Do You Choke?

[Beasho]

Years ago I read the a passage (below) in The Perfect Storm and realized that I had the benefit of acute laryngospasm.  The realization was reinforced when speaking with a friend who had been sent through the wash cycle and came up coughing so badly he partially threw up.  It dawned on me that in all my years of surfing I had never choked. Not even once.

I have fallen on wave face taking in a huge breath and been caught mid breath only to swallow a fist full of water.  I remembered being tumbled in darkness and consciously calculating that I had taken a 70% breath, which was likely enough, and could taste the nasty salt water I had swallowed.  When I surfaced I burped.

I have been in large surf 4 feet from rocks trying desperately to release my leash, gasping for breath in the foam and was actually swallowing water at the same time I was inhaling (weird).  I thought I was 60% to drowning that time but still never choked.

A decade after reading this, and dozens of more opportunities I still have yet to inhale water and cough after attempting to take a breath in a face plant style wipeout.
   
I used to get the willies at double overhead.  On a SUP I have pushed that to triple overhead before the fear meter gets my full attention.  I have to believe that this genetic pre-disposition helps when trying to relax after taking a big tumble because coughing is NOT one of the things I have to worry about.
 
I have asked around a few friends have claimed to have this.  If you have it, and have read this, you will know.  Now get your float on and go for it!

[Beasho]

Originally from The Perfect Storm (p142) on drowning:

"When the first involuntary breath occurs most people are still conscious, which is unfortunate, because the only thing more unpleasant than running out of air is breathing in water.  At that point the person goes from voluntary to involuntary apnea, and the drowning begins in earnest.  A spasmodic breath drags water into the mouth and windpipe, and then one of two things happen.  In about ten percent of people water – anything – touching the vocal cords triggers an immediate contraction in the muscles around the larynx.  In effect, the central nervous system judges something in the voice box to be more of a threat than low oxygen levels in the blood, and acts accordingly.  This is called laryngospasm.  It's so powerful that it overcomes the breathing reflex and eventually suffocates the person.  A person with laryngospasm drowns without any water in his lungs.

In the other ninety percent of people, water floods the lungs and ends any waning transfer of oxygen to the blood."

[Beasho]

 

[surf monkey]

You have great post's Beasho

For me not that often but some times inhale a little water at the wrong time and the coughing is painful. Funny just yesterday in the pool playing tag with the kids i did it. Your lucky not a fun feeling.

[Old School 213]

No but I feel like I get a quart+ of water out of my sinuses after surfing.

[surfniels]

@Beasho: showing off , I love it !

[surfinJ]

Never put any thought into it.  As far as I can remember, never.
Don't know if it's because of a reflex or luck, but I'm amazed sometimes
at the mechanics of getting a breath in while keeping the water out
during a sudden headplant.
Though just like Old School, my post surf, surprise, at times embarrassing
nasal discharges do show another way we take some home with us.

[kneecap]

It's referred to as the Mammalian Diving Reflex if my memory of paramedic school is intact. More common in children who are more apt to stick their face in the water and inhale. A lot of adults outgrow it.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

[sup_surf_giant]

I don't choke...but I'm apt towards panic.

To train myself out of it...whenever I fall in, I try to stay under and count to 5 or 10 with "one-one-thousands".

That way when the waves are meatier and I take one or more on the head, I know I can at least count to 10 before freaking out.

It's not much...but it's easier than actually training.