My Stupid *** Question...

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Marcosis

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Location
Ft. Lauderdale Florida
# of dives
100 - 199
Since I'm in South Florida and now in the beginning of hurricane season, (the weather changes here from minute to minute) suppose I ascend to find a lightning storm.
I'm not really even sure how to word this...

I know what effects lightning has in water. I felt a charge while in a lightning storm, when I was putting my boat on the trailer, bare footed in the rain.I felt it come up through my feet and out my hands while I was touching the (metal) trailer.I remember jumping around like a silly ***!

My question is... What would lightning do to a diver under water or waiting to board a boat and are you safe from it's effects at a certain depth?

I've wondered about this but have not asked as to not sound like an idiot.

Thanks for any info! Marc
 
I don't know about lightning, but many a diver has died while diving in a boat marina where there was an electrical short or cable in the water and that's just 110v or 220v. I'm sure that lightning would give you much more of a jolt.

A fiberglass boat should be more insulating if you're on it, but I wonder how much shock you'd get if on a steel deck dive boat? (i'm sure it's potential to conduct is there).
 
What I've heard is that as long as you are below a certain depth, you will be in a different 'layer' of salinity and thus won't get shocked. Don't know if there's any truth to that or not, but that's what I've heard.
 
My husband and I were taken for one of our OW certification dives during a thunder and lightening storm in Cozumel. The DM said it was not a problem. I gotta say the visuals were fantastic when the lightening lit up everything under water! And, you could feel the rumble of the thunder in your body. With the light show and the reverberating sound system it was like being at a fish disco!
 
opalobsidian:
With the light show and the reverberating sound system it was like being at a fish disco!
:lol: :lol: :lol:
 
mike_s:
I don't know about lightning, but many a diver has died while diving in a boat marina where there was an electrical short or cable in the water and that's just 110v or 220v. I'm sure that lightning would give you much more of a jolt.

A fiberglass boat should be more insulating if you're on it, but I wonder how much shock you'd get if on a steel deck dive boat? (i'm sure it's potential to conduct is there).

Someone diving in a marina is most likely cleaning hulls. Why else would you dive in a marina? Like the article freediver posted states, it's not likely. And even if it does occur, the charge should be disbursed enough to not cause any problems.
 
Hey Freediver-thanks for the link and Happy Birthday!!! Marc
 
Dive-aholic:
Someone diving in a marina is most likely cleaning hulls. Why else would you dive in a marina? Like the article freediver posted states, it's not likely. And even if it does occur, the charge should be disbursed enough to not cause any problems.
I investigate boat related deaths. I am also certified through the Underwriters Labratory as an advanced boating accident investigator. My department investigates such electrocutions. Actually marina related electrocutions are very common. Many "unexplained drownings" are a result of stray AC current. There are protocols divers must follow when diving marinas, such as locking out circuit panel boxes, testing the water with a multi-tester, etc. Diving marinas should be considered extremely dangerous. Many sources of stray AC current often enter the water through the metallic outdrives of vessels or poor wiring. AC current coming from a boats lower unit travel in a cone shaped pattern toward the bottom. A diver entering this cone will become paralyzed and usually risks a severe chance of dying. If you want to clean a boat hull, don't do it at a marina if you are planning on living a little longer. Get away from anywhere there is shore power and disconnect any generators, battery chargers, invertors,etc. Most people are unaware of this danger. Swimmers entering current die but their deaths are often attributed to drowning, not electrocutions.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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