Am I being neurotic or should I worry?

[Upwelling]

I'm going to Morehead City in August to do some boat dives that will be in the 100-110 foot range. On the last day there I'm planning to do dives early in the morning and then drive back up to Richmond, VA in the mid/late afternoon. I haven't been in NC in a long time but I remember there are some mountainous regions in the state, although I don't remember if they are in the eastern part of the state. If they are will I be putting myself at DCS risk by driving through them after doing dives? I'm wondering if I should stay an extra day because of this. thanks!

 

[cleant]

I don't think there is anything east of I 85 over two or three hundred feet above sea level.
Mt Mitchell isn't but 6684 ft and it is the highest point east of the Mississippi.
Nothing to worry about.Enjoy the diving,temps and vis have been great this year out of morehead city.
Tom

 

[DiveMedic03]

I'm going to Morehead City in August to do some boat dives that will be in the 100-110 foot range. On the last day there I'm planning to do dives early in the morning and then drive back up to Richmond, VA in the mid/late afternoon. I haven't been in NC in a long time but I remember there are some mountainous regions in the state, although I don't remember if they are in the eastern part of the state. If they are will I be putting myself at DCS risk by driving through them after doing dives? I'm wondering if I sh


The guidelines right now are if you have a bottom time of less than 2 hrs staying well within the recreational limits, then you should wait 12 hrs before going to an altitude of 800'-1000'(US Navy and NOAA ) that is driving, hiking, flying, etc. I would check what the altitude is in Richmond. There is no mountain range between Morehead City and Richmond but the gradual altitude change may be that much. Have fun diving in Morehead! Great dives.

 

[DandyDon]

Am I being neurotic or should I worry?

Nope, and probably not. It's a good question, but I doubt that you'll get any real elevation changes. I pulled up a driving map on MSN Driving, and it doesn't look like you'll get high at all.

If you'll do one, copy the names of each town one by one, then do a Google search for town with state and "elevation," like this...

http://www.city-data.com/city/Richmond-Virginia.html

Which shows that Richmond is 190 feet.

Then post your highest elevation here? Are you diving 30% Nitrox, or Air? Do you stay within Padi limits or overdraw your puter a bit?

I'll check my NOAA chart about elevation after diving tonight, and look at this when you post again...

 

[Upwelling]

Thanks Don...it will be air, within PADI limits

Nope, and probably not. It's a good question, but I doubt that you'll get any real elevation changes. I pulled up a driving map on MSN Driving, and it doesn't look like you'll get high at all.

If you'll do one, copy the names of each town one by one, then do a Google search for town with state and "elevation," like this...

http://www.city-data.com/city/Richmond-Virginia.html

Which shows that Richmond is 190 feet.

Then post your highest elevation here? Are you diving 30% Nitrox, or Air? Do you stay within Padi limits or overdraw your puter a bit?

I'll check my NOAA chart about elevation after diving tonight, and look at this when you post again...

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks Don...it will be air, within PADI limits

Yes, well - you didn't tell me the highest altitude you've be crossing on the way to Richmond, someone has hidden my U.S.Atlas, and my computer and I aren't getting along right now. But it doesn't look like you'll get anywhere near 1,000 feet.

Dving air to 110 feet is okay. You can stay 50% long with 30% Nitox, but if you're not Nx certified yet - it's better than not diving.

If you do a square profile dive to 110 feet, Padi would allow 16 minutes of bottom time, ending with Group M. If a Padi Grp M diver takes a 1:26 hour SI, he's a B, and can go back to 110 feet for 10 minutes, again becoming an M.

Ding these dives on NOAA charts would give you Group F after 15 min or G up to 20 min on their charts. If we use the 15 min > F Grp plan, with 1:30 hr SI, you'd be be in D Grp, with 13 min Res N2. If you did 10 min at 110 feet after that, the NOAA chart would require a 3 DeCom, and you'd be an H Grp diver on their chart. These are pretty aggressive dive plans, but the most you'd hit on NOAA charts would be Grp H.

Based on that, and the NMOAA Ascent to Altitude Chart, an H Grp diver would have no waiting before a 1,000 foot altitude increase. the same for I Grp, 1:32 Hr for J Grp, 3 Hrs for K Grp.

Since I doubt that your diving will be aggressive enough to make NOAA J Grp, or that you'll actually get over 500 feet up, I just don't see any problems.

Anyway, there's that - until someone who actually know what he's talking about correcs me.

 

[Upwelling]

Wow! Thanks Don--I appreciate the fact that you went to all that trouble to figure out my problem...

I am planning to be extra careful with these since they will both be deep dives--unfortunately I have no choice but to use air, but the shop assured me that many people use air for these. I'm planning to do the tables also, and not just rely on the computer.

Yes, well - you didn't tell me the highest altitude you've be crossing on the way to Richmond, someone has hidden my U.S.Atlas, and my computer and I aren't getting along right now. But it doesn't look like you'll get anywhere near 1,000 feet.

Dving air to 110 feet is okay. You can stay 50% long with 30% Nitox, but if you're not Nx certified yet - it's better than not diving.

If you do a square profile dive to 110 feet, Padi would allow 16 minutes of bottom time, ending with Group M. If a Padi Grp M diver takes a 1:26 hour SI, he's a B, and can go back to 110 feet for 10 minutes, again becoming an M.

Ding these dives on NOAA charts would give you Group F after 15 min or G up to 20 min on their charts. If we use the 15 min > F Grp plan, with 1:30 hr SI, you'd be be in D Grp, with 13 min Res N2. If you did 10 min at 110 feet after that, the NOAA chart would require a 3 DeCom, and you'd be an H Grp diver on their chart. These are pretty aggressive dive plans, but the most you'd hit on NOAA charts would be Grp H.

Based on that, and the NMOAA Ascent to Altitude Chart, an H Grp diver would have no waiting before a 1,000 foot altitude increase. the same for I Grp, 1:32 Hr for J Grp, 3 Hrs for K Grp.

Since I doubt that your diving will be aggressive enough to make NOAA J Grp, or that you'll actually get over 500 feet up, I just don't see any problems.

Anyway, there's that - until someone who actually know what he's talking about correcs me.

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

Junko might be worth checking into doing a nitrox class .
who are you going with if you dont mind and dates.

 

[DandyDon]

Wow! Thanks Don--I appreciate the fact that you went to all that trouble to figure out my problem...

I am planning to be extra careful with these since they will both be deep dives--unfortunately I have no choice but to use air, but the shop assured me that many people use air for these. I'm planning to do the tables also, and not just rely on the computer.

Well, you're welcome, but - "Trust Me" Dives are not generally condoned around here, and I wouldn't suggest "Trust My Plans", either. Find yourself a NOAA Dive Manaul and work thru all this yourself, checking my work...!

Yes, "the shop assured me that many people use air for these" as they sell trips, and if you cannot do Nx, then do air. The safety factor is about the same, but Nx lets you have 50% more dive time. I dive 100 cf Nx tanks with Diver Down boat when I go there, so I can get as many minutes down as possible, after all it takes for me to get there.

Any chance you could knock out a Nx course before you go? Not all agencies require dives; some just classroom...

 

[Upwelling]

Thanks--I am taking a Nitrox course but unfortunately it doesn't start until after the NC trip...I plan to be very careful about the NDL, etc., and I am diving w/ a DM on the first day just to get used to the environment there.

Well, you're welcome, but - "Trust Me" Dives are not generally condoned around here, and I wouldn't suggest "Trust My Plans", either. Find yourself a NOAA Dive Manaul and work thru all this yourself, checking my work...!

Yes, "the shop assured me that many people use air for these" as they sell trips, and if you cannot do Nx, then do air. The safety factor is about the same, but Nx lets you have 50% more dive time. I dive 100 cf Nx tanks with Diver Down boat when I go there, so I can get as many minutes down as possible, after all it takes for me to get there.

Any chance you could knock out a Nx course before you go? Not all agencies require dives; some just classroom...