From different kinds of creatures that live within these waters to the influence of different pressures on our bodies, there is so much that needs to be understood about the ocean before we decide to explore it further. One of the parts of the ocean that people are most interested in exploring is the deep ocean.
Deep ocean exploration is not for the faint of heart. In fact, it is one of Earth’s most dangerous forms of exploration. There are many dangerous animals within the deep ocean, many of which haven’t been discovered, much less studied. Apart from this, the varying conditions of the deep ocean water are also a cause for concern regarding human life and safety.
Let’s take a deeper look into some of these dangers below.
Dangers and Threats of the Deep Ocean
There are many dangers of the deep ocean that we need to look out for. Some of these are highlighted here. These include animals and other threats to your safety that you must be aware of when considering exploring the deep ocean.
Compression/Decompression Sickness
When people decide to go deep ocean diving, they have a high chance of falling prey to these forms of sickness.
Compression sickness occurs when you go from a low-pressure environment to a high-pressure environment before preparing yourself. If you do this too quickly, you will likely suffer from this sickness, also known as the bends.
When your body goes into a high-pressure environment, the high compression rate causes oxygen and nitrogen to be absorbed into your body. While the oxygen quickly gets absorbed, the nitrogen rests in your bloodstream for as long as you spend in compressed air.
Once you come up, you may experience decompression sickness. This occurs when the nitrogen previously stored in your bloodstream starts to release itself. The bubbles formed from this can cause blockages in vital organs and may be fatal.
Shark Attacks
While rare within the deep sea, a shark attack is still largely possible. This is because when you decide to descend into the deep sea, you must do this slowly and steadily. This can give sharks and other harmful animals the window they need to attack.
Due to the depth of the dive, if a shark attack does occur, ascending might be tough as you may suffer significant blood loss before you reach the surface.
Stinging Creatures
You’d assume that thick wetsuits would protect you from getting stung. However, small animals and creatures like jellyfish and cone shells can still find a way to sting you. Their stings are harmless though painful.
You need to look out for stings from bigger creatures like stingrays, which may leave you paralyzed and cause significant damage.
Barotrauma
This is a common issue caused by underwater pressure when ocean diving. If you are specifically deep ocean diving, such pressure can cause your ears to rupture if you do not equalize them.
This can also cause ruptures in your lungs and can be fatal.
Biting Creatures
Like stinging creatures, deep sea creatures like sea snakes may be extremely poisonous. Bites from such creatures can result in deadly injuries like paralysis. While your wetsuit will protect you to some extent, it cannot keep you completely out of harm’s way.
Running Out of Breathing Gas
While the other dangers are more unknown, this one is relatively something that everyone is aware of. However, it is still important to note the dangers of not having appropriate breathing supplies.
If you run out of breathing gas while in the deep ocean, it may be hard for you to come up for air in time.
Intense Water Pressure
The deeper you go into the ocean, the more likely you will experience intense water pressure. This kind of pressure can cause different types of injuries as stated above and may cause the diver to lose consciousness.
It is incredibly important to be aware of the dangers of the deep sea. Without knowing what we must look out for, it can become extremely tough to figure out what we can do to save ourselves in case we come into direct contact with either of these threats.
Therefore, it is important to keep these dangers in mind when you decide to go diving to explore more of the deep sea.
What’s More Dangerous? Space or the Ocean
If you’ve read this article thoroughly, you have been made aware of all the dangers of the deep ocean. However, to put things into a clearer perspective, we often ask people what they believe is more dangerous: being stranded in space or finding yourself at the bottom of the ocean. The answer might surprise you.
While being stranded in space is terrifying, you are at a bigger risk of losing your life at the bottom of the ocean. You have a higher survival rate in space than stuck in the ocean, where the human body would be unlikely to survive for more than a mere few seconds.
Conclusion
The deep ocean is a dangerous place swarming with dangerous creatures, some of which have yet to be discovered. However, injuries can be avoided if proper rules are followed and the right equipment is used.
The dangers of the ocean outweigh the threats you may face being stranded in space. Therefore, it is in your best interest to avoid taking on this task yourself and, instead, leave it to the professionals.
