Posted by Ken Kurtis on August 14, 2000 at 00:04:59:
In Reply to: DIVE ENTRIES: reg vs. snorkel? (long) posted by HAL on August 11, 2000 at 14:26:28:
As an instructor who's been teaching for 20 years, I've always taught my students to use the regulator whever it's available for entry.
Although the embolism situation you describe is theoretically possible, I know of no actual incidents where this scenario has really occured. So it may be more of an Urban Legned than true Diving Hazard. (Would eb imnterested to heart if anyone has first-hand knowledge of this embolism scenario.)
The reality is that when peoople jump into water, regardless of what they have in their mouth, the instinct is to take a big breath and hold it. So (assuming a giant stride) you . . .
1. Jump off the boat.
2. Take a big breath.
3. Hit the water with a reg in your mouth and the additional bouyancy of the air in your lungs (in addition to that in your BC) so you won't sink far, if at all.
4. Since you've taken the breath at surface pressure, you can sink as far as you want and ascend while still holding your breath just like you would on a snorkel or free-dive and not risk embolism.
5. If you are still concerned, as you start to rise back to the surface, exhale all the way up.
The bottom line is that you'll have a reg in your mouth at the surface. I've seen (and jumped in after) far more divers who couldn't breathe from their snorkel after an entry than I have seen inadvertent embolizers.
Ken Kurtis
NAUI Instructor #5936
Co-owner, Reef Seekers Dive Co.
Beverly Hills, Ca.