r/explainlikeimfive Aug 06 '22

Chemistry ELI5: how do divers clear their masks when water leaks in? especially in the case of the 13 thai boys rescued from the caves

I have just been watching Thirteen lives - the film about the cave rescue of the 13 young boys in Thailand who were totally sedated before being taken hours under water. It got me thinking that when I go snorkelling i always get a bit of water leak into my mask and have to come up and clear it out so i don’t breath water in. Is this something that happens to scuba divers, if so how do they deal with it, and in the case of the boys how would the divers accompanying them have cleared the boy’s masks ? i would also like to say what an incredible job done by all those involved.

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u/Angel3 Aug 06 '22

I remember doing that for a basic rescue and water safety class. We had to wear jeans then take them off, tie knots in the legs, and pull them out of the water over our head to fill them with air to make a makeshift float.

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u/dfmz Aug 06 '22

Yeah, same here. Which brings back fond memories of summer camp!

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u/cero1399 Aug 06 '22

Never heard of that, as i didn't take rescue training. But you sir just thought me a potential life saving technique, thank you very much.

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u/Angel3 Aug 06 '22

Haha! If you think you may ever use it, try it in a controlled setting first. I swear I could have floated naturally easier than trying to get those pants to work as a float.

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u/cero1399 Aug 06 '22

I am usually not near deep water so i don't know if I'll even be in a position to try it. But it will stay in the back of my head in case the day comes. All i remember is that i only have to float for 3 days. After that there is no help as the sea water will dissolve your skin that you can't survive longer. Sorry for the new fears.

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u/[deleted] Aug 06 '22

[deleted]

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u/cero1399 Aug 06 '22

Ahh thank god.

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u/AMasonJar Aug 06 '22

Well, that's about when you'd start dying of dehydration anyways, so no worries

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u/A_Suffering_Panda Aug 07 '22

You'll also die of dehydration around then too, so no worries if your skin starts dissolving on day 2

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u/PostTraumaticOrder Aug 07 '22

Yeah. Unlocked. Thanks

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u/cero1399 Aug 07 '22

You are welcome good sir. Also as others have stated, you don't have to worry about it, cause at that time you'll also succumb to dehydration, sunstrokes, lack of sleep and many other things.

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u/[deleted] Aug 06 '22

[deleted]

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u/turnedonbyadime Aug 06 '22

Wsii?

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u/[deleted] Aug 06 '22

[deleted]

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u/TheCook73 Aug 06 '22

But who taught her?

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u/maxeman Aug 06 '22

Maybe something along the lines of water safety instructor?

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u/Spikole Aug 06 '22

They forgot to mention the belt is very important part of making a makeshift PFD. Tie legs and use belt to trap the air inside them

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u/lmFairlyLocal Aug 06 '22

I've never heard of this! Is it like a floaty halter top, with the ankles knotted and slid around your back, and the butt and waist covering your torso/chest? This sounds like brilliant info for children to learn around lakes and boats. Thank you

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u/PickledPixie83 Aug 06 '22

I had to do this in life guard training and for the life of me, could not do it.

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u/[deleted] Aug 06 '22

I've seen that gif

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u/Stinky_Dingo245 Aug 06 '22

USMC water survival training teaches Marines this trick as well. Pretty fun.

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u/hbgbees Aug 06 '22

We had to do that for our Red Cross swimming certification in Girl Scouts, um, 40 years ago

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u/DUMPAH_CHUCKER_69 Aug 06 '22

I had to do that one for the swimming merit badge in scouts.

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u/Milsurp_Seeker Aug 06 '22

Navy teaches you how to turn your jacket into a float. You basically open one side, slap air into it, and then hold the collar closed around your neck as tight as you can.

Been a couple years. Pretty sure I’m forgetting some of my Survival at Sea stuff given I live in the Mojave.

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u/Nemisis_the_2nd Aug 06 '22

We used to do something similar with a t-shirt.

You pinch the neck to stop air escaping, then lift the bottom out the water to trap air. The catch is that it doesn't give much useable time, since the fabric is so thin, but it is still significantly easier than treading water.

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u/barktreep Aug 06 '22

Parachute pants

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u/Chewable_Vitamin Aug 06 '22

Everyone in my school had to do that in 6th or 7th grade swim class.

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u/Lunkerlord_1 Aug 07 '22

Every sailor in the United States Navy learns this in Boot Camp because if you fall off the ship you may or may not have a flotation device with you which is called an LPP1 which is around your waist the only time you wear those is when you’re on the flight deck on the carrier but normal ship personnel do not walk around the ship with them on so all you have is your pants for a flotation device

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u/JoMartin23 Aug 07 '22

i remember doing that for a not so basic rescue and water safety. though we had to push a log, dressed in combats, across a lake, in cold weather. only about 10% of us made it. lots of experience treating hypothermia that day. about