Posted by Karl S. on January 29, 2003 at 16:09:09:
In Reply to: Re: purging CO2 from your blood, muscles, and lungs posted by H on January 29, 2003 at 11:46:26:
Regarding SWB, it truly is the plague endemic to freediving that can strike anytime anywhere to anyone.
The best way to avoid a fatality from SWB is to freedive with a buddy, in clear water, who is up while you are down, and who is watching your ever move, and is ready to get to you and to pop off your weight belt when he sees you black out. This goes for pool training too.
Regarding loading up your mix with Helium, I dont have a problem with that. Its just that any mix of Helium seems to work better if you spend the first few minutes on the surface at the anchor line prone, relaxing with your snorkel. This offgassing of CO2 appears to make a major difference in narcosis and in gas consumption during the dive, in my experience.
I dont fault the "newer" schools of tech diving for going with "higher" Helium mixes. I simply believe that a period of time on the surface relaxing before the descent is also appropo.
I almost forgot, a lot of tech divers dont wear or carry a snorkel anymore. Big mistake.