If your regulator fell out of your mouth...

[DevonDiver]

Can you explain what they do when they have no air in their lungs and no regulator in their mouths?

Do they all have gills????

:shocked2::shocked2::shocked2::shocked2:

Can you explain how your OW instructor taught you to do Reg Recovery in your first confined session...and subsequent OW dives?

Comments like this scare me!

 

[dkktsunami]

Practice, in a safe environment, what you would do, try different options, get used to being without air source for a second or two without nervousness.

 

[Sas]

:shocked2::shocked2::shocked2::shocked2:

Can you explain how your OW instructor taught you to do Reg Recovery in your first confined session...and subsequent OW dives?

Comments like this scare me!

Perhaps you should be verifying what the person you quoted was meaning before acting so shocked. I took it to mean that for whatever reason, the person was not able to obtain air via their own regulators (say an OOA) and was referring to how one has the alternatives - not breathing and seeking a new air source (such as a buddy), or breathing water and starting to drown. Last time I checked, I cannot breathe water.

 

[offgasn]

in the very first pool session we teach breathing from the AAS so students know that it is an option. And blow bubbles when switching, we also do it several more times during the day.

 

[Garrobo]

What ianr33 said except that I have never had a regulator pulled out of my mouth. On every dive I practice taking my reg out and putting in my octo for a few minutes to give it some work and to make sure that it is working properly. Also do the mask removal thing on at least one dive each day.

 

[Randy43068]

Not a problem. A correctly configured diver would use the one ALWAYS located just under the chin on a bungee until they got things sorted out. To my mind, there is no reason not to have it there.

What if you are exhaling and just about ready to inhale when your regulator somehow is knocked out of your mouth.

Wouldn't it make more sense to just grab your secondary regulator, which is right in front of you, attached, exactly where you know where it is and can see it, and then while breathing quickly get your regulator behind you?

I'm a new diver and the idea of the regulator behind me suddenly while I have to continue exhaling and trusting that I'm going to retrieve it in time has me nervous.

I know the answer is for me to continue practicing retrieving that regulator so that if I'm in the situation it won't make me nervous.

But still, I can't help wonder if grabbing the secondary regulator if I'm immediately in need of inhaling is a better idea than the normal protocol.

 

[gypsyjim]

In rescue class we often had our regs pulled from our mouths (tiny tug as warning, and then it was gone), as part of the training.
You need to be perpared to quickly resolve such issues in a tense situation.

Only time anything like this ever occured under real diving conditions was the time I was suddenly drawing water between one breath and the next. Instant switch to alternate, and then an examination of my primary showed that the flexible mouthpiece had disconnected from the regulator. My first thought was that the regulator had totally failed, but training takes over and you simply immediately switch to the alternate, before attempting to diagnose the problem and you are back in business.

 

[Red_5]

can you hold your breath?

I'm pretty sure you can, after both inhale and exhale.

Go ahead, give it a try right now. I guarantee you won't die. heck I bet you can make at least 15 seconds easily, more depending upon your condition. I'll even bet that you can do a multitude of things during that time.

Same principal under water. Even tough the 1st rule of scuba is breathe and the 2nd is never hold your breath, you won't immediately die because your reg is not in your mouth, you do have time to replace it or obtain another source. (I won't cover other alternatives here)

I'm pretty sure all training agencies teach students to remove/replace a reg (including how to clear/purge), buddy breathe, locate a misplaced reg, breathe from a free flowing reg. You will read about all this and more in your student manual and learn how to do it, as well as practice it with your instructor in the pool before you go to your OW dives.

 

[CamG]

Greetings JJ and welcome to SB! Good question and there are a variety of answers in the previous posts. First and foremost put a regulator in your mouth, primary or alternate it does not matter. Relax and regain breathing control no worries! If you used your alternate, locate your primary via. sweep or tank reach method. Once the reg is in your hand, visually inspect it for defects, silt, etc. if all is well perform the switch and re-stow your alternate. This is a learned "muscle memory" skill that will become like reflex. Practice it often in safe conditions at different breathing phases.
I am of the necklace, "under the chin" camp for the alternate. It is so easy and very fast, the least amount of movement to get air. IT IS ALWAYS THERE! Go with the tied bungee though and make sure your knots are correct. The pre-made necklaces the reg. pulls out to easy unless it is tied as well. Just a few helpful hints.
Have fun and don't stress out just practice and train it will be fine. Keep us posted.
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[Peter Guy]

We don't hold our breath underwater, do we ladies and gentlemen?

Yes, of course we do and in my opinion it is too bad that we teach "The Golden Rule" to be "Never Hold Your Breath" while underwater. The reality is that one should NEVER, EVER, NEVER, hold one's breath underwater WHILE ASCENDING and THAT is what I try to get across. And, of course, one seldom gets into a discussion of "closing the airway" as opposed to "not exhaling" when talking with students even though "not exhaling" but with an open airway is not particularly dangerous and something we all do now and then on land and perhaps also in the water (at least I believe we all do it).

I've always been a bit amused at the people who talk about breathing patterns, slow inhale, pause, slow exhale, pause -- what is the pause if not "holding one's breath?"