Bubbling or not?

[glubglub]

Quick poll: Do you guys bubble underwater? Pros / cons?

I found at 20ft I can only bubble a little spurt (no I didn't try to exhale extra). I'm usually squeamish about bubbling b/c if the ocean is a little rough and I hit the surface "empty" I take some water in.

[Pastor]

Maybe you should only bubble when the sea is a little calmer or have a little more control over your inhale. Either that or try the bean and onion curry version

[naiad]

Why would you want to bubble underwater? It just means losing air.

[trux]

Originally Posted by naiad

Why would you want to bubble underwater? It just means losing air.

I think it is a spearfishing technique for attracting fish. It may help them for buoyancy control too - with empty lungs they can stay easier laying on the bottom waiting for the prey.

[Bill]

Interesting technique. Never tried it with a gun in my hand except by accident. Once when I turned at the bottom two nice Yellowtail made themselves easy targets when they rushed in to investigate the bubble from my snorkel. Last year, when we finished a training session, I unhooked our surface float from the buoy at 15 meters, blew a few noisy bubble rings and attracted two small Sailfish.
Fish seem to be curious at times.

[salibandy]

Originally Posted by naiad

Why would you want to bubble underwater? It just means losing air.

I totally agree with naiad. Why are you bubbling? And I'm not quite sure what you are asking as well..

[Pastor]

Is in not bubble rings? as opposed to bubbles from his ring!

[glubglub]

Cool ideas about attracting fish!! I never thought of that.

I guess my question is, do you exhale slowly (sporadically) while you are under, or just keep holding your breath at whatever volume you took in with you until you hit surface again.

I think this should give you at least extra 5 - 10 seconds for being a little bit more relaxed while making your way up slowly, though I read in FRC diving you even come down with empty lungs!!

Fridykning

[salibandy]

Well if you come up from a deep dive and exhale toward the end, before you hit the surface, I would think that there is a high risk of blacking out, due to a drop in the partial pressure of oxygen.

You don't dive on empty lungs during FRC.

[glubglub]

Pardon me. Read the wrong thing about FRC. You are right, FRC divers do not go down empty.

Also thanks for the insight about ppO2 !!

[azapa]

Originally Posted by Pastor

Is in not bubble rings? as opposed to bubbles from his ring!

hahah

on a serious note, I BELIEVE some seals bubble as well?

[salibandy]

Yeah I believe so too. I saw the seals bubbling on Tanya Streeter's Dive Galapagos programme.

[mtyvlcro]

Interesting, I've always heard that bubbles startled fish and that is why the majority of spearo's didn't dive SCUBA when hunting.
I'll have to test!

[Pastor]

It might be more of the case that a single or very limited release of bubbles might rouse some curiosity. Rather than a constant stream of them as in scuba which probably acts as a signal to keep their distance. Never tried bubbling as a hunting technique, maybe I'll give it a go this year.

[mtyvlcro]

Anything is worth a try. Fish can be finicky. They always seem to change what they are in the mood for.
Next I'll see if I can coax any lobster out with an under water torch and a pad of butter =]