The bends is when any living creature whose body is accustomed to life at one altitude descends into a higher-pressure altitude, then re-ascends too quickly. There is hydrogen mixed in our blood, in much the same way that there is carbon dioxide mixed in our soda pop. When we descend, the hydrogen becomes more highly pressurized, like when the pop companies seal the cans/bottles. If we rise slowly and de-pressurize properly, there is little chance of having a problem...but if we rise too quickly, the hydrogen separates from our blood, creating bubbles. If you're lucky, those bubbles will catch in your joints and capillaries, cutting off blood circulation to certain parts of your body and causing you immense amounts of pain. If you're not lucky, one of those bubbles will pass through your brain or heart, and you die a pretty agonizing death.

Incidentally, it got its name "the bends" long before SCUBA divers started catching it... It's from when miners would work long hours deep in the coal mines, anywhere from fifty to a couple of hundred feet or more below the surface, then jump on the elevator and ride it to the top. If the elevator happened to be going too fast for that individual, they'd be all hunched and bent over by the time they got to the top (if they were lucky).

Most aquatic creatures (note I said "most", Li-sensei) can handle ascending to the surface, in much the same way we can handle riding a plane that ascends to heights of a mile or more with no ill effect. They would have to descend a hundred feet or more beyond their tolerance level before re-ascension would cause them any problems...and for most aquatic creatures, that means descending to depths that would crush and kill them in the first place.

Interesting, and I thought the deepwater cod I cought as a child were typical. I wholehearted apologize for my ignorance. (I do know that within 2 hours of reaching the surface deep water cod and pacific halibut die from their swim bladders swelling and causing organ ruptures, even if they never leave the water)

If I live at the bottom of the Pacific. I mean the bottom? That is where I live, always, born and raised as if an Irishman in a pub, I can go to the surface and not explode, even if slowly, like an Irishman getting a little sun?

You are forgetting one important factor in your logic Kolya, The Irish don't explode, they may explosions.

But to answer Master Li's question about sharks (and I know about sharks), they do not have dive bladders. This is why when they stop swimming they drown. Ironic that a fish can drown.

I was making a figurative analogy

Not all sharks, I think.

A 60 foot megaladon could make it to the surface. It would be a feeding frenzy though. Good thing most sharks are nocturnal (and/or) territorial predators.

Cod is good eating, but it doesn't compare to salmon caught fresh as they are swimming upstream.

All fish are inferior to Flounder! You guys can keep your Fresh Water Fishing

Holister wrote:Cod is good eating, but it doesn't compare to salmon caught fresh as they are swimming upstream.

You do not have to tell me about that

Yep, though if you catch them in Freshwater my point still stands

For the fun of it!
Standing in hip waders in an icy creek at the crack of dawn isn't my idea of fun

He likes a challenge?

Indeed.

I didn't realize the bears used Poles and Waders too

Yuppers.

Bears with Fishing Poles...

I wonder what BearShaman would say.

Bearshaman - "Um, dinner."

You never seen a bear fishing?

Apparently Ron has.

Close call.

About the only thing worse is coming up on the cubs.

Natasha wrote:Some walking sticks have bells attached, to alert bears you are coming.

Whistling, talking, and generally making noise is a wise thing.

The bear will try to put distance between you and it. Especially the least aggressive bears, like the American Black Bears in the Appalachians and so forth.

yes yes.