Would you dive if you flew out within 24 hours?

[billt4sf]

I wouldn't roll the dice. You might be safe and probably will, but it's not worth it to me to risk it. I always make sure I have a full 24 hours post dive before I fly out.

I've read a few too many recounting of DCS here on ScubaBoard to want to risk it.

Although the chances the OP would get any form of DCS are small, the effects are occaisionally very, very large. I know some would think it is heresy, but there ARE fun things to do besides scuba dive. Find one.

- Bill

 

[vladimir]

I wouldn't roll the dice. You might be safe and probably will, but it's not worth it to me to risk it. I always make sure I have a full 24 hours post dive before I fly out.

When you say, "I wouldn't roll the dice," what does that mean, exactly? Does it mean you are so risk averse that any chance of DCS is unacceptable? No, if that were the case you wouldn't dive at all.

Do you mean that the odds of getting DCS after a single dive and an 18-hour surface interval cross a risk threshold and are thus unacceptable? What do you think the odds are? Where is your threshold?

What do you think the odds are after a 55-minute dive to 60 feet and no flying?

 

[Centrals]

24hrs is the absolute minimum for me.
So it is "NO" to the question.

 

[abies]

I would with out a second thought. I view DAN's recommendation as sufficiently conservative that I wouldn't worry about that dive, and a 12 hr SI.

Ben

 

[robbcayman]

When you say, "I wouldn't roll the dice," what does that mean, exactly? Does it mean you are so risk averse that any chance of DCS is unacceptable? No, if that were the case you wouldn't dive at all.

Do you mean that the odds of getting DCS after a single dive and an 18-hour surface interval cross a risk threshold and are thus unacceptable? What do you think the odds are? Where is your threshold?

What do you think the odds are after a 55-minute dive to 60 feet and no flying?

I clearly stated my threshold... 24 hours. I've never been bent and I don't want to, so I play it conservative. I'm not telling anyone what to do.. only what I would do and I try to err on the side of caution. I don't know if you can correctly calculate the odds since the variables are unknown, as everyone's body is different. If you want to fly after 10, 12, 18, 24 hours or whatever then that's each person's individual decision. The guy asked for an opinion and I gave mine. Happy diving, man.

 

[Tigerman]

Ive never done a single day diving then flying, always multiple dives/days, but yes, with 12-18 hours after a relatively short and shallow dive, I would do it.

I wouldnt push it BELOW 12 hrs before flying in any circumstance though and when Im doing multiple dives/days I will never go below 18 hrs - which unfortunately means I usually get bored out of my skull the last day before flying out

 

[vladimir]

I clearly stated my threshold... 24 hours. I've never been bent and I don't want to, so I play it conservative. I'm not telling anyone what to do.. only what I would do and I try to err on the side of caution. I don't know if you can correctly calculate the odds since the variables are unknown, as everyone's body is different. If you want to fly after 10, 12, 18, 24 hours or whatever then that's each person's individual decision. The guy asked for an opinion and I gave mine. Happy diving, man.

Just because you can't calculate precise odds does not mean that all risk assessment is futile. You can create a hierarchy of risk. If, for example, flying after a single NDL dive and an 18-hour surface interval was less risky than 55-minutes at 60 feet and no flying*, would your view change? Or is that dive too risky for you as well?

*not a claim, just a hypothetical

 

[Tigerman]

cmon..
The OP asked for peoples opinions, he got a few different ones, lets not make this deco theory 101?

 

[vladimir]

cmon..
The OP asked for peoples opinions, he got a few different ones, lets not make this deco theory 101?

The OP should make an arbitrary decision, rather than a rational one?

 

[drrich2]

I'd do it. I see no credible reason not to, as whatever miniscule risk is involved wouldn't deter me.

After all, on any given dive, think of all the things that could happen - blunder into dangling jelly fish tentacles, some previously unknown medical condition like a brain aneurysm rears its ugly head, etc, etc... Even a well-managed dive competently performed within recreational standards for one's training has risk. How does the risk of diving 18 hours before take-off stack up to all the risks you already take even on a dive in benign conditions?

If you'll dive at 24 hours but not 18, why not 30 hours but not 24? I would think DAN guidelines are quite conservative as it is. Yes, you can always 'add more conservatism' - never get over half-way to NDL's, dive no deeper than, say, 60 feet (or maybe 40?), etc...

Stories of people getting bent are serious business, but this is the largest online scuba community in the world and odds of an 'I got bent' story getting posted are far higher than posting an 'I had a great dive' story.

Richard.