Convince me about nitrox - please!

[Barracuda2]

I just returned from the Belize Aggressor III trip and had a great time. My dive partner and myself were the only ones on board not diving nitrox. I dove 25 out of 26 dives during the week. We choose to miss one night dive as we had steak that night and I love a glass of wine or two with my steak. Aggressor's policy is that when you have a drink, you become a snorkler the rest of the day. I'm not convinced of the advantages of using nitrox. I didn't dive any less than the nitrox divers - Most of the time, I surfaced with the nitrox divers or after them; in other words, their bottom time wasn't any longer than mine. It cost them $100 more for the week, and they had to test their tanks before each dive. When we dove the Blue Hole, they all had to go on regular air because of the 140 ft depth. Their tanks had to be bled off and refilled with plain ol' air for that dive. So what's the deal? I sat through the presentations of using nitrox, but I still don't get it. How is it enhansing or benefitting my diving aside from the safety feature of not taking in so much nitrogen. I'm a careful diver who follows the rules and what my computer tells me when doing repetitive dives, and fortunately have had no problems in 45 yrs. I'm not an old dog who can't learn new tricks either; when BC's came out, (horse collar type) I got one because I saw the benefits; when pressure guages came out, I got one and quit using my J-valve. I could go on with all the updates I've done over the years because I recognized the benefits. So convince me of nitrox without bashing my reservations about taking the course. Thanks.

Barracuda2

 

[MechDiver]

Why should I, or anyone else, use their time to "convince" you of anything? I really don't care whether you dive EAN or not.

Convince me as to why I should convince you

MD

 

[Dryglove]

You get to put a cool nitrox sticker/band on your tank(s)

 

[MikeFerrara]

I think you answered the question yourself. You don't need it. However especially when doing multiple dives per day over multiple days and then flying home it gives an added margine. The nitrogen isn't doing you any good. Why would you want to breath more than you had to?

 

[Barracuda2]

Maybe there is some perspective I'm missing - I'm not trying to start fight here; I'm sincerely seeking a resonable answer.

Barracuda2

 

[ABQdiver]

(rolling up sleeves and waving magic wand)

YOUR CONVINCED!!


Feel better?

 

[ibnygator]

If you ended your dives due to NDL limits, nitrox wouldn't have changed that. If you ended the dives due to gas supply, nitrox can add bottom time. You can use bigger tanks and stay down longer.

 

[cyklon_300]

interested in continuing my diving education and needed it as a prerequisite for Advanced Nitrox/Deco.

On liveaboards doing 5 dives per day, the decreased N2 loadings seem to reduce fatigue. I can't document that, tho, it's merely a perception.

I still dive air on occassion, depending on the profile and number of dives scheduled.

 

[Stone]

I use Nitrox to extend my bottom time. At 90 fsw on EANx32, my bottom time is increased by 10 minutes or so, an increase of about 40%.

 

[Barracuda2]

ibnygator once bubbled...
If you ended your dives due to NDL limits, nitrox wouldn't have changed that. If you ended the dives due to gas supply, nitrox can add bottom time. You can use bigger tanks and stay down longer.

Now that makes sense. If I had the resources to do 3 or 4 live-a-boards a year, or lived near dive sites where I would be doing repetitive dives every weekend, it would be a definate advantage. Thanks for the reply.

Barracuda2