Spatial Disorientation

[Welshman]

In any situation where you don't have external reference points you can become disoriented. This is where a bubble comes in handy! It's the same whether you are flying or diving except that it is much more common when flying - at least in this country when the weather is frequently bad. If you are flying in a positive G state with no external reference points e.g. in cloud, then you will have no idea whether you are flying level or banked over - hence the need to trust your instruments absolutely.

Inexperience coupled with the failure to observe this fundamental lesson was unfortunately what killed John Kennedy Jr, his wife and passenger some 3 or 4 years ago.

I'm told that it is easy to become disoriented inside a wreck - hence the dictum that you should never enter a wreck unless you have been properly trained.

 

[marpacifica]

Welshman, I agree that disorientation/vertigo can happen in any type of visibility. Happened to me in Palau during a blue water safety stop (probably 10,000 feet to the bottom of Peleliu Wall), 150+ feet visibility. Fortunately somebody warned me about some of the dangers of diving in Palau -- downcurrents that come out of nowhere. At the safety stop I took my eyes off the gauges for just a few seconds, and all of a sudden my ears started popping from pressure. I thought I was kicking slowly to the surface but in fact a downcurrent caught me, flipped me, and I was kicking downward. In the deep blue sea with high visibility, it was really easy to lose track of up and down -- everything looked blue. I remembered the warning about downcurrents, checked my gauges, and realized that I was at 40 feet already. Did a quick check of bubbles and where the sun was, and kicked in the right direction. This all happened in the span of 30 seconds. So, no, spatial disorientation is not limited to low vis conditions.

 

[IzzyTahil]

had it happen to me a couple of times. stop and reorient yourself, look for a viz reference. I just check my bubbles. looked at my gague but couldn't quite make the numbers so i knew it was a disconnect somewhere. when you start feeling it just slow down...

 

[jrg]

I've experienced spatial disorientation in low vis a couple of times, too. It's a bad feeling, not being sure which way you're going. Reading about it on here is fine and good, but it takes practice to stay calm and trust your gauges.

 

[FIXXERVI6]

happens to me alot, TX quarry with 3 feet of viz... yea, happens a lot.

 

[Mike Newman]

I've had just a couple of short experiences of disorientation - both in really poor visibility in an inland dive site. Nothing frightening or particularly uncomfortable - but staying still and awaiting the reappearance of something to use as a reference point sorted out the phenomenon.

When you're confident that reference point will appear - it's actually kind of interesting to experience the disorientation - not sure how I'd feel if it persisted.

I guess it's down then to the old 'don't panic' and reason your response out (e.g. track bubbles, check guages etc)

 

[ygthad]

NetDoc once bubbled...
Everytime I buy new Dive Gear. I look deep into my wallet and its a bottomless pit: completely empty!!!

I like that NetDoc ...

 

[WJL]

I've been disoriented once on a night dive where the visibility was poor to start with. This episode occurred in mid-water, when we were practicing ascending with no reference line.

What happened was I turned my head to look for my buddy, didn't see him right away, and tried to look into the gloom for a sight of his light. As I searched the darkness, I had the sensation that I was rotating in a circle, so I started to helicopter kick in the opposite direction, to try and stop the rotation I felt. After a few seconds of no visual reference at all I realized I couldn't tell whether I was turning or not. I just tried to hover, but the feeling of spinning persisted. I continued to feel disoriented until I descended a bit and could see the bottom with my light. Fortunately we very shallow - the bottom was only about 25 feet. When I saw the bottom the disorientation stopped. I spotted my buddy, who was only a few feet away, and rejoined him to continue the ascent.

The whole episode lasted maybe half a minute, but it left a vivid impression on me.

 

[GQMedic]

That's MY wallet! I can indentify it! It's empty!

NetDoc once bubbled...
Everytime I buy new Dive Gear. I look deep into my wallet and its a bottomless pit: completely empty!!!

 

[d33ps1x]

I never have any issues with anything even like vertigo except when floating on my back on the surface with my head (ears) in the water.

For some reason when I pull my head up from this position even if I am only there for a second I get the spins for a few seconds.

That's about it.