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How did you accommodate divers who need a CPAP for medical reasons?

I don’t see the paradox here. This is an epidemiological study that tries to pick up a very small effect out of a big, noisy data set. Statistical analysis shows that there is a certain probability (not certainty!) that there is a correlation between diving and certain neurological impairments...

And I know a number of tech divers with access to O2 who will use 40% for that purpose, instead of 50%, because you don’t have to maintain that tank and reg as O2 clean. The difference in deco time between 40% and 50% is almost negligible, but the maintenance is not.

I just read the thing and it looks like that motion to dismiss was premature, because Carlock hadn’t even tried to prove negligence on the part of the owner yet whenever he filed that motion. In the present case, we don’t have any serious showing of negligence on part of the owner yet, either...

I believe it was ascertained in a post above that they were using a membrane system.

First of all, my condolences to everyone affected by this tragedy. I still can’t believe it. MSNBC just reported that, because it was a dive boat, there were lots of oxygen tanks on board fueling the fire. I suspect it’s the usual media BS, assuming we all dive on 100% O2 all the time. Grrr...

There are a few things one can do when the buddy appears to be narced and not paying attention to a thumb signal. Quickly sweeping the beam of the dive light across his face is one way to get his attention that might cut through the fog of narcosis for a moment, just long enough for him to...

Didn’t we just have a long thread about how sea caves are so much safer than “regular” caves, and why you don’t need cave training if you dive them only occasionally? It is sad that it takes accidents like these to point out the importance of proper training, equipment, and experience when you...

Whether light exercise on the safety or deco stop is advisable is still a bit controversial. To get a nitrogen bubble to grow, you need two things: a supersaturation of the tissue and a nucleation point, usually a small gas nucleus. You can reduce the former by making offgassing more efficient...

Irrespective of all statistics, for me the calculus is simple: if I want to engage in an objectively dangerous activity like cave diving, I will try to manage foreseeable risks. And most risks in cave diving can be managed very well with the right training and equipment, so getting those is a...

Here’s a good test: slap an oxygen sticker on an air tank and ask if they symptoms improve. Then give him an oxy tank with a nitrox sticker, and tell him that’s all we have left. Which one helped more?

If you absolutely feel compelled to dive in a cave without the proper training, equipment, and experience, please do it in a place where there is no risk that the cave will be closed when an accident occurs. We have lost access to too many places because of the reckless behavior of a few. Also...

Marie, do you know if the Go-Between is sidemount-friendly? I used do dive the Port Sanilac and Harbor Beach wrecks with Captain Gary, but haven’t been out there since he closed down.

From a safety perspective, it doesn’t matter. But if you want to squeeze the most out of your allowable nitrogen loading, there is a point to the first dive being your „major“ dive, as in the combination of depth and time, and then, after off-gassing the faster compartments during the surface...

LOL - yes. I had a DM spotting my Shearwater, asking me what my GFs are. When I told him that it’s on 30/70, he told me to set it to 99/99 - because he didn’t want me to go into deco. I wish it was as easy to reprogram my physiology. I went to to 45/80 which I still feel comfortable with in warm...

My read on this is a little different: a navigational error when they came back out of Much’s. After removing the jump line, they swam in the direction of the permanent arrow, not back to their stages, which was closer than the exit indicated by the arrow. Then possibly confusion at the jump...

I second this. I took PADI sidemount at my LDS, to prepare for a cavern course in MX. It was woefully inadequate, and the first day of my cavern course was essentially a remedial sidemount course.

Bubbles can form in any supersaturated tissue, but they nucleate preferably in liquids, like blood or the fluid in joints, especially when it is in motion, again think flowing blood or moving joints. Friction in the joints can nucleate bubbles. Joints have very slow gas exchange, so they would...

I do it on a notepad, and then transfer the final plan to my wrist slate, which I have on me during the dive for reference.

Some can be penetrated, others are essentials just a pile of lumber. But a deep specialty doesn’t help you with wreck penetration. I’m not sure about that particular op’s policy with respect to penetration, but other boats in the area usually include in their briefing a line like “you need to...