rocketing to the surface while holding your breath -- that causes the famous AGE -- Arterial Gas Embolism; happens at least once each year somewhere; typically associated with panic;

3) losing your buddy and failing to surface quickly to look for each other; although other causes may be to blame, a large number of fatalities occur during diver separation, which could possibly have been prevented (the fatalities) if there was a buddy there to help;

4) cave diving; (opinions deleted)

5) diving deep and getting narked and disappearing; speaking from the West Coast, this happens at least once each year either in Northern Cal at Monastery Beach or in Southern Cal at Tanner or Farnsworth Banks.

Hows that for my Top 5 ? A nice short list.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Besides accepting the fact that you are going to die... at some point in time... and thus eliminating the paranoia/death fixation that can cause irrational behavior.... there are:

1. Environmental considerations.
2. Experiential considerations.
3. Equipment considerations.

Of these number two is the most important when it comes to staying alive.

For the time being add to your experience a *stress and rescue* class.

 

[Atticus]

Uncle Pug once bubbled... For the time being add to your experience a *stress and rescue* class. [/B]

An excellent suggestion from Pug!

Though I have to comment that I thought the rescue class I went through was a little on the easy side, especially when I heard about what some instructors do.. You might consider asking your instructor for additional training beyond the minimum standards of rescue (I asked to be part of the next several rescue classes and have enjoyed every one of them).

 

[KentuckyDiver]

You's got ta look outs foe tha cattle comin into tha pond whens we scube dive on tha farm.

 

[chickdiver]

But I have to wonder where you came up with number 4. WITH PROPER TRAINING cave diving is actually a remarkably safe form of technical diving. Since the 1950's when records began being kept, there have been approximately 500 cave diving fatalities, some of which were attributable to natural causes (heart attack, etc.). As compared to other forms of tech diving, there are very few fatalities per capita in cave diving. The fatalities that do occure are, however, highly publicized.

Chickdiver
Cave Diver and Technical Diving Instructor.

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...
Here is my short list of things that can kill you on scuba:

1) natural causes, like a heart attack, which you cannot do anything about if your number is simply up, and God wants you now;

2) rocketing to the surface while holding your breath -- that causes the famous AGE -- Arterial Gas Embolism; happens at least once each year somewhere; typically associated with panic;

3) losing your buddy and failing to surface quickly to look for each other; although other causes may be to blame, a large number of fatalities occur during diver separation, which could possibly have been prevented (the fatalities) if there was a buddy there to help;

4) cave diving; this alone gives technical diving its bad name;

5) diving deep and getting narked and disappearing; speaking from the West Coast, this happens at least once each year either in Northern Cal at Monastery Beach or in Southern Cal at Tanner or Farnsworth Banks.

Hows that for my Top 5 ? A nice short list.