Narcosis -- insidious and subtle

[MXGratefulDiver]

Unfortunately, we don't talk underwater.

Wanna bet? I got this one buddy who dives a Meg ... dude never shuts up! It's funny, actually ... especially when he's got some helium in his dil ... :shocked2:

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[The Chairman]

Being in the "Basic Scuba Discussions", I didn't think I needed to add "usually" to the text.

 

[drdaddy]

Yeah, I was very disappointed. Probably 50-60 lb cobia (which is my favorite fish to eat) was apparently eaten by shark(s). By the time we recovered the drifting lift bag, 1.6 miles from the dive site, the 400 lb test fishing line was cut cleanly off. Possibly my biggest cobia..lost to the sharks. It was 6 ft seas and my buddy never saw the bag surface.

It was an interesting day with wind and squalls and rough seas. My buddy on the boat never saw my 6 ft SMB ascend either and I was picked up about 1.2 miles away after my drifting deco, but only after I made good use of my pressure proof canister and small hand held VHF radio First time I actually had to use it.

You worry me.

 

[Mike Boswell]

..... Every additional atmosphere is like drinking a martini. .......So the next time you're at 100 feet. Remember you've had three martinis already and try to avoid taking any risks.

Not many divers are aware of it, but this effect also works in reverse. In other words, drinking three martinis makes you feel like you have descended to 100 feet.

In fact, studies have conclusively shown that most scuba divers who have had 7 martinis think they are John Chatterton.

 

[Rhone Man]

I was thinking about this thread recently after a dive on the San Francisco Maru in Truk Lagoon on air (well technically, a very light nitrox mix). I felt really good during the dive - best I have ever felt at those sort of depths.

The Captain told us that there were beach mines and 500 lb bombs in hold number 2. So I dutifully dropped into the hold (just over 180 feet) and had a look around. When I got back on the boat I told the Captain I found the mines easily enough, but I never saw the 500 lb bombs. He gave me a sort of "how did you miss it?" shrug and we moved to the next site.

That evening when I am going through my photographs I find the shot below... of the 500 lb bombs. No recollection of it whatsover.

 

[Kevrumbo]

How are those mines holding up in their disintegrating wooden crates? Any of them collapse yet? Were you narc'd enough like I was to momentarily swim underneath them?:amazed:

 

[oreocookie]

My few experiences with being narc'ed have not been subtle, and they haven't been the pleasant drunkeness of lore. For me, it appears as anxiety, and it seems that I become fixated on something. My most recent experience was at 105ft in the Bahamas on a wall. The top of the wall was around 95ft, and we didn't even intend on getting near the drop-off since my buddy didn't feel comfortable going below 100. After swimming around a bit, we found ourselves at the wall and an opportunity to dip below 100 (which I'd never done) which I couldn't pass up. My buddy watched at 98ft as I sunk slowly, religiously watching depth on my computer. At 104, I started to feel like I just should not be there (almost like looking at something you shouldn't and being terrified you'll get caught) and just wanted to get to 105 to say I'd been there and get back up to my buddy as quickly as possible.

My AOW deep dive (which I have posted about before) in low-40s F water resulted in a panic (although I felt completely rational, trying to calm myself) over an inabitility to clear my mask, which may not have actually had any water in it to begin with (or at least it was minimal).

 

[DevonDiver]

Oreocookie... they were subtle, until you noticed them

 

[TSandM]

Just as an interesting follow-up on this thread: I was diving the oil rigs in Southern California this last weekend. The dive plan was to go to 100 feet and work our way up through the structure. We were diving 32%, and although there was heavy current in the rigs, we had scooters, and I did almost no kicking at all during the two dives.

Both dives went fine -- there were no issues at depth at all. But I realized, when we were relaxing on the boat afterwards, that at 100 feet, I'm just . . . well, anxious. I'm just not very happy. I can't describe it better than that. As we worked our way up the rigs, we hit about 70 feet, and I just relaxed. I was aware of this relaxation, but at the time, during the dive, I thought it was just that as we go up, we use gas more slowly so I don't have to check as diligently. But honestly . . . I ended both dives with well over half my tank.

SOMETHING is just not right in my brain at the 100 foot level. We can disagree about what it is, but in the future, for any dive that involves significant time at that level, I'm going to have something other than Nitrox in my tank.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Just as an interesting follow-up on this thread: I was diving the oil rigs in Southern California this last weekend. The dive plan was to go to 100 feet and work our way up through the structure. We were diving 32%, and although there was heavy current in the rigs, we had scooters, and I did almost no kicking at all during the two dives.

Both dives went fine -- there were no issues at depth at all. But I realized, when we were relaxing on the boat afterwards, that at 100 feet, I'm just . . . well, anxious. I'm just not very happy. I can't describe it better than that. As we worked our way up the rigs, we hit about 70 feet, and I just relaxed. I was aware of this relaxation, but at the time, during the dive, I thought it was just that as we go up, we use gas more slowly so I don't have to check as diligently. But honestly . . . I ended both dives with well over half my tank.

SOMETHING is just not right in my brain at the 100 foot level. We can disagree about what it is, but in the future, for any dive that involves significant time at that level, I'm going to have something other than Nitrox in my tank.

Me and nitrox don't always get along.
When I take 32 down to about 90 or 100 ft I sometimes get the paranoia's bad, I don't know what it is. Maybe some form of O2 narcosis if there is such a thing. I dive it anyway because I know it's good for me but it definately screws with my brain.

I'm no stranger to deep air (no flames please) and there is a difference. Air to me is recognizable with the ear ringing and nitrous oxide effects. I'm sure it hit's me earlier but I don't know it.
32% nitrox hits me shallower and differently, I don't care for it - maybe that's good?
36% - I really don't like it unless I'm shallow.