Do you Drink and Dive?

[dpbishop]

Back when I got certified (sometime between the last two ice ages) they said the effects of diving on the cognitive facilies were equal to 1 martini for every atmsophere of pressure. If you have a beer before diving, it is added to that so at at 60 feet fsw it will feel like three. Three beers and I'm ready for a nap. After the dive; relax, don't worry, have a homebrew.

 

[proyce]

I always dive 100% sober and limit myself to one beer the night before if I am diving the next day. Several alcoholic beverages the night before will dehydrate you, even if you are at zero % BAC come dive time. You can drink any other time, but why when diving. It is so cool to dive, alcohol would just be in the way.

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I drink the night before dives without too much worry. I definitely avoid drinking enough that I would be hung over, but I don't get hung over too much anyway.

Because...

I drink a ton of water all the time. I drink even more water after having some alcoholic drinks before bed. And the night/morning before a dive, I drink more water than you could believe. I have water coming out of my ears by the time I get in the ocean

Hydration is so key to health on so many levels, and it's the main concern that I have read about regarding DCS. So, I feel pretty safe from dehydration-exacerbated DCS. Other than dehydration, I don't know what about drinking after a dive could increase chances of DCS.

I don't worry about having some beers after a dive, and I almost always do. By the time we get to the pub or to the homebrew taps at home, I'm generally almost completely offgassed according to my computer. It usually has one blip in the green at most. I'd have to have a cooler ready on the beach and pop a beer before taking my rig off if I wanted to really tie one on while I still had significant N2 loading. Heck, my surface swims are usually long enough to offgas most all accumulated N2.

Maybe if I tucked a flask in my pocket and started hitting it right when I surfaced I could manage to get into some trouble...but that's just silly.

Just my $.02

 

[do it easy]

There sure are a lot of people who claim that they never drink and dive, but I'm sure the people who have tried it just aren't posting or worse.

 

[LavaSurfer]

It is so cool to dive, alcohol would just be in the way.

It’s a good thing the 60's are over and I left the drugs behind because there have been some cool night dives where, in my younger days, a little psychedelic assistance would have been tempting.

Oops, did I say that out loud:11:

 

[redacted]

Occasionally, I have had a beer and then gone diving. And I will almost surely do it again.

 

[suthnbelle]

I'm curious to know how many people have ALWAYS dove 100% sober......

Can a beer kill you?

I wouldn't even consider drinking alcohol before diving. I won't drink alcohol the night before a dive either. I don't drink alcohol that much so I can usually take it or leave it. I'm a light weight so it doesn't take much to fog my brain or get me talking wwaayy too much. If I'm with a group of friends it is nice to chill out and have a beer later or after the dives.

I do have a dive buddy that likes those coffee alcoholic drinks after a dive. LOL

Mel

 

[dkktsunami]

There sure are a lot of people who claim that they never drink and dive, but I'm sure the people who have tried it just aren't posting or worse.

I drink and I dive. Just not at the same time.

 

[dherbman]

I don't drink any more, but have drank and dove in the past. I did many stupid things in my youth and it has been observed by many who knew me that I am very lucky to be alive.

I have only witnessed one case of the bends. It happened to a crew member on a dive that was less than 100'. No idea what his bottom time was, but he was well within limits and was in excellent shape. What he had been doing was drinking pretty hard the night before. As I understand it, the depressant effect (and after effect) of alcohol will slow your metabolism and reduce off gassing efficiency. Combined with dehydration, the risk increase is significant.

 

[Ishie]

I never drink before diving and I've dived with a hangover ONCE. That was enough.

In truth, I don't drink much anyway. A cocktail now and then, or a glass of wine, but I've seen too many bad experiences with the stuff. Wouldn't want to dehydrate near a dive anyway.