How Far Can You Dive In the Ocean?
Quadri Abdur August 7th, 2022 Posted In: Articles Tags: SCUBA
How Far Can You Dive In the Ocean?
Through SCUBA diving, we can get a peek at the ocean’s depths. As a result, we can only venture so far into the ocean because it is not our natural habitat. Our SCUBA gear won’t allow us to go to the ocean’s deepest depths. Every diver should be aware of the maximum depth to which they can go in the ocean without running the risk of drowning. Knowing the answer to the question of how far can humans dive in the ocean becomes much more crucial for deep dives than it is for beginners.
How Deep Can You SCUBA Dive
Deep diving begins at a depth of around 18 meters (about 60 feet). But determining the depth at which it ends can be difficult. Many factors can affect how far a diver can go. These include their level of competence and the amount of air they have available.
PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) estimates that recreational divers can dive to a maximum depth of 130 feet. But they have a limited amount of time to do so before their health is jeopardized by the high water pressure and the inhalation of compressed air.
Divers usually have around 10 minutes of exploration time before the ascent. To avoid the effects of decompression sickness, the ascent must be moderate and include rest stops after each deep dive. However, with the proper equipment and practice, divers can descend to 1000 feet and explore for several hours. But their ascent will be extremely slow since they must make decompression pauses.
Is There a Downside To Diving Too Deep?
The weight of the water and the buildup of compressed nitrogen begin to take a physical toll on your body as you descend deeper into the ocean. Your lungs are compressed and your air intake is stifled as water weight/pressure increases. Your blood vessels could burst as your heart rate begins to slow down. SCUBA divers must be physically healthy and trained for deep dives to avoid damaging their bodies and organs during such dives.
Nitrogen Narcosis
During deep diving, your body experiences laxative effects due to the accumulation of compressed air. Even if it seems like you are floating, this happy moment might be fatal if you can’t gain control of your body and surface. At roughly 100 feet, the effects of nitrogen narcosis begin to take hold. At this time, your intake of compressed nitrogen increases as you take in more air. The risk will rise as you dive farther underwater.
When you take in nitrogen, your tissues absorb it quickly. Your brain and nerve system are affected by it, and you may become drowsy or perhaps go to sleep at some point. The typical limit for SCUBA diving is roughly 100 feet. Although some divers approach their limit faster and can feel the effects of nitrogen narcosis sooner, perhaps at 60 feet or even less. If you begin to feel drowsy during your dive, begin your ascent. When you return to the surface, you’ll be back to normal because the laxative effect will be eliminated.
How Far Can A Scuba Diver Go In Depth?
Divers who dive for fun have one set of rules, while those who dive for a living have another. They can dive to depth up to 1000 feet with the proper diving equipment. This includes a dry dive suit, a scuba tank, gloves, and so on. Divers can reach depths of up to 2,000 feet using specialized gear such as an atmosphere suit.
How Deep Can I Dive Before Being Crushed?
It’s hard to pinpoint a specific depth below which a diver will be crushed. Most recreational divers rarely dive deeper than 130 feet. But commercial divers can use atmospheric suits to descend to depths up to 2,000 feet. Some recreational divers have descended to depths of 1,000 feet and beyond and survived the experience without any problems.
However, the biggest concern is getting crushed from the increasing weight of the water. The water pressure can suffocate you to death if you don’t take precautions. The risk of nitrogen narcosis is also there because you’ll have surpassed the decompression limit. With a basic open water certification, a diver can dive down as deep as 18 meters (around 60 feet). You can dive to a maximum depth of 30 meters with the Advanced Open Water certification, which requires additional training (around 100 feet).
Additionally, more advanced training will allow you to travel as deep as 40 meters (130 ft). Professional and commercial divers are not included in these restrictions; they are only for recreational divers to use. To avoid being numb by the compressed nitrogen’s narcotic effect while diving to such depths, you’ll require a particular mixture of gases in your air supply.
Gas Mixes That Help You Dive Deep
When SCUBA diving to depths more than 100 meters, you’ll need a particular gas mix to keep you comfortable and prevent the onset of nitrogen narcosis. The gas mixture contains helium or hydrogen in addition to nitrogen to lessen the nitrogen content in the tank. SCUBA tanks typically contain a mixture of 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen in compressed form. This is only suitable for around 40 meters (130 feet).
When compressed air reaches a height of 56 meters (184 feet) or more, it becomes toxic to human health and nitrogen narcosis develops. Divers rarely utilize pure oxygen tanks due to the risk of oxygen poisoning, which occurs when oxygen becomes toxic underwater. Some advanced divers may use it, but they must closely monitor their decompression stops to avoid serious injuries, such as suffering and possibly dying from oxygen toxicity.
How Deep Can You Go Without SCUBA?
Many daredevils and scuba lovers have taken the challenge of free diving and breaking world records. However, this is not recommended. Once you reach around 300 feet, the water pressure will become so intense that it will start squeezing your lungs. Thus slowing down your heart rate, and even shrinking your blood vessels.
Your body will even experience a narcotic-like effect from it, causing you to feel sleepy and dizzy. Such a deep dive can be accomplished by a competent diver in just a few minutes. But it is extremely dangerous and should not be attempted.
Saturation Diving Mystery
Saturation diving is based on the idea that the pressure of the gas dissolved in your blood and tissues is equal to the pressure of the gas in your lungs. A diver’s body hits saturation when he or she descends to a depth of 300 feet or more and stays there. There are no decompression breaks at this point, regardless of how much time the diver spends underwater.
Saturation divers utilize a liquid mixture of perfluorocarbon to breathe so that no gases are absorbed by the body. Research suggests that people may be able to dive as deep as 3,000 feet with this mixture of liquids. Saturation divers are used for large-scale underwater construction or maintenance jobs. The divers sail for a few days and live on a ship or barge under high pressure while they aren’t diving.
How Far Can You Dive In the Ocean? Endnote
Although recreational divers cannot travel extremely deep, they can still experience the ocean’s wonders and mysteries. PADI and other diving organizations provide certification in cave diving, shipwreck exploration, and other activities that might enhance your diving experience. Commercial divers can go much deeper into the ocean. But the experience stops being as exciting for them after a while. Some divers may experience physical and psychological effects from a few days spent in a moist ocean depth. Deep diving may sound more exciting than it actually is.
