I guess most of us like a drink. In the past couple of years I've seen a number of amatuer divers go to the decompression chamber, all seemingly recovered without getting paralysed, for some it meant an end to their recreational diving. The diving wasn't special, nothing they hadn't done before, and in many cases less, apart from their excessive drinking there wasn't any other factor that could rationally explain why they got bent.
Drinking and Diving
- Thread starter doos
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Keysdrifter454
Contributor
AmyJ:
Much as I hate to, I agree here.
I'm hung over the majority of the time when I vacation dive, but it's a known factor.
If you can't begin to control your batting average, pick a priority.
For me it's easy, I'll take diving over drinking any day (even though it's single malt Scotch whisky - http://www.maltmadness.com/) 
If I drink the night before I dive I do it in complete moderation. I also follow it up with lots of water.
jbisjim:
I'm in complete agreement with you on this. Must be a Michigan thing.
The key is moderation, followed by proper hydration if you do choose to partake. IMO, people should be more worried about assuring proper hydration all the time, than they are about an occasional drink causing DCS.
In most cases of DCS i have personal knowledge of (6 cases), dehydration has been diagnosed as "the" major contributing factor. Only one of those cases involved mild drinking the night before.
Many think most people are dehydrated, most of the time, even without drinking any booze. I tend to agree with them. Drink lots of hydrating fluids regardless of your other choices. Its really that simple.
munkispank
Contributor
being British, I can't go for more than a day or two without visiting a pub, so dive holidays usually involve some sort of post-dive pint for me. As posted above thouhg, I always limit to two- maybe three at an absolute push, end the evening very early and drink tons of water that night, and the following morning.
Of course, I think my insides are fairly pickled and used to alcohol by now, if you are a rare drinker- and drinking margheritas which may be on the strong side, you might want to be extra careful.
when I was in coz the drinks were too strong for more than one for me. Enjoy!!!
Of course, I think my insides are fairly pickled and used to alcohol by now, if you are a rare drinker- and drinking margheritas which may be on the strong side, you might want to be extra careful.
when I was in coz the drinks were too strong for more than one for me. Enjoy!!!
doos:
The biggest risk factors involved in drinking (aside from the obvious) are fatigue and dehydration. These are both contributers to "undeserved" DCS so if you drink the night before you need to be careful to dive conservative (pretty) profiles, keep your computer way in the green, do nice long safety stops and make sure you drink loads of water. Another good idea and something you might consider doing whenever you're diving a lot in a short time is to use Nitrox and set your computer to air. All these things just stack the deck in your favor.
Personally I'd see a mild hangover as reason enough to dive conservatively. If you're suffering in the morning roll over and sleep it off. I think Keysdrifter454 had the best suggestion. Pick a priority. If you drink a lot dive less. If you dive a lot drink less.
R..
Sue-ba
Contributor
Everyone's bodies may handle it differently too. On a live-aboard, there were 2 women. One drank alcohol like a fish night after night and dived the same dives that the one that drank nothing but water the whole trip. The water drinker ended up in a chamber. Go figure.
I am definitely not saying to drink like a fish. I never drink when I dive. You just better be in tune with your body and if you drink, can you really be in tune with your body?
I am definitely not saying to drink like a fish. I never drink when I dive. You just better be in tune with your body and if you drink, can you really be in tune with your body?
I'll not be typical form my nation (OK, I know you know all these jokes "Drunk as a Pole") but when I dive I generally don't drink (one beer or a glass of beer for the dinner). I do drink when I don't dive though.
So i remember one story - an instructor working in Hurghada, Egypt was ending his post there. So for couple of day he went to Sharm. Two within NDL dives. Then in the evening small celebration - after all he was coming back home.
Next day a deep dive (60 meters) but everything according to the decompression tables and the computer. At the depth of 18th meter he is ascending slowly doing 3 minutes stop every 3 meters up to 9 meters. And the problems started - he was not feeling welll. Because the computer didn't show any other stops he slowly ascended but already had some problems with getting to the boat. Was taken to the decompression chamber where he was asked how much he drunk last night. The answer was - not much just couple of beers, and anyway - this is not alcohol.....
Let's be honest 24 hours before and 24 hours after we should not drink any alcohol....
(this is the story told by my friend who are leaving in Hurghada and are instructors). They witnessed all this. Oh, and they don't drink at all....
Mania
So i remember one story - an instructor working in Hurghada, Egypt was ending his post there. So for couple of day he went to Sharm. Two within NDL dives. Then in the evening small celebration - after all he was coming back home.
Next day a deep dive (60 meters) but everything according to the decompression tables and the computer. At the depth of 18th meter he is ascending slowly doing 3 minutes stop every 3 meters up to 9 meters. And the problems started - he was not feeling welll. Because the computer didn't show any other stops he slowly ascended but already had some problems with getting to the boat. Was taken to the decompression chamber where he was asked how much he drunk last night. The answer was - not much just couple of beers, and anyway - this is not alcohol.....
Let's be honest 24 hours before and 24 hours after we should not drink any alcohol....
(this is the story told by my friend who are leaving in Hurghada and are instructors). They witnessed all this. Oh, and they don't drink at all....
Mania
greg somers
Guest
and went on weekend dive club trips as a casual diver,the divers drank between dives. Admittedly, it was weak alcohol, and they had shocking dive skills, but their judgement during diving was definately impaired. One of them bombed to the surface from 80' without signalling their buddy. Afterwards some of them did feel ill, but they do this all the time. When I spoke up, they weren't interested in listening.
As a diabetic, I am probably more aware of blood sugars than most and we each handle the sugar content of alcohol differently. It can stay in the system longer for some than others, which is where most of the dehydration comes from. If you are going to have a "knees-up" the night before as I myself have done in a tropical destination or 2, plan your dives for the afternoon or have a night dive and get the best of both worlds. I love night dives. But overall, the 24 hr break is best, just from my personal observations over the years.
Cheers Big Ears
The one and only
Gasman
As a diabetic, I am probably more aware of blood sugars than most and we each handle the sugar content of alcohol differently. It can stay in the system longer for some than others, which is where most of the dehydration comes from. If you are going to have a "knees-up" the night before as I myself have done in a tropical destination or 2, plan your dives for the afternoon or have a night dive and get the best of both worlds. I love night dives. But overall, the 24 hr break is best, just from my personal observations over the years.
Cheers Big Ears
The one and only
Gasman
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