# Shallow limit



## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

What is the max depth that a person can maintain for a tank full of air without worrying with timed decompression ascent?

Just swim off safely havin' doin' the shallow stuff I do free swimming just not needing to surface every 40 seconds...

I do not care for the pressure and never mastered the "equalize" thingy.

So my own discomfort begins at 8 feet and is a nuisance by about 12 feet.

I also understand there are often after affect head aches and fatigue possible and don't need no dern headaches the wife don't cause.

Brent


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

33 feet or shallower.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

I should have read your complete post. Don't dive until you take a course. Or you might kill yourself. Or at least rupture an ear drum.


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## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

I would test and qualify for sure... I just wondered if I could safely stay down 12-20 feet without the decomp part... If not, it wouldn't have been worth further thought!

33 feet is way plenty for me!

Brent


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

33 ft is correct. Start off slow, equalize early and often. If you feel pain, go up a couple of feet and try to equalize again. Try pinching your nose and blowing lightly with your mouth closed which will cause you to puff out your cheeks. You should feel your Eustachian tubes (in your ears) open up. If that does not work try pinching your nose and with your mouth closed again ramming your tongue repeatedly into the roof of your mouth. Good luck and don't kill yourself by taking a big sip of air on bottom and holding it while you ascend, unless you like puking up pink frothy blood.


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## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

It will definitely be next summer before I would worry about it so time to research, plan, learn and buy stuff before I have to worry about the pink jello foam...

Brent


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## markhsaltz (Aug 2, 2010)

Get certified or DO NOT DIVE. it only takes 4 feet to kill you !!


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## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

If they will certify me at my comfortable depth range I will be golden.

Brent


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## Mattatoar (Apr 30, 2008)

Ascend at 1 foot per 2 seconds is the latest rule (half speed from the old "don't beat your bubbles").... Get trained and certified before you regret something like a pneumo, busted ear drum, bends, etc. Some of those kill you and some will mess you up permanently at shallow depths. 

33 ft = 1 atm 50% volume change from surface and therefore your greatest change in dissolved gases.... you ARE NOT SAFE staying shallow until you understand how to make a safety ascent without a reg in you pie hole and the basics of reg/mask recovery.


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## coolbluestreak (Jun 27, 2011)

markhsaltz said:


> Get certified or DO NOT DIVE. it only takes 4 feet to kill you !!


Have Mark be your instructor, he is a great guy and a blast to hang out with. My wife and I both got certified by him this summer and before the class my wife couldn't even swim under water without holding her nose(not anymore). It is a awesome world down there.


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

hogdogs said:


> What is the max depth that a person can maintain for a tank full of air without worrying with timed decompression ascent?
> 
> Just swim off safely havin' doin' the shallow stuff I do free swimming just not needing to surface every 40 seconds...
> 
> ...


Actually, without the proper training, you are more likely to have problems equalizing while free diving to to the bottom of a deep swimming pool than while scuba diving (provided you don't have a cold, sinus block, or an ear infection).

Before you attempt to use scuba gear, to any depth, get certified.


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## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

And orion, yer on the mark... I had a collegiate size pool to use at school as a kid (mid 70's) with a depth of 12 feet under the diving boards.

Since then I may have tried to equalize maybe a dozen or 20 times at most...
Never with promising results though.

Brent


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## tripleblessing (Oct 3, 2007)

markhsaltz said:


> Get certified or DO NOT DIVE. it only takes 4 feet to kill you !!


 
Plus 1


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## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

I really want to get certified so I can hit these farm ponds and survey the layout and fish populations so I can help with imbalanced specie populations... Some need catfish control while others are infested with bream/bluegill types but I have a couple ponds that the owners want me to clear out largemouths that are supposedly hell on baby catfish.

Brent


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

The visibilty in those kind of ponds is near zero. You won't see your hand in front of your face. Use a net to count the populations.


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## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

The ones I know of are clear... you can see dangle turds hangin from their butt at a fathom...:thumbsup::whistling::yes:

I am sure that one lap with the fins will stir up the silt and debris though.
Brent


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