Indigenous Ability

In prior articles in this series we have dealt exclusively with descending, preparing to descend, and how to manage comfortably while at depth. Now, let’s talk ascents as there are some dangers here as well, but, again, a marriage of science and indigenous diving wisdom renders these dangers negligible. As we have discussed, when the human body descends to even shallow depths we experience great pressure changes, so great that even if we had a snorkel one meter long we would lack the muscular ability to intake a breath of air to survive. At a depth of 10 meters [approximately 30 feet] we are already experiencing twice the pressure at the surface. The pressure at even greater depths is so extreme that deep sea fish brought to the surface often evert their viscera as the gas in their swim bladders expands and forces their guts out though their mouths. Now, we are not deep-sea animals and seldom traipse along at such depths without extreme mechanical measures, but can we be s...

[This article is best consumed in series with the prior offerings regarding Aquatic Tactics.] In the previous lesson we covered the science behind the essential need for pressure-equalization when working sub-surface and ran through a series of methods to accomplish this end that required a free hand, i.e., “The Pinch Series.” We closed that exploration with the following observation… “ how do we account for equalizations made by indigenous divers at depth who may have a fishing spear in one hand and a sea-harvesting basket in the other or a clutched surface-line? Let alone the horrible contingency of a sub-surface swim with hands shackled behind one’s back.” Without hands being free, how does one make the vital equalization? Turns out there are few hands-free methods used by indigenous divers that we can adopt for our own uses. We won’t go over the same anatomy lesson offered in the prior offering but wisdom dictates that if one is refreshed as to how we used contro...

[This article is best consumed in series with the prior offerings regarding Aquatic Tactics.] If we have developed the skill to swim, possess a reasonable breath-holding capacity [a comfortable one-minute is sufficient across many cultures], and have a willingness to work our aquatic tactics fully, the limiter at this point is often pain in the ears. Many a good warrior feels limited or excluded from aquatic tactics because of ear trouble, but, again, a look to the wisdom of indigenous diving cultures and how they have coped with the malady is most instructive. Along the way we will use a bit of science to interpret some of these tactics. First… Ears & Submersion : Diving to depth is often accompanied by pain in the ears. This is due to the middle ear being an air-filled chamber that does not freely exchange air with the outer ear. As we descend the air within the middle ear chamber contracts and exerts pressure on the eardrum which bows inward—this bowing inw...