34 dives to 15 feet in 4 hours - symptoms

[Gone for diving]

Maybe switching to oxygen during the dive, kinda like air breaks,

or just oxygen after the dive,

Just a thought.


I am sure nitrox would be a smart choice

 

[waterone]

The indications are pretty firm that shallower than 20 feet is safe. Going up and down repeatedly is the unknown. DCS issues start from 20-30 feet, and they do take some time.

Gennerally and for most I would absolutely agree but then again its safe until it's not. There are many variables such as the ups and downs, the individual themselves and other things.

While I know it is not common, I have read of shallow water DCS around 20 feet or above, so it seems while not likely, still possible. Or maybe the reports and such were simply incorrect

DCS is not the only issue related to diving. It can be very hard to tell the difference between DCS and any of the variety of lung overexpansion injuries, which can happen in extremely shallow water.

Very true. Maybe the ones that were sub 20' I read about was some form of lung injury, or not...I really dont know

 

[rjack321]

The future

My plan for the next time is to replace air with nitrox 40 and limit the submersions to less than 30.

Recommendations and advice welcome!

Just getting in and out of your gear and a boat that many times is going to wear you out. In addition to the EANx I would suggest bringing down the removal rope right from the start to save yourself some extra ups and downs.

 

[Tracy]

That really isn't true. Research with shallow saturation divers indicates that on dives shallower than 20 feet, divers can surface at any time, even if they have been down so incredibly long that all tissues are saturated.

The problem with these dives is the repeated up and down. There just isn't any research on that.

In the pool sessions for an OW class, students and instructors do a lot of ups and downs to similar depth, but nothing to the degree described here. After 4 hours of those classes, I am TIRED, and so are the students. They often say something about how tiring scuba is after the first day in the pool, and I tell them it really isn't as tiring as that.

Do some looking at Steve Bogaerts, it happens. Since his leaving diving, many have reached out to him with very similar stories.

 

[Raphus]

Dcs in that shallow water is possible. Dehydration and many ups and downs are the risk faktor here. I heared about dcs in 15ft pool in owd classes, because of massive dehydration (drinking a lot of alcohol the night before). And not so long ago, someone posted an article on sb, where dcs in shallow depths is studied. All of them had many ups and downs.

So yes, i think it's possible, that u had dcs symptoms. Like always the advice: visit a doctor.

 

[Wathdoc]

There was a paper produced in Australia from a deco chamber that indicated that 20%of their admissions for DCS was for dives less than 9m. The factors were multiple dives, ie more than two a day, with frequent ascents. This was often seen in instructors. There were the usual associated factors such as dehydration.

 

[scubaozy]

DCS symptoms increase with time, in OPs case itching was gone, this is not DCS.
I dived 3months straight everyday to < 30 feet for 5-6 hours teaching. I turned off my dive computer to preserve battery. We were > 10 instructors doing the same; no DCS recorded ;-).

 

[chillyinCanada]

DCS symptoms increase with time, in OPs case itching was gone, this is not DCS.
I dived 3months straight everyday to < 30 feet for 5-6 hours teaching. I turned off my dive computer to preserve battery. We were > 10 instructors doing the same; no DCS recorded ;-).

Skin bends often resolve on their own with a day or two.

 

[ofg-1]

Let me be sure I understand. You spent 4 hours in 8 degree C water, I assume in a dry suit, and wonder why you felt tired?

 

[scubaozy]

Skin bends often resolve on their own with a day or two.

Not in 2 hours as op described. Skin rash starts lightly as well until you acknowledge it, it will intensify and disappear.