Diving Saftey
Oct/090
Diving with scuba has it’s dangers. Likewise, diving with just a breath hold has it’s dangers too. The one thing that is most important is never dive alone. …and when I say dive I am referring to free diving where a person uses some type of breathe up exercise (a method of breathing that relaxes the heart rate while removing CO2 from the bloodstream and adding oxygen to the bloodstream) to maximize the time under water (bottom time) and hold for an extended period of time. Performing in this manner should be done with a partner because shallow water blackout is a possibility.
Hospitals in La Jolla…on a calm day
Article about blackout
http://www.divewise.org/articles/pollock_bh_review.pdf
Both divers should be trained in CPR and should dive with a few strategies in mind.
If the dives are not too deep and there is constant up and down then each diver should periodically look over in the other diver’s direction and make sure they have visual confirmation that they are moving. If the dives are deeper and the breath holding techniques are more deliberate then a one up one down system needs to be used where one diver is always watching the other diver dive from the surface (or following them down after 15 – 30 seconds to check on their progress). The time between long breath holds or deep dives must be at least four minutes, preferably and advisably four minutes. If the limits are pushed then shallow water blackout (SWB) is possible. This is where a diver passes out under water. Time is of the essence and the diver needs to be given CPR to revive them asap!
Please watch the following educational video on blackouts, it’s great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBnEIMTrgFk
Other things to consider for safety are:
- using the proper weight. The weight on the weight belt should be such that a diver is neutrally buoyant at fifteen feet. Theoretically the diver will not sink if they pass out on the way to the surface and would float to the surface if something was to occur.
- ensure weight belt can be easily undone and dropped in the event a quick ascent is necessary.
- research the dive location for hazards. For instance, one dive spot in particular where I look for lobster recently had a shark attach in less then 10′ of water. The shark was small and the damage minimal but one must be prepared to handle all situations. Also be prepared for surge and rocks.
- do not enter confined spaces under water. This is self explanatory, don’t get stuck because you may run out of air.
- be careful of man induced hazards: lobster traps and lines can catch on your equipment. Boats, kayaks, and surfboards can hurt! Consider diving with a dive float and/or flag to notify others that you are in the area.
- use a dive watch. This way you can monitor time below and your surface time. I really recommend the timex helix dive watch for starting out only because this can be found on ebay for $20. …and here is the manual:
http://dl.owneriq.net/b/b35a87eb-9ce7-41a8-80bf-1925543e0c18.pdf
- knife. Use this to scare sharks away, and if nothing else to look cool while strapped on your leg.
- of course to keep warm before and after(and change under) you’ll need a surf-fur:
www.surf-fur.com
Some other good reads about free diving can be found here:
www.Divewise.org
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