padi ow, why is CESA recommended to 9m?

[ballastbelly]

the book says if ooa, & your buddy is far, if you are less than 9m deep do cesa (controlled emergency swimming ascent) , but if you are deeper inflate your bcd to do an uncontrolled bouyant ascent

the latter sounds like a death sentence. why couldnt cesa be the method of choice for 18m depth? since you have some remnants of compressed air in your lungs you should (i guess) be able to swim that long minute to the surface?

anyone practise cesa in their training from these depths?

thx

 

[Mustard Dave]

Personally I don't like the idea of teaching CESA. You should never get yourself in that situation. You could do a CESA from 18m (I know an idiot who has done it from much deeper) but it is not something I would practice as a) it isn't worth the risk and b) I don't plan on ever being in that situation c) I know a number of instructors who have ended up in the pot from teaching it.

With regards to the 'uncontrolled buoyant ascent', does anyone teach 'uncontrolled'? I was taught the last resort is an 'emergency buoyant ascent' where you ditch your weights and head for the top. Also you mention inflating your BCD - I thought you were out of gas? Remember, if you are neutrally buoyant, you do not need to add gas to surface - you will become more buoyant so you will actually need to dump to control your ascent rate.

Maintain good buddy contact, monitor your contents gauge and you should never have to consider a CESA. On deeper dives, poor visibility dives, cold water dives (where freeflows are more likely) or other dives where buddy separation poses a greater hazard, it is wise to carry a redundant gas source.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Never an uncontrolled ascent of any kind- ever. Controlled buyopnt ascents can be appropriate if you( or a buddy you are helping) have an injury and can't swim. But you need the skill to control the ascent rate with the fine adjustment of your bcd plus exhalation.Slow exhale from any depth can be safe, avoiding lung expansion injuries. The CESA lesson is that if you have air in your lungs you can surface from reasonavble depths comfortably and safely, if proper technicue is used. It is a vlauable skill to have.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What Dave said above.

"the book says if ooa, & your buddy is far, if you are less than 9m deep do cesa (controlled emergency swimming ascent) , but if you are deeper inflate your bcd to do an uncontrolled bouyant ascent"

Pay no attention to this. Concentrate on good buddy skills, proper dive planning, and good gear maintenance and this will be a non issue.

---------- Post added June 27th, 2014 at 03:52 PM ----------

Just to clarify a CESA is a way out of the situation in a worst case scenario. For me personally it's a last resort having had a reverse block. I'd rather buddy breathe than CESA. A good buddy is first, next a redundant air supply.

 

[Hawkwood]

the book says if ooa, & your buddy is far, if you are less than 9m deep do cesa (controlled emergency swimming ascent) , but if you are deeper inflate your bcd to do an uncontrolled bouyant ascent

....

Could you please point me to the page number for this? Thanks.

 

[James R]

It would be difficult to inflate your bcd if out of air, wouldn't it?

I have to assume (yes I know - assume = blah blah) that the thought behind a buoyant emergency ascent (read: dropping weights) from greater than 9m/30ft is that it's easier to fix or treat DCI symptoms than death.

 

[tursiops]

Could you please point me to the page number for this? Thanks.

The older student manuals (e.g., 1990, 1994) say to drop your weights and/or to inflate your BCD. The newer manuals say to drop your weights.

 

[redacted]

Never an uncontrolled ascent of any kind- ever.

Unless the only other alternative is an uncontrolled descent. The big problem is recognizing the situation when those are really the only two options. Because most other options beat the hell out of those two. So, when the fit hits the shan, and nothing is better than the CESA, go for it. When you decide the CESA will not work, drop the weights.

These are not options you should just forget about. Think about them often and how much you want to avoid both of them. But, think about them enough that you will be ready to perform them when nothing better is available.

 

[matts1w]

The best solution is simple. If I were to go out of air I will simply reach down near my hip on my Parkway BCD and inflate rapidly using the trusty built-in CO2 cartridge.....wait a minute....I thought this was 1984. Never mind. Carry on without me.

 

[Hawkwood]

The older student manuals (e.g., 1990, 1994) say to drop your weights and/or to inflate your BCD. The newer manuals say to drop your weights.

I do know the answer, thanks.

I asked the OP the question for a reason.

Obviously there is a misunderstanding on his part. The OP is reading his manual in anticipation of taking his class. His manual should say nothing about inflating the BCD to do a buoyant ascent. I would like to know where he got that impression.

Edit: Dammit, I typed the wrong thing! Thanks turnips for pointing it out.