how do you avoid getting thirsty while diving?

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:36 pm

on my last two few dives i have noticed that after about 30 minutes or so, i start getting a very dry mouth and feeling really thirsty. i try to drink more water than normal if i know i'm going to dive that day, but this doesn't seem to help. any suggestions? or is this just totally normal and one of those weird diver facts of life that i have to learn to deal with over time?

Aquanautchuck · Post by **Aquanautchuck** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:40 pm

It's normal. Remember that diving compressed air is very, very dry. So it will dehydrate you while diving. An option is to have a regulator that has vanes in it that will trap some moisture in your exhaled breath so you can get a ocasional sip of water. My Micra Adjust does that for me and I think Sherwood makes or still makes the Oasis.

Charles

Zen Diver v1 · Post by **Zen Diver v1** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 3:06 am

It's also a function of new-ness to diving. When I first started I'd be absolutely parched, and looking back, I suspect it was because I was breathing so hard, "aware" of my breathing, that I really noticed it. Once I got some dives in it eased, and I be sure to bring several bottles of water (ie, a couple of liters) and drink drink drink between dives as well, especially when it's warm.

-Valerie

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:54 am

hmm ... okay; i guess i'll just try to get over the urge to remove my regulator and take a drink. ;-)

this got me really curious, though, as to whether it is possible to drink while you're underwater. (i don't mean the salt water, of course.) i think about those folks who do long deco dives and wonder just how thirsty they must be!

rcontrera · Post by **rcontrera** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 12:45 pm

One thing you could try is to put a tiny pea sized blob of tooth paste in your cheek. The minty flavor will cause you to salivate and eliminate the dry mouth.

Now, I DID NOT say to put a mint in your mouth! It might inhaled and then where you be!?[-X

Just my $.02

Ray

Aquanautchuck · Post by **Aquanautchuck** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 12:57 pm

Heck, I remember back a few years when I still chewed snuff. It was not uncommon for me to go under and realize that I still had my chew in my mouth.

Tangfish · Post by **Tangfish** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 1:07 pm

I just picture Rockfish tacos when I'm diving and looking at all those fish, then my mouth starts watering.... problem solved!

Pez7378 · Post by **Pez7378** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:07 pm

I don't exactly know how they work but I've seen Hydration bladders that you can strap to your tanks. The ones I saw were geared more for doubles, don't know how you could incorporate that to diving a single tank. My problem is the more water I drink.............the more I want to pee!

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:13 am

I've occasionaly put a juice box in my pocket but ususally only use it while warm water diving. It's no big deal.

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:37 am

Pez7378 wrote:I don't exactly know how they work but I've seen Hydration bladders that you can strap to your tanks. The ones I saw were geared more for doubles, don't know how you could incorporate that to diving a single tank. My problem is the more water I drink.............the more I want to pee!

oh, no ... i think that might be the only thing i might miss about diving in a wetsuit!

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:03 pm

One of my dive buddies bought something that I think is called a "camel back" (or something like that!) at a bicycle shop. It is a long clear plastic bag that holds liquid. It has a long drinking tube designed to go over the shoulder of a bicyclist that has an opening at the end that functions when you squeeze it between your teeth. He straps it to the side of his doubles on long dives and whenever he feels thirsty or has dry-mouth he simply pops the end of the tube into his mouth, bites down on the pressure activated opening, and cool, fresh water runs into his mouth. The moment he is done he unclenches his teeth and the opening seals up, preventing salt water from getting inside. It works like a champ! I'm pretty certain that any good bike shop or REI would have one.

If the dive industry ever markets one, expect it to have a dive logo on the bag and be 3 - 4 times the cost of those sold in bike shops!

Of course, you could also get a rebreather and only breathe in moist, warm air instead of the bone-dry air you get from a dive shop compressor....but that would add "just a bit' to the cost!

- John

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:46 pm

that's exactly what i was thinking of john, but i wasn't sure if anybody's ever tried it or not. i have one or two of those - they are great for climbing, hiking, biking, you name it. and i was wondering if it could be used underwater as well. that's cool that you know someone who's actually done it. good to know for the future ... in case i just can't shake the feeling. :-)

scubagrunt · Post by **scubagrunt** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:03 pm

dive a rebreather!!!! it's a little more than a camel back from REI but well worth it!!!

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:22 pm

hmm ... i think i need a few more dives logged before i can start thinking about that line of action. (i just got back from number 11!)

scubagrunt · Post by **scubagrunt** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:25 pm

you can never start to soon!!
did i mention that it is my life mission to make as many rebreather divers as possible!
But, seriously i do know people who use the camel backs and juice boxes. it seems to work. just make sure if you are in a drysuit to pratice proper "water management" protocol!!

BASSMAN · Post by **BASSMAN** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:29 am

I have found that a metal regulator such as the "Mares" helps me, not get dry mouth. I think it has something to do with condensation from exhaled air.

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:37 am

scubagrunt wrote:you can never start to soon!!
did i mention that it is my life mission to make as many rebreather divers as possible!
But, seriously i do know people who use the camel backs and juice boxes. it seems to work. just make sure if you are in a drysuit to pratice proper "water management" protocol!!

that's funny you mention juice boxes because i was thinking how i wouldn't really want to carry a camelback around underwater, and how neat it'd be if someone made some kind of one-shot water container - sort of like gu ... except it'd just be water. :-)

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:37 am

thelawgoddess wrote:that's exactly what i was thinking of john, but i wasn't sure if anybody's ever tried it or not. i have one or two of those - they are great for climbing, hiking, biking, you name it. and i was wondering if it could be used underwater as well. that's cool that you know someone who's actually done it. good to know for the future ... in case i just can't shake the feeling. :-)

I've actually used his on a couple of long deco dives and was quite pleased as to how well it functioned. It solved the problem of staying well hydrated (you wouldn't BELIEVE the level of cotton-mouth at the end of a two hour dive!) and was both simple and easy to use. Staying well hydrated is one of the primary tools that all divers have available to them to help in avoiding DCS.

I've seen some smaller versions that would easily fit into a drysuit leg pocket, or maybe even into a BC side pocket.

- John

dsteding · Post by **dsteding** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 1:21 pm

DSS makes a nice hydration bladder-send Tobin an email or call him, I bet he has some ideas on how to mount it to a singles rig:

http://deepseasupply.com/page22.html

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 1:24 pm

ha, ha; that is so cool! and for a piece of scuba equipment, i might even venture to say "affordable" ...

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 1:27 pm

Tobin at DSS makes other great products too - I've ordered several of their products and they seem to be well thought out and well made. GD recommended them to me. Their customer service is great too!

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 3:46 pm

Sounder wrote:Tobin at DSS makes other great products too - I've ordered several of their products and they seem to be well thought out and well made. GD recommended them to me. Their customer service is great too!

All very true statements. DSS is an oustanding smaller company that makes really fine products. Tobin is also a member of this board and can easily be PM'd.

- John

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 3:59 pm

i have one of their suunto sk7 mounts. :-)

Pez7378 · Post by **Pez7378** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:05 pm

dsteding wrote:DSS makes a nice hydration bladder-send Tobin an email or call him, I bet he has some ideas on how to mount it to a singles rig:

http://deepseasupply.com/page22.html

Thanks Doug. I couldn't remember where I saw it. Of course it was DSS, who else!?

Northwest Dive Club

how do you avoid getting thirsty while diving?

how do you avoid getting thirsty while diving?

thirsy?

Re: thirsy?

That's the one!