How Deep Can A Human Dive | Deep Diving Rules

Since ages-old, men have been fascinated with the depths of the ocean as much as the mystery of the skies. There is something about diving to the unknown that appeals to our primal curiosity.

But how deep can a human dive with or without professional diving equipment? How much of a toll does it take on the human body? To aid your curious mind in its thirst for knowledge; this article will answer these questions and help you explore the mysteries of the sea from the confines of your home.

Types of Diving

There are a lot of factors that come into play when you are considering taking a dive. Scuba diving, snorkeling, and deep-sea diving are three different things and require different steps of preparation. The type of equipment you would need also depends on how deep you are willing to go.

1. Snorkeling

Snorkeling is an easy and entertaining way to explore the ocean surface. It requires the least amount of preparation and training. You only need a snorkeling mask and a breathing tube. The breathing tube serves as your source for air, while the mask prevents water from getting into your eyes and nose.

Snorkeling is quite straightforward and effortless compared to the other two types of diving. It is mostly for recreation rather than exploration. Diving is limited to around 1 meter most of the time while snorkeling since you would be hard-pressed to find breathing tubes longer than that.

2. Scuba diving

Then comes scuba diving, which allows you to explore deeper into the ocean. You need a self-contained breathing contraption since you would be completely submerged underwater. Additionally, you need to wear a special suit and swim fins to keep yourself safe from the pressures of the sea.

Scuba divers can reach up to 40 meters without too much hassle or water pressure. But without proper equipment, it is dangerous to venture that deep. Usually, if you are scuba diving recreation-ally, you would need a crash course, and also an instructor will accompany you in your adventure.

3. Deep-sea diving

Finally, we have deep-sea diving that requires special training and equipment. It allows you to explore much deeper than the 40-meter limitation of scuba diving. You need to be absolutely sure about the quality of your equipment since faulty gears could lead to fatal situations. Special diving techniques are a requirement for deep-sea diving.

Records for The Deepest Dive

Diving deep into the ocean requires technique and training, and without the proper equipment can prove to be very harmful. But a man named Herbert Nitsch in 2007 set the record for free-diving by traveling a depth of 214 meters without any diving gears.

Nitsch broke his record in 2012 by again diving to the tremendous depth of 253 meters. You need to keep in mind that water-pressure at that depth is quite extreme to untrained people. Even Herbert Nitsch, who is a trained diver, could not escape unscathed as he suffered injury from this feat.

For Scuba diving, the record for the deepest dive is held by Ahmed Gabr. His impressive dive of 332 meters below the ocean with scuba gears in 2014 earned him a place in the world records. He reached this depth in about 15 minutes but took around 14 hours to get back up because of scheduled decompression breaks.

Another means of exploring the depths is by using a submarine. These beastly contraptions are not meant for recreational or competitive people but rather strictly limited to professionals like scientists or military personnel. The deepest point that a crewed submarine traveled so far is at 7 miles in the southern part of Marina Trench.

How Deep Can A Human Dive With Scuba Gear Safely

The answer to this question varies depending on a lot of factors like your gears, training, experience, etc. If you want to dive recreation-ally, Scuba diving might be the best way to go to explore the ocean. The diving limitation of snorkeling and the dangers of deep-sea diving might dissuade your thirst for adventure.

Assuming you are scuba diving, the recommended limit by most organizations is around 40 meters. As long as you are within this limit, your risk for injury is minimal. One thing to remember is you should never exceed your comfort zone. While pushing yourself may be a good practice in other sectors, diving should always be kept under control.

Risks of Diving Too Deep

If you consider the risks of diving, water pressure is something that pops up instantly in our minds. However, experienced divers know better than to worry about being crushed by the pressure. There are other risks that far higher than getting crushed under load, and it sets in before you can travel that deep.

Decompression Sickness

Decompression sickness or better known as “the bends,” is one of the common concerns when it comes to diving. It occurs when bubbles of gas are formed due to changing pressure.

Nitrogen Narcosis

Since you are breathing compressed gas at depth, it can significantly mess with your thinking and focus. It is known as Nitrogen Narcosis. By itself, this effect is not dangerous, but it can lead to poor decision-making, which can lead to accidents.

Oxygen Toxicity

Oxygen toxicity is a dangerous condition that occurs from breathing high volume of oxygen under extreme depths. For scuba divers limited to 40 meters, it is not a serious concern. However, below 60 meters, it is something to be worried about.

High-pressure Nervous Syndrome

HPNS is a neurological condition that is caused due to breathing of helium gas during deep diving. It can lead to dizziness, twitching, and many other problems. If the decent of diving is too fast, the pressure along with the velocity can cause this syndrome.

How Deep Can A Human Dive Without Scuba Gear?

There is a difference between swimming underwater and diving. If your dive exceeds 60-feet, then according to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), you are deep diving.

For average swimmers, you are most likely to dive 20 feet underwater without feeling the pressure. If you are an experienced diver, you can easily dive to a depth of 40 feet.

Now, this is assuming you can hold your breath for that long. Beyond that, your body will start feeling negative physical effects because of the water pressure and lack of oxygen.

Final Thought

Exploring the depths of the ocean is exciting and appealing to anyone with adventure in his heart. For this reason, people have been pushing boundaries, trying to dive as far as they can into the ocean.

We hope that you enjoyed the article. You should now have a clear idea of how deep a human can dive.