Depth Awareness

[west0ne]

As an inexperienced diver I was wondering whether or not depth awareness increases with experience.

I was recently diving at a quarry, looking around an old plane body at 22m, I knew from the guide map before starting the dive that it was at 22m and I confirmed this with my dive computer. After the dive one of the group I was with commented that they didn't feel comfortable at that depth, that's when I realised that other than knowing that the plane was at that depth and seeing it on my computer I had no real physical/mental awareness of my depth and couldn't tell how deep I was from looking up to the surface.

So the question to the experienced divers out there is do you know how deep you are without looking at your gauges (or without site knowledge)? If so when did this skill develop?

Thanks

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[TSandM]

No, you can't tell how deep you are from anything but a depth gauge.

You can make RELATIVE decisions, like knowing you are getting deeper because it's getting darker, or colder. You can know a site well enough to recognize landmarks and orient yourself that way. But there is nothing that allows you to sense depth as an absolute, no matter how much diving experience you have.

 

[DevonDiver]

There's not much to add to what TS&M said. Gauges are your primary reliable means of monitoring depth.

 

[west0ne]

Excellent, thank you. At least I'm not missing something.


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[Kevrumbo]

Just for argument, you can figure out your approximate depth indirectly without using a depth gauge/computer, if you know your nominal breathing depth consumption rate (DCR) and noting the delta on your SPG over a particular time interval like five to ten minutes, while hovering level next to some underwater reference point ( i.e. like a wall, pinnacle or even a wreck). Not a recommended practice though. . .

 

[paolov]

So the question to the experienced divers out there is do you know how deep you are without looking at your gauges (or without site knowledge)? If so when did this skill develop?

There are some hints you may notice that you are at some boundary when it comes to depth. but it is the pressure gauge(so far) that will assist you in your safety as far as depth determination goes.

though there are some instances you may observe you are at a certain boundary , but all would be a function of your physical body reacting to the Pressure around you.

1. using an unbalanced reg. - MAY make you put more effort in inhaling at deeper (30m) depths.
2. the sensation or symptoms of narcosis if you are honest and sensitive enough to monitor yourself.

do you know how deep you are without looking at your gauges (or without site knowledge)

: NO

 

[kotik]

The sound of bubbles seems to change with depth--

 

[windapp]

What was the temperature at 22m?

 

[toliver66]

Your pressure gauge is the only way to tell what depth you are at and you should make a habit of checking it every so often as well as your SPG. I can tell if I'm changing depth though by the pressure change in my ears. I wish I was as blessed as some of my dive buddies who could clear their ears by simply exhaling through their nose. I have to make an effort to clear my ears so any pressure change is very noticeable.

 

[west0ne]

What was the temperature at 22m?

Can't remember off hand but I think about 15-16c, it was a quarry site and there wasn't much temperature variance and that was the deepest I went. I did do a deeper dive at another quarry and one of the giveaways on depth was the noticeable temperature drop but although I could tell that I was getting deeper because of the temperature change I still couldn't tell how deep without looking at the guage hence the original question.


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