Spare Air: some thoughts

[idocsteve]

Such a medium is not an appropriate mechanism for being the sole source of information for learning how to conduct an activity in a hostile environment. I leave it to others to debate the difference between "learning to dive" and "learning some things about diving."

Yes the medium is not an appropriate sole source for learning how to dive.

Which is also why we need to be extra careful about our wording.

Suggesting that it's ok to "hold our breath" while assuming a reader will take that as "relaxing the diaphram but not actively breathing in or out" is asking for trouble.

 

[Blackwood]

The suggestion that you must be forcibly exhaling during an ascent ("humming all the way up") is laughable. Other than being factually incorrect does it hurt to teach it?

Perhaps it could lead to panic and CO2 buildup and decrease the effective CESA range of a diver. But that would pad the bottom line of Spare Air and pony bottle mount manufacturers D), so maybe it's a positive.

Teaching it correctly, as far as I can tell, has no downsides.

 

[idocsteve]

The suggestion that you must be forcibly exhaling during an ascent ("humming all the way up") is laughable. Does it hurt to teach it? Other than being factually incorrect and perhaps leading to panic and CO2 buildup, probably not. Does it hurt to correct? I don't think so.

A diver simply needs to relax and be sure his or her airway is open while ascending. Of course humming, and blowing bubbles is one way to be sure that the gas is being vented safely and that might be a good idea for newer divers, who might be prone to holding their breath during an unplanned rapid ascent, but among the more experienced such as us, it does seem rather foolish.

 

[Blackwood]

A diver simply needs to relax and be sure his or her airway is open while ascending. Of course humming, and blowing bubbles is one way to be sure that the gas is being vented safely and that might be a good idea for newer divers, who might be prone to holding their breath during an unplanned rapid ascent, but among the more experienced such as us, it does seem rather foolish.

It also makes it more obvious for the instructor who is observing the skill, and as we all know that's what really matters

 

[idocsteve]

It also makes it more obvious for the instructor who is observing the skill, and as we all know that's what really matters

Sometimes the instructor isn't there, and the only observers are the fish.

It probably looks really foolish, but the fish don't care.

Heck I'll be the first to admit, when I pulled that bonehead stunt and dove to 30 feet on nothing but a Spare Air, and found myself very exerted from trying to stay down due to not wearing any weights, and with an empty cylinder and lungs...I shot for the surface and was humming Yankee Doodle Dandy just to be sure I wasn't closing down due to some sort of primal reflex.

A grouper shot me a funny glance but so what?

 

[Atomic_Diver]

I am not sure if it has been said yet, but I would think that due to decreasing pressure that someone that goes OOA around 100-140' and does a Emergancy Swimming Accent from depth will get an extra breath, or two while the accend due to decreasing pressure in the water, the tank could have for ex 30psi left in it, and not give air at 140' due to the water pressure being greater then that in the cylinder, as you go up, and the pressure decreases the gas in the tank becomes breathable again due to the cylinder's pressure once again being greater then the sourounding water pressure....

 

[Atomic_Diver]

If not, I am sure it wouldn't kill a diver to take a breath from their bcd's oral inflator....

 

[Blackwood]

the tank could have for ex 10psi left in it, and not breath at 140' due to the water pressure being greater then that in the cylinder, as you go up, and the pressure decreases the gas in the tank becomes breathable again due to the cylinder's pressure once again being greater then the sourounding water pressure....

10PSI, eh? 10,000 feet up is a LONG way to swim

 

[Atomic_Diver]

10PSI, eh? 10,000 feet up is a LONG way to swim

where does it say 10,000'?

 

[Thalassamania]

10PSI, eh? 10,000 feet up is a LONG way to swim

That's a situation that reall SUCKS!