How Deep Can You Dive Without Being Crushed? An Expert's Perspective

Most people can safely explore the depths of the ocean up to 60 feet, while experienced divers can venture even further to 40 feet. But how deep can you dive without being crushed? Learn more about safe diving depths and appropriate certifications.

How Deep Can You Dive Without Being Crushed? An Expert's Perspective

Most people can safely explore the depths of the ocean up to 60 feet, while experienced divers can venture even further to 40 feet. But how deep can you dive without being crushed? Human bone is crushed at about 11159 kg per square inch, which means that we would have to dive about 35.5 km deep before the bones are crushed. With recreational diving, the answer to the question “how deep can you dive?” measures 130 feet. Appropriate certification is highly recommended for diving at those depths. As a basic open water diver, the depth limit for diving is 60 feet.

If you want to dive a little deeper, the advanced open water certification will teach you more about diving above 60 feet. For diving above 100 feet, the specialized deep diving course is highly recommended to learn how deep diving affects the body and how to properly prepare for an ascent from depth. Diving deeply can cause narcosis, which is like being intoxicated underwater. When evaluating the remaining oxygen, divers should include these stops (a dive computer will calculate it for you). If diving in a submersible counts, there have been some manned expeditions to the depths of the Challenger, in the Mariana Trench.

Open water divers are certified to dive to 60 feet (18 m), advanced open water divers are certified to dive to 99 feet (30 m). This is why experience is required to dive deeper, since it is necessary to remain calm at all times, monitor the equipment and, at the same time, give decompression sickness the respect it deserves. For a novice who has never dived before, 30 feet (10 m), for example, could be considered very dangerous if he begins to panic and become disoriented. Whereas expert divers who are practicing deep diving can easily handle depths of more than 130 feet (40 m) without any problem.

Ethan Kelly
Ethan Kelly

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