Equipment Outfitters

The mysteries of the sea have driven many to brave the ocean depths to experience first-hand what it feels like to live beneath the water’s surface. Those who pioneered modern scuba did so at great risk—our bodies were not meant to breathe under water, nor were they meant to breathe under the pressure of millions of pounds of liquid. As you go deeper into the sea, your body is no longer able to use the air you breathe as effectively as above the surface. As a result, hundreds of diving fatalities occur each year.

MAN’S SEARCH for a means to breathe underwater can be traced back to the ancient Romans, when early divers used a floatation device to support airhoses attached to leather helmets to provide oxygen. It was not until 1819 that deep-sea diving became a practical reality, when German inventor Augustus Siebein developed the bulky brass dive helmet linked to an air compressor back on the ship.

Nearly 130 years later, famous marine biologist Jacques Cousteau invented the aqualung together with fellow pioneer Emil Gagnan. The aqualung finally released divers from the restraints of air hoses and compressors and allowed them to swim freely through the water. The aqualung is unquestionably the most important invention in modern diving.

Since the aqualung’s introduction, scuba (self contained underwater breathing apparatus) has grown into an incredibly popular sport enjoyed by pleasure seekers, treasure hunters, researchers, and sportsmen globally. However, despite its popularity, scuba diving remains a dangerous sport that requires an in-depth knowledge of the effects extreme pressure can have on the body: how a diver absorbs air under these changing conditions, and a broad understanding of how to deal appropriately with the effects of pressure-breathing if accidents are to be avoided. One study of diving fatalities has revealed that the greatest danger lies not with the equipment but with the diver— almost all fatalities are due to human error.

Under pressure

There are other hazards. Hypothermia is a condition caused by the lowering of the body’s core temperature, which can be fatal if prolonged. Sharp coral and rocks can cause injury, and strong underwater currents can separate dive partners (it’s always advisable to dive in pairs at least) or, worse, sweep divers away from their support boat. Perhaps the most universally feared hazard is an encounter with a large shark or group of sharks. Smaller sharks can be docile if left alone, but they are never to be trusted. Larger sharks, such as tiger or great white sharks, are perpetually seeking food, and anything that swims is usually fair game.

Maladies associated with diving stem from how the body processes the air stored under pressure in the diver’s tanks. As a diver swims deeper the body has to cope with increasing levels of pressure, measured in atmospheres. One “atmosphere” is the equivalent of the pressure exerted on the body at sea level, two atmospheres is double the pressure, and so on. As atmospheres increase, the pressure forces greater levels of breathed air into the bloodstream as gases. Under controlled conditions at relatively shallow depths, this is not a problem until the diver surfaces. As the diver ascends, these gases— most notably nitrogen—start escaping from the bloodstream. The ascent must be controlled and slow enough to allow the gases to be released through normal exhalation through the diver’s lungs. If the diver ascends too quickly, the gases can bubble out into the body tissue, causing muscular pain and bodily damage. It’s a bit like the effect you see when you open a can or bottle of pressurized carbonated soda.

The results can be deadly, causing the body to curl up and convulse spastically— hence the name of “bends” for the condition. Non-fatal repercussions of the bends include coma, neurological disorders, and intense abdominal pain. Nitrogen—the main component of divers‘ compressed air—can have other side effect. One of the most alarming is “nitrogen narcosis.” It is more common on deeper dives, where the increased pressure forces more nitrogen into the bloodstream, and takes the form of drowsiness—potentially lethal under water.

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