True or False: An emergency swimming ascent is performed when you run out of air at shallow depths (about 18 meters / 60 feet).

True or False: An emergency swimming ascent is performed when you run out of air at shallow depths (about 18 meters / 60 feet).

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Not applicable
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (B)

An emergency swimming ascent is a last-resort move used when you’ve run out of breathing gas and can’t get air from a buddy or regulator quickly enough. From shallow depths like 18 meters (60 feet), you would still perform this ascent because there’s no air available to breathe, so the priority is reaching the surface to breathe again. As you rise, you keep exhaling continuously to prevent lung overexpansion and ascend at a controlled rate. While sharing air with a buddy is the preferred solution if possible, ESA is the correct response when air is gone.

An emergency swimming ascent is a last-resort move used when you’ve run out of breathing gas and can’t get air from a buddy or regulator quickly enough. From shallow depths like 18 meters (60 feet), you would still perform this ascent because there’s no air available to breathe, so the priority is reaching the surface to breathe again. As you rise, you keep exhaling continuously to prevent lung overexpansion and ascend at a controlled rate. While sharing air with a buddy is the preferred solution if possible, ESA is the correct response when air is gone.