Help! Can't pee in the water!

[RDP]

My buddy had a problem with going in his wetsuit. It lead to him urinating on himself, in his wetsuit, on dry land as he is was running back toward the water. It was really very comical. I don't think he has a problem with it anymore.

You know who you are ......

 

[Diver Kat]

The problem is we just booked my husband's dreamtrip for his 40th b-day to an atoll in Belize with no heads on the dive boats (I forgot to check!) and 3 days where they do 3 tanks without ever returning to land (all day!)

Pediatron - you might get lucky ... when we did a two tank in Belize we stopped at a tiny spit of land for lunch. (The local fisherman use it for building & repairing their lobster pots, as well as cooking for the other fisherman.) It had a small outhouse hanging over the water.....

 

[luvspoodles]

I too had to abort several dives because of this. So this is what I started doing, and it works. It's kind of gross, but...just push it out. It never just comes out naturally so I have to push it out. I have to do this for the whole time until I'm through. It's the same thing I do if I have to pee and I'm in a hurry. Now...my question that I need answered is how to deal with the embarrassing smell! My dive instructor said that peeing in your wetsuit is gross and he would never do it,but after aborting so many dives, especially while on vacation, I realize that its necessary. I actually stopped drinking water prior to diving thinking that it would help. BIG MISTAKE, as dehydration is a key factor for DCS. So, just force it out girl!

 

[Diver Lori]

If the sea is realtively calm, pull your wetsuit down around your waist and jump back in the water and flush it out. Take some small single use tubes of SINK THE STINK with you for the hotel bathtub if the smell is too gnarly.

 

[luvspoodles]

If the sea is realtively calm, pull your wetsuit down around your waist and jump back in the water and flush it out. Take some small single use tubes of SINK THE STINK with you for the hotel bathtub if the smell is too gnarly.

Did you get that at a scuba shop?

 

[Diver Lori]

Yes, they come in little yellow squarish tubes with black writing. They have twist off sealed tops on them....once you twist, it's open forever. You can also get it by the bottle for multiple uses.

 

[SmokingMirror]

It's interesting to see some of the psychological responses to this situation; rather like couples who would happily perform certain acts with each other being horrified at the very idea of using each other's toothbrushes, especially as wetting yourself goes against years of programming in social acceptability.

I'd also say that the 90% do and 10% lie evaluation is not so far from the truth. I've met a lot of people who wrinkle their nose at the idea on the grounds of believing it pollutes the environment, a groundless objection given the chemical composition of urine (and even more groundless compared to the sheer amount of pollution poured in by various industries worldwide).

In terms of your specific problem, pediatron, I think it might be physical rather than psychological. The tightness of the wetsuit has already been raised, but bear in mind always that water at depth puts pressure on - besides other things - your kidneys and bladder, which can cause you to involuntarily tense up. The solution there is to relax as much as possible, so it might be a question of 'training' yourself to relax and urinate at shallower depths first.

 

[OCdiving Deb]

Pediatron - you might get lucky ... when we did a two tank in Belize we stopped at a tiny spit of land for lunch. (The local fisherman use it for building & repairing their lobster pots, as well as cooking for the other fisherman.) It had a small outhouse hanging over the water.....

Ahh! Pig Island? It reminded me of Gilligan's Island! (without the Howells, Mary Ann and Ginger)

And regarding the smell... If you drink lots of water and lay off the coffee it will smell less. It still smells, but not nearly as bad. You need to be hydrated, so drink up!

 

[sbloomer]

I have to do this for the whole time until I'm through. It's the same thing I do if I have to pee and I'm in a hurry. Now...my question that I need answered is how to deal with the embarrassing smell! My dive instructor said that peeing in your wetsuit is gross and he would never do it,but after aborting so many dives, especially while on vacation, I realize that its necessary. I actually stopped drinking water prior to diving thinking that it would help. BIG MISTAKE, as dehydration is a key factor for DCS. So, just force it out girl!

As a gung-ho spearfisherman when I was a student we used to spend several hours in the water several kilometers from land and no-where to go, it came naturally. Regarding the stink, I always wash my suits with some sort of foam bath (I have never bought suit shampoo) and a tiny bit of bleach.

The previous poster was right - the more you drink, the less it smells (also the more you drink, the more you pee, the warmer you are)

I'm actually surprised your dive instructor wouldn't do it! I would say he's never dived in cold water (ie 6 to 8 degrees) - peeing is natural then.

If peeing in seawater is a psychological thing remember this: all the fish are cr*pping in your water!!

 

[Diver Kat]

) .....all the fish are cr*pping in your water!!

Boy is that the Truth!! Seems like everywhere you turn the fish are dropping a trail!! I guess if the ocean can dilute all their cr*p, it can dilute a bit of pee at depth as well!