Cave diving during thunderstorms

[jpdiver]

All joking aside, do you usually decide to go ahead and cave dive or not dive when those summer thunderstorms roll in as you are gearing up?
I'd love to hear why or why not.

[sdenney]

If I already have my gear setup, then yes. If not, I wait it out or bag the dive depending on the conditions.

[Angie Reim]

Oh hell no! Never again! I damned near died. I can be fully geared up and if there is a strong peal of thunder within what I consider the 15minute time zone (native Floridians are pretty good at this) I'll wait it out until I know the danger has passed.

[Kelly Jessop]

Oh hell no! Never again! I damned near died. I can be fully geared up and if there is a strong peal of thunder within what I consider the 15minute time zone (native Floridians are pretty good at this) I'll wait it out until I know the danger has passed.

Agreed. My buddies and I got hit around the Nicholson tunnel at Peacock

[Capt Tom McMillan]

Yep

I agree with Kelly. I was with him when we got hit by lightning in Peacock.

It was not fun...

[mgersch]

Agreed. My buddies and I got hit around the Nicholson tunnel at Peacock

WOW. Can you elaborate. I really didn't think it was possible to get hit by lightening inside the cave. If you don't mind me asking...

What happened?
Was there a loud noise?
Did you feel an electric shock?
How do you know it was lightening strike?

I certainly worry about lighening when I am on the surface, but I really thought if I was underwater 600 ft back in a cave that I'm fine. Along those lines, I don't know if it helps on not, but on days when I'm diving at Ginny and I come out of the eye only to see its a major lightening storm, I have been known to stay down under the rock ledge and wait it out for another 10 min. I figure, less chance of getting struck there. Maybe I wrong.

[cavedivenut]

Oh hell no! Never again! I damned near died. I can be fully geared up and if there is a strong peal of thunder within what I consider the 15minute time zone (native Floridians are pretty good at this) I'll wait it out until I know the danger has passed.

I also agree. After my incident at Peacock I wouldn't even consider diving prior to a thunderstorm. (read my post in the "Diver killed by Lightening" topic)

[scubaqueen]

I have been wondering about this, and I am glad to hear everyone's responses, especially those who have been zapped while diving. Not being of the scientific type, but knowing some basic things about electricity, I always felt that being in water during an electrical storm was risky, especially wearing steel tanks. I have heard numerous anecdotes about the risks of indoor activities during electrical storms: bathing, using telephones, or coming into contact with anything that conducts electricity, or attracts lightning. My knowledge is limited, but I understand that electricity must have a means to enter and exit your body.

I was wondering if some of you scientific folks out there could offer some advice with the following:

1. Does being inside the cave offer any protection?
2. If you are in water, how close would you have to be to the actual lightning strike before you might feel it?
3. Would it likely matter if you were in a wetsuit or a drysuit?

Thanks.

[DBBDV]

Having been hit once during a cave dive, I whole-heartedly agree with Kelly and the others who have experienced this. I will not start a cave dive if there is any indication that a thunder/lightning storm is approaching.

DB

[FW]

1. Does being inside the cave offer any protection?

It is the water that conducts lightning, so no, the cave offers no protection.

2. If you are in water, how close would you have to be to the actual lightning strike before you might feel it?

My estimate (being on the land when Angie got hit) anything less than a mile.

3. Would it likely matter if you were in a wetsuit or a drysuit?

Probably not, since your head and hands are in the water.