Diving in lightning storm

[HardWay]

Thanks for the input. It sounds like staying down until the storm passes is the best option.

 

[herman]

With lightening it's no telling what will happen but my best guess is it's better to stay under. The reason is as long as you are in mid water you are part of the conductor so any current will just pass around you- same effect as the birds sitting on power lines....or those nutcase lineman who work on high voltage (250 to 500 thousand volt) lines bare handed. Current passing though you is the real problem.

I have had one experience that I think was lightening related. A buddy and myself were diving in a quarry when a bad thunderstorm blew up. During the dive a large strike occured very close to the quarry- according to those on the surface. We felt something during the strike but having been shocked more times than I care to addmit it did not feel like a shock....the best way I can describe the feeling is it felt like the concussion you feel from large fireworks, not painful, just a pulse of pressure. Neither of us were injured or had any ill effects, we looked at each other, gave the WTF sign, I'm ok and kept diving. I am guessing but my assumption is the sensation was actually a pressure wave in the water created by the sound on the surface. I don't care to repeat it in any case.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I've been diving many times when thunderstorms pass by on the surface. I remember one dive when i was a divemaster, this one female customer came up and asked "who was taking all those flash pictures"?....We kinda lost it, especially the capt.. Who had endured an intense 25 minute squall, plus nobody was using a camera.....

Even in the day, 80 feet down, lightning is very visible. As mentioned earlier, at night, in clear water, it is incredibly cool to see everything light up. I would rather be under the sea than on a boat in an electrical storm.

 

[captain]

With lightening it's no telling what will happen but my best guess is it's better to stay under. The reason is as long as you are in mid water you are part of the conductor so any current will just pass around you- same effect as the birds sitting on power lines....or those nutcase lineman who work on high voltage (250 to 500 thousand volt) lines bare handed. Current passing though you is the real problem.

I have had one experience that I think was lightening related. A buddy and myself were diving in a quarry when a bad thunderstorm blew up. During the dive a large strike occured very close to the quarry- according to those on the surface. We felt something during the strike but having been shocked more times than I care to addmit it did not feel like a shock....the best way I can describe the feeling is it felt like the concussion you feel from large fireworks, not painful, just a pulse of pressure. Neither of us were injured or had any ill effects, we looked at each other, gave the WTF sign, I'm ok and kept diving. I am guessing but my assumption is the sensation was actually a pressure wave in the water created by the sound on the surface. I don't care to repeat it in any case.

A differential voltage is the killer, as long as you remain at the same elecrical potencial you ar OK as Herman says birds land on uninsulated electrial lines and are not harmed because they become charged at the same voltage as the line so ther is no differential in voltage betweem them and the line. The danger occures when you are in contact with something such as the ground which will cause the electricity to flow through you to the ground. When diving stay near the bottom but don't touch it. In the video the men and the helicopter become charged with 500,000 volts. In diving the water acts as the Feriday cage. The metal threads in his suit help to eliminate the uncomfortable tingly hair standing up feeling but does not insulate him from the electrcity.

High Voltage Cable Inspection - YouTube

 

[LowDrag]

One of my buddies I were diving a mountain lake last month when a storm blew in and right back out. We had no idea until we surfaced at the entry point and someone asked us what it was like underwater with the storm dumping rain on the lake. We both looked at each other and then back at the lady and said, "rain? what rain?". There was no mention of lightning though so I can't comment on that.

I have read stories about fishermen's boats being struck on a lake and the fisherman being blown out of the boat and landing nearly 30+' away. I would rather be down than up I think.