Daily Diving Dilemmas Dexterously Defeated - Part 6
Aside from medical conditions, there are other dangers in the water that are usually not in the control of the diver. Most common of these dangers are animal attacks, collision with boats, and getting lost.
Hypothermia can be caused when diving, as a result of the surrounding water absorbing the diver’s body heat. Since water absorbs heat much better than air does, it is best to wear a dry suit in cold or cool water. It is a known fact that most body heat escapes
out of the head, so it is advisable to wear a hood while diving.
Wearing a full body suit has many other benefits while diving, aside from keeping the diver warm. Cuts, stings, and reef rash can be prevented by wearing a diving suit. Cuts are usually a result of coral, which has sharp edges. A diver must know not to get
too close to coral. Aside from coral, rocks and metal can also cause painful cuts, which can be caused by diving in caves or shipwrecks. Divers know never to attempt diving in tight spaces as well as to keep a distance from walls and the ocean bottom. The
ocean bottom can be dangerous because there are sometimes sting ray hiding in the sand, which will sting the diver with their poisonous tails when the feel threatened.
Divers must also learn to identify dangerous species, such as fire coral and jellyfish. Fire coral is named as such because of the painful burning sensation it causes to any living thing that touches it. It is yellow and divers should avoid it at all costs.
Divers must use care while wading as well, because ocean animals tend to stray near the shores in tropical waters, such as the sting ray and other poison injecting spines, most commonly from some sea urchins, stonefish, lionfish, and the Crowns of Thorns
Starfish.
These are usually a danger in warmer waters. The Blue Ringed Octopus, commonly found in the Pacific Ocean, which stings when provoked. These animals should be recognized and avoided at all costs, since the blue ringed octopus’ venom has no anti-venom and
causes cardiac arrest, which kills humans within minutes.
If a diver does not attain proper location-specific information on more dangerous underwater animals, they are at risk if bites and electrocution. One should know where there are sharks and crocodile and keep away from those areas. A diver should never pester
even seemingly tame sharks. The electric eel in South American waters and electric ray in warm waters can cause electrocution, as well as anti-frogman defenses.
Divers should refrain from entering armed forces areas which can also cause damage from powerful ultrasound in these areas. Some anti-frogman defenses use powerful ultrasound, and large ships have sonar which can cause damage to divers. Exposure to ultrasound
above 120 decibels can cause hearing loss, while ultrasound in excess of 155 dB produce heating effects that are dangerous to humans. Exposures above 180 dB can result in death.
Exposure to diseases in water can be prevented by wearing watertight drysuits and full face diving masks in affected waters. Weil’s disease from rat urine, Bilharzia in some warmer waters, and bacteria in sewage can all cause illnesses in humans. Harmful
chemicals are also found in water with industrial waste as well as from natural sources, such as hydrogen sulfide, which can be found in lakes and caves, and is harmful to the body.
Broken bones, trauma, and bleeding wounds can be caused by colliding with boats or their propellers as well as wave action. This can, in turn, attract carnivorous animals, such as sharks, which cannot resist the temptation of the smell of blood. Divers can
also be lost at sea due to poor visibility or rough waters.
To prevent all of these effects, divers should employ surface detection aids or a diving shot, to mark their position and assist searchers. Safe exit points should be planned, and weather and tidal conditions checked, in advance. A sudden loss in visibility
can result from stirring up loose, light material, such as silt, which is known as a “silt out.” A diver can avoid this by training in zero visibility diving and the frog kick.
The hazardous effects of diving explained in this article can be easily prevented by knowledge of ocean animals, their whereabouts, proper equipment, and training. It is best to never skin dive in any sort of water, even in warm waters, as cuts, scrapes,
stings, and burns can occur. Above all, proper training and awareness can make diving one of the most enjoyable, relaxing, and adventurous sports in the world.
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