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Diving Safety, Accidents and Incidents Post here to discuss accidents, incidents, ideas, gear, or anything else to improve spearfishing safety. Memorials and condolences threads should be placed in that separate forum. |
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03-26-2017, 08:19 AM | #1 |
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 10
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Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
I've had enough of watching all the amazing videos and have decided to make this the year I go beyond light snorkeling and have a go at some spearfishing.
Of course, with a family and a general desire to stay alive a bit longer, I'd like to stay safe as I begin this journey. I plan to enroll in a FD course and follow all safety protocol including diving with companions. But I see so much about SWB I can't help but feel a bit concerned about the odds as I move forward into deeper water. So I've decided to keep it light and try to keep my dives shorter and shallower as a rule. My question is: given the fact that I'm in good physical shape and intend to follow safety measures combined with the above, can this sport be made "safe" from SWB? |
03-26-2017, 08:37 AM | #2 |
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Big Island
Posts: 5,098
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
This sport can be made safer than ever from SWB. Knowledge is the key. There's more knowledge regarding SWB than there ever has been. When I think of the many friends I've lost to SWB every one of them was breaking the basic rules which you will learn in that FD course.
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03-26-2017, 10:38 AM | #3 |
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: North Bend, Oregon USA
Posts: 103
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
Here is my 5 step advice for mitigating the risk of SWB. I am a newbie with a 2 year headstart on you. Five years from now I will still be a newbie. It's just that type of sport.
1. Start by reading the article which will put everything in perspective. At least it did for me. When Navy seals are dieing, while training, with buddies all around, it should be an eye opener. LIMITING FREEDIVES TO 60 SECONDS FOR SAFETY A PROPOSED 60 SECOND LIMIT FOR BREATH-HOLD DIVING by CAPT Frank K. Butler, MC, USN Command Surgeon United States Special Operations Command MacDill AFB, FL, USA 2. Take a freedive course. 3. Find a dive buddy. 4. Look into the frv - free dive recovery vest. 5. Have a great freedive watch, with audible alarms etc. Do as I say and not as I do! I typically dive alone, with no frv or watch and have come to the conclusion that I must follow my own safety plan or find a different sport. Good luck! |
03-27-2017, 12:29 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 10
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
Excellent read! So it looks like 60 seconds would be a safe ceiling to work with. I'm assuming that it is enough time for a fair shake at hunting?
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03-27-2017, 01:26 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Costa Rica/Trinidad & Tobago
Posts: 833
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
You can black out in 60 seconds if surface intervals are too short, if heart rate is too high or if oxygen is too low for other reasons. .
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03-27-2017, 03:17 PM | #6 |
.
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Palm Bch County
Posts: 11,256
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
I'm glad you are looking for advice and trying to be safe. I know that the 60 second guide line has been promoted by some respected people, but I personally place very little value in it.
I've been freediving for a long time. In some situations and for some people a one minute dive is ridiculously conservative. To put things in perspective, a lot of my hunting dives are less than 45 seconds - kinda weak really. It is supper important that you understand that predive rest and condition are much more important than dive time. Similarly, your activity level during the dive is also more important than an arbitrary total dive time. If you are cold, tired, and working to hold position over a dive site in a current and then you dive with too little surface rest and follow that up with a wrestling match with a fish... 50 seconds could easily be too long for many people, myself included. Rest time on the surface between dives and elapsed dive time ARE important parameters, but they aren't everything. Don't make the false assumption that a 55 second dive is safe! Especially for something as variable as spearfishing.
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04-12-2017, 07:32 AM | #7 | |
Mike Wilborn
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Southeast, MI
Posts: 466
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
Quote:
Having said that, my dives (30ffw on average) are usually between 40 and 50 seconds long. One minute, in that context, would be a fine target for hunting. But add 2 things to that loose rule; 1) make sure you're up twice as long as you're down. You probably won't be making 60 sec dives to start, honestly. If you were, make sure you spend 2 minutes on the surface between dives, breathing up and relaxing. 2) pay attention to your body. If you're fighting contractions, or if your head is getting swimmy, or you are getting tunnel vision, or "things don't feel right", call it for the day or back off a bit if you're pushing yourself. |
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04-17-2017, 11:38 AM | #8 | |
Lance
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,432
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
Quote:
When you add situations which can arise in spearfishing such as: dangerous/rocky entries, poor visibility, stormy conditions, currents, extreme fatigue, hypothermia, overhead environments, recovering with big angry fish that can breathe underwater, darkness, underwater structure, entanglement, inattentive or untrained buddies, etc, risks go up and up and up. Take a good course with a knowledgable, experienced instructor. You can learn the facts and management of SWB incidents; there is a lot of dumb stuff and incomplete information on the internet. I teach the PFI program now in Los Angeles, http://www.socalspearit.com/freedive-classes
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04-18-2017, 10:40 AM | #9 |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: San Diego
Posts: 935
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
Lots of great suggestions here.
I find it interesting that anytime someone finds out that I freedive/spearfish the first two questions they ask are: How long can you hold your breath and how deep can you go? To these questions I almost always say "I don't know". Besides getting hit by a boat, improving the answer to these questions can get you killed faster than just about anything. My suggestion to a beginner diver would be to enjoy the process. Don't hurry to the depths. Be amazed by the world around you and be aware of your need to breath. As you get more comfortable larger fish will suddenly appear in front of you. Most of the game fish I have shot have been 20 feet or less from the surface. |
04-18-2017, 06:26 PM | #10 | |
Lance
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,432
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
Quote:
Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
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For PFI Freediving classes in the Los Angeles area: http://www.socalspearit.com/freedving-classes YouTube channel: SoCal Spear-It https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCme...kaUpPMG4NX1rKg |
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04-19-2017, 06:54 AM | #11 | |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: San Diego
Posts: 935
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
Quote:
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04-19-2017, 07:43 AM | #12 | |
Lance
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,432
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Re: Mitigating Risk For Complete Noob
Quote:
Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
__________________
For PFI Freediving classes in the Los Angeles area: http://www.socalspearit.com/freedving-classes YouTube channel: SoCal Spear-It https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCme...kaUpPMG4NX1rKg |
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