$70 Nitrox Course - Three Hours

[DandyDon]

Don, I don't think it's about correcting anything. People can have honest disagreement. It makes the world go 'round. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying I don't agree with you. There's a difference

Also, I agree Nitrox is a great course that is the begining steps to better understand tables, gases, gas management etc. No agrument there. My whole disagreement with your post was your original stated reasons why.

Just offering a different view, another idea than usually discussed with regard to whether Nitrox is a good idea. Sure I can do Florida Keys wrecks on Air, an on 80 cf tanks, maybe not miss much NDL as I blow mine faster than some. But not only is it better for me to be on Nitrox, it's better for my bud and everyone else on the boat for me to be on Nitrox. The same can be said for the newbie, who may find himself with an opportunity to make a similar dive before expected - perhaps before s/he should, but it happens a lot.

As for my comments about pushing the limits, you stated you were upset you had to quit a dive with 13 minutes of time left. Diving right to the NDL limits to me is pushing the limits. You also stated that you have gone into deco when that wasn't part of your dive plan. Again, to me (I'm a consersative old bast**d ) is pushing the limits. If I am wrong I apologize, I meant no harm.

JR

Yeah diving to 0 NDL would be pushing the limits, true. Diving to 5 NDL doesn't strike me as pushing - crowding a bit maybe, but reasonably safe. We each select our limits, tho.

I'm sure your total diver record is safer than mine - yeah I have at least before I was qualified to plan that way. I DO NOT WANT ANYONE HERE TO THINK THAT'S GOOD; IT'S NOT! I am calming down with age and experience, both, even tho I'm a maverick at heart. Less testosterone, more money on meds, less frequent need to shave - I like that part.

 

[vondo]

Well, I did what Don suggests. I got my Nitrox shortly after my OW and before AOW. I dive Nitrox when it's available and when the depth is over 50'.

But....I'm not sure I've ever done a dive day where air NDLs would have changed my plans. My SAC on an Al80 is just not good enough (say 0.45 on a good dive). I really wish operators would regularly offer 100 or 120 tanks, then I might be able to take full advantage of this training I've got. It sounds like if I go to Cozumel finding such an op is possible, but I don't know about the Keys.

 

[Jethroish]

My wife adn I got our NITROX cards before any others (after OW). To this point, we only use it when making multiple dives in limited times (like a 3 tank boat dive). For us, it gives us more of a safety margin when we get in the water for the 3rd dive as we do not reach NDL as quickly. THese dive are mostly in the 60 to 100 foot range.
Just my 2 bits.
Oh, and we only paidm $79 each for the (NAUI) course.

 

[sEANx32]

But....I'm not sure I've ever done a dive day where air NDLs would have changed my plans. My SAC on an Al80 is just not good enough (say 0.45 on a good dive).

DAMN, a SAC rate of .45 and you're complaining? Mine is around .65 - -7 on a good day and I usually am still pretty good on air. My wreck instructor's was about the same as yours and he was a fish.

Either we are not thinking the same SAC rate, or you barely want to be alive underwater.

I took the Nitrox class back when you had to do 2 dives with it (now PADI doesn't require dives anymore) and I dove Nitrox on all my AOW dives. I like it.

-Sean

 

[vondo]

DAMN, a SAC rate of .45 and you're complaining? Mine is around .65 - -7 on a good day and I usually am still pretty good on air. My wreck instructor's was about the same as yours and he was a fish.

I wouldn't say I'm complaining..

I think I average more like .55 but if it's calm and so am I, it can be that low. But let's say you are at 100' with that a SAC of 0.5. An Al80 only has about 50 cu.ft. of usable (non-reserve) gas which means something like 20-25' bottom time. That's sort of right at the NDL. Maybe the time I dove the Duane followed by the Grove in the Keys it made a difference in NDL, but I don't know. There was a fair bit of current on those dives and the SI was an hour or more.

 

[DandyDon]

Maybe the time I dove the Duane followed by the Grove in the Keys it made a difference in NDL, but I don't know. There was a fair bit of current on those dives and the SI was an hour or more.

I'm curious - was everyone on the boat on Nitox? If so, the trip from one to the other was more SI than needed.

 

[vondo]

No, very few of us were. Regardless of what is "needed" I actually like a decent SI if the seas are calm.

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

1500# - he was a lot better on that than me. Whether the newbie benefits from the course a lot or a little, it doesn't hurt anything, costs less than $100/3 hours, and helps out all the way around.

Do you require Aow cards to dive the Grove, or how new do you take divers there? I guess you have divers doing the Grove on air?

In that case, maybe he was looking at YOUR tank pressure when he thumbed the dive!

Regardless of cert level, we require (a) recent relevant diving experience, or (b) accompaniment by a professional guide, to put divers on the Grove (or the Duane).

 

[DandyDon]

In that case, maybe he was looking at YOUR tank pressure when he thumbed the dive!

Nope, he was pointing at his 5 min NDL remaining, which is indeed a good time to start an ascent - even tho I didn't like ascending with 13. I stopped at 1/2 depth for a min, asking him to hold, then we did several minutes at 15.

No, very few of us were. Regardless of what is "needed" I actually like a decent SI if the seas are calm.

Yep, on air, a minimum of an hour, 90 minutes better.

On Nitrox, no where needed.

 

[CBulla]

Regardless of cert level, we require (a) recent relevant diving experience, or (b) accompaniment by a professional guide, to put divers on the Grove (or the Duane).

Yes you do! I remember my time with yawl this summer. I was very plesantly surprised at how much your operation took PRIDE in being 100% safe and everyone being what they claimed to be.