Cave Divers Are Mortal!
Recent Trends in
Cave Diving Fatalities
by Jeffrey Bozanic
Immersed, Winter 2003, (7:4) pp. 42-46
Richard and John arrived on Andros Island in the Bahamas at noon, and by five o'clock were in the water on their first deep dive of their weeklong vacation. Their dive was on the wreck of the Holly, located at a depth of 245 fsw (75 msw), with their 25-minute bottom time necessitating two hours of decompression. Richard was using a mixed-gas closed-circuit rebreather (CCR), while John was diving open-circuit air (twins), and carrying cylinders containing EAN36 and oxygen for decompression. Conditions were generally good, with 82°F (28°C) water, no current, 165-foot (50m) visibility, and a 1-2 foot (0.5m) swell running. The dive went off without a hitch, and they exited the water at 7:30 p.m. An hour later, they were both in bed, tired from their seven-hour plane rides and the excitement of the first dive. The next morning, both Richard and John awoke to find their ears very sore and filled with fluid.
TECHNICAL TIP: Divers using rebreathers should also take into consideration the risk of middle ear oxygen absorption syndrome. Periodic manual equalization after surfacing can prevent the syndrome and should be a regular post-diving procedure.
Middle ear prior to diving
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