Why dive Deep Air?

[LeadTurn_SD]

...I'd like to hear from those who have done this for reasons OTHER than bragging, or just to see if they could do it.

Many of us who have done deep air dives (including deco) did so because helium was not readily available, and the dive required going deep.

For me, that was the reason.

Helium is available in a lot more places now, as is technical training.

My "deep air" dives were all in the 1970's and 1980's. "Deep" for me is anything beyond about 150'.

Deepest for me was about 200', as a safety diver. The "deep" diver I was waiting for went, well, a fair bit deeper.

My certification at the time? Basic OW. I don't think the term "tech" had been coined yet.

This topic has been over-debated lately, and gets REAAALLLY heated really quickly.

Best wishes.

 

[Dantheengineer]

What's going to happen when theres no more helium left in the earth? Probably what'll happen sooner is Helium will be to expensive for divers.

Methox! New Technology or just Wasted Gas

ADM Back Issues

:blinking:

 

[DCBC]

What's going to happen when theres no more helium left in the earth? Probably what'll happen sooner is Helium will be to expensive for divers.

They have to do the same thing as they do now when they go to a destination that doesn't have Trimix available. They either dive less than 50 feet or start to learn to deal with it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm going diving!

 

[knotical]

One reason to consider Deep Air training (or Extended Range, or whatever you choose to call it):
How deep are you willing to go to attempt a rescue of another diver?
If you haven't experienced 160 feet (or 180, or 200 or whatever) on air, how do you decide whether you'll help?

I haven't taken any of the courses, but I have dived air significantly beyond the current recreational depth limits precisely to learn how I react at greater depths.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

I can give him some suggestions....

I'm a she, Mike and Jax! And I'm always open to suggestions. I only chose that avatar because my efforts to upload a picture of a 'give-a-****-o-meter' were unsuccessful (much to my great chagrin).

 

[adm3745]

Methox! New Technology or just Wasted Gas

ADM Back Issues

:blinking:

Or we could dive with hydrogen bombs on our back (Hydrox)

 

[Dantheengineer]

One reason to consider Deep Air training (or Extended Range, or whatever you choose to call it):
How deep are you willing to go to attempt a rescue of another diver?
If you haven't experienced 160 feet (or 180, or 200 or whatever) on air, how do you decide whether you'll help?

I haven't taken any of the courses, but I have dived air significantly beyond the current recreational depth limits precisely to learn how I react at greater depths.

All flippancy (on my part) aside, A good friend of mine scared himself silly trying to "save" an anchor. He spend 7 hrs in a chamber and was suffering very visibly from shock up to about a week later. Later analysis of his computer showed max depth of 333'. I understood at the time that they were obliged to link it to a desktop pc as the actual unit had shut itself off. (or broken perhaps). Up until this incident he'd been actively pushing the limit in the interest of self knowledge. His previous record had been 260', if memory serves. He is no longer interested in depth. His own requirement for self knowledge is complete in that regard. Certainly, hearing him recount the events taught me all I'd ever want to know.

I think many here have dived outside agencies proscribed limits. (RDP's etc) Those that remained within the limits of their own abilities are still here to tell of it (or were just plain lucky).

Ultimately, i guess one must draw one's own line, every dive, as one's knowledge and skills improve.

On the one hand is strapping a can of gas to yer azz and jumping in safe at all? On the other we could've all taken up bungee jumping as a diversion......

 

[texdiveguy]

Can be done-yes, should it be done-is another question related to intelligence of the diver....NO it should not be attempted as a scuba diver IMO.

 

[mike_s]

What's going to happen when theres no more helium left in the earth? Probably what'll happen sooner is Helium will be to expensive for divers.

I blame Macy's parade and their balloons.

 

[adm3745]

NASA uses an ungodly amount of helium as well.

The real helium is here: