Surfacing Too Fast: Risks and Responses
Understand the risks of surfacing too fast while diving and learn how to prevent and respond to this dangerous situation effectively.
SAFETY WHILE DIVING
Surfacing Too Fast: Risks and Responses
Surfacing too quickly during a dive is a risk that every diver should take seriously. It might seem like a simple mistake—maybe you’re eager to end the dive or scared—but the consequences can be severe, including decompression sickness (DCS), arterial gas embolism (AGE), and lung overexpansion injuries.
What Happens When You Surface Too Fast?
When you descend underwater, your body absorbs more nitrogen due to the increased pressure. If you ascend too rapidly, the nitrogen can form bubbles in your bloodstream and tissues instead of being safely eliminated through your lungs. These bubbles can block blood vessels, leading to DCS—often called “the bends”—which causes joint pain, dizziness, and potentially life-threatening symptoms.
A rapid ascent can also cause lung overexpansion injuries. If you hold your breath or fail to exhale steadily while rising, expanding air in your lungs can cause serious damage, including arterial gas embolism, where air bubbles enter your bloodstream and can block circulation to the brain or heart.
How to Prevent Surfacing Too Fast
The best way to avoid these risks is to control your ascent rate carefully:
Ascend no faster than 30 feet (9 meters) per minute.
Use your dive computer or watch to monitor your ascent speed.
Make a safety stop at around 15 feet (5 meters) for 3 to 5 minutes to allow your body to safely release excess nitrogen.
Practice good buoyancy control to avoid unexpected rapid ascents.
Always stay aware of your depth and timing.
What to Do If You Surface Too Quickly
If you realize you’ve ascended too fast, monitor yourself closely for symptoms such as joint pain, dizziness, numbness, or difficulty breathing. Even mild symptoms require immediate attention. Call emergency services and seek evaluation at a hyperbaric chamber if possible.
If you’re diving with a buddy, notify them and stay calm. Do not dive again until cleared by a medical professional. Remember, prevention is your best defense, but knowing how to respond can save your life.
Happy and safe diving,
The ScubaBlast Team
Divers Alert Network. (2023). Decompression Sickness and Lung Overexpansion Injuries.
https://dan.org/health-medicine/health-resources/decompression-sickness-and-lung-overexpansion-injuries/
PADI. (n.d.). Safe Ascent Rates and Safety Stops.
https://www.padi.com/blog/safe-ascent-rates-and-safety-stops/
Mayo Clinic. (2022). Decompression Sickness.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/decompression-sickness/symptoms-causes/syc-20352384