Silt out

As a silt -out refers to a dangerous situation while diving, in which the visibility is reduced under water within a few seconds to zero. The problem occurs particularly often on the wreck and cave diving.

• 3.1 Mental Health
• 3.2 dive training
• 3.3 equipment

Causes

Stirring up sediment

Main cause of the so-called silt -outs is stirring up sediment by the kicking of the divers. This risk is particularly inside of underwater caves or in silent, deep waters, as much loose sediment deposited particularly by the lack of flow here.

Percolation

Another common reason for a silt -out is the so-called percolation, ie the spontaneous detachment of parts of the cave ceiling by water infiltration from above or through the accumulation of air bubbles exhaled air inside the cave. The parts thereof falling on the water surface, dissolve quickly in water and the detached suspended solids can quickly lead to an extreme deterioration of visibility inside the cave.

Detachment of rust particles

Especially when penetrating wrecks the ascending bubbles of exhaled air can cause the dissolve in large quantities rust particles from the wreck and fall onto the water surface, where they are spread over a large area and thus reduce visibility drastically within a few seconds.

Hazards

Consists precisely in caves and shipwrecks in the case of a silt -outs is a great danger to get lost. Furthermore, the underwater communication the buddy with each other, which takes place usually on a show of hands, suddenly impossible. The diving in zero visibility is also a tremendous physical and psychological stress, as loss of orientation in many people to panic attacks, anxiety, and thus also leads to a significantly higher air consumption.

Security measures

Mental Health

In addition to the minimum requirements for scuba diving, which are determined by the medical fitness to dive, should in particular wreck and cave divers on a matured personality, physical fitness and inner peace have. Only those who are able to keep control of what is happening even in difficult or life-threatening situations, emergency situations as this master sovereign under water without bringing through emerging panic and his buddy in mortal danger.

Dive training

The most important measure to prevent silt -outs is a sound education. Here is to be mentioned particularly the so-called Frog - kick, in which the diver enters with his fins like a frog to the sides to prevent water turbulence in the direction of reason. The various dive associations have developed in recent years within their specialty courses numerous exercises in order to teach student divers diving in zero visibility. For this purpose, include besides diving with darkened mask, various orientation and partner exercises, and a variety of theoretical knowledge.

Equipment

Standard in the cave and wreck diving is to mark the way to the exit using a continuous guide line, the self- rolling of divers from a roll and fastened at prominent junctions. In much dived wrecks or caves guide lines are often already solidly created by local dive centers. Furthermore, always part of the basic equipment of cave and wreck divers a flashlight in order to maintain an appropriate communication in the event of a silt -outs can.