Deep Air Diving - thoughts

[RiverRat]

Advanced nitrox will teach you about deco gasses. A pony bottle of O2 can shave your deco time by 75%. Its dangerous, but possible and its being done. Just make sure you understand all the risks your taking before you take them!
Have fun

Yeah right........
Advanced Nitrox will teach you how to use, and respect Nitrox mixes up to 100% O2.
Even though we use enriched O2 mixes for DECO, you ALSO need to take the DECO COURSE to LEARN DECO. This is why it's common place to take both courses at the same time. Even though we DECO on O2 at shallow depths (so we don't tox) we still need to do deeper deco stops before we get to the shallower stops, say 20fsw on O2.
Simply telling someone they can do a "deco dive" and blast up and do an "O2 stop" on a "pony bottle" of O2 is not good advice. :mooner:

Carrying O2 in an unlabled pony, versus a true O2 stage bottle would not be smart either.

Know what you're talking about before you dole out advice to people so you don't get anyone hurt that's stupid enough to listen to this junk.

Hey maybe we can turn this into a "does anyone use Oxygen in their pony bottle" thread

 

[peterbj7]

Advanced Nitrox will teach you how to use, and respect Nitrox mixes up to 100% O2

I don't know what agency you have in mind, but IANTD Advanced Nitrox teaches you the use of deco mixes up to and not exceeding 50%. I did the TDI course as well, but so long ago I can't remember whether that went above 50%, but I don't think it did.

Know what you're talking about before you dole out advice to people so you don't get anyone hurt that's stupid enough to listen to this junk

Yes, absolutely

 

[String]

TDI Advanced EANx allows up to 100% O2 / ppO2 of 1.6 for deco.

EDIT:- To quote from the card.

"Advanced nitrox diver:- Qualified in the use of 22% to 100% nitrox"
"Decompression Procedures Diver:- Qualified to conduct dives for planned staged decompression to 150fsw/45msw"

 

[serrada]

Well it depends on if you believe in anesthesia same concepts and rules.

 

[Tomeck]

TDI Advanced EANx allows up to 100% O2 / ppO2 of 1.6 for deco.

EDIT:- To quote from the card.

"Advanced nitrox diver:- Qualified in the use of 22% to 100% nitrox"
"Decompression Procedures Diver:- Qualified to conduct dives for planned staged decompression to 150fsw/45msw"

With CMAS, qualified to 177 feet/ 54 meters.

 

[String]

54 would make sense thinking of the pp1.4 for oxygen. Not sure i like the narcosis on that though (although i freely admit i dive to that depth on air all the time as i cant afford the 10x cost per dive that trimix would mean)

 

[peterbj7]

I'm trying to remember if TDI had the same standard back in the '90's when I did my courses with them (up to advanced trimix diver & instructor) or whether they've lowered them since. Certainly I agree with the IANTD philosophy that 100% is too high for an early tech diver at the Advanced Nitrox stage. In fact in general I have far more respect for IANTD standards than those of TDI, which is why when it came to it and both instructor application forms were completed and approved, I mailed the IANTD one and tore up the TDI one.

Saying that Advanced Nitrox is about nitrox is actually quite misleading, and I think the course is incorrectly titled anyway. It should properly be called "Introduction to technical diving" as it's mainly about equipment and tank handling and the controlled introduction of stress. Plus SAC and proper gas handling and planning, which should be part of more advanced recreational diving courses but isn't. The nitrox bit is really quite minor and incidental. IMO of course.

 

[String]

Most people take the TDI as combined advanced nitrox and deco procedures which makes a lot more sense and a better course.

Adv EAN on its own allows you to use up to 100% but not conduct decompression dives. Deco Proc allows you to use air but do staged deco. Combining them and you have a sensible course.

 

[RiverRat]

Most people take the TDI as combined advanced nitrox and deco procedures which makes a lot more sense and a better course.

Adv EAN on its own allows you to use up to 100% but not conduct decompression dives. Deco Proc allows you to use air but do staged deco. Combining them and you have a sensible course.

Yep, I took them at the same time. Really is the way to do it so you can just get out there and start doing some, what I consider, basic deco dives. The books are pretty basic but give you what you need to start diving. I hear they're upgrading the information, would be nice to see the new books. I think if you make the decision to go to this level and take these courses you should understand that O2 can kill you and that you don't hit that bottle until 20fsw. I understood that at the basic PADI Nitrox level. You've got to start somewhere and just do it at some point. With a decent instructor guiding you along it's a safe way to get into deco diving and using Nitrox up to pure O2. If I had to take one course at a time, maybe for finance reasons, might make more sense to take DECO first. Do some easy deco dives on air. Then take Adv. Nitrox, and add Nitrox and O2 into your stops. But it's better to take both at the same time so you can get in the water with stages etc. and use them on your first deco profiles. Some guys just start out breathing Nitrox on their stops before going to O2. You've got a few options.

 

[RiverRat]

Saying that Advanced Nitrox is about nitrox is actually quite misleading, and I think the course is incorrectly titled anyway. It should properly be called "Introduction to technical diving" as it's mainly about equipment and tank handling and the controlled introduction of stress.

TDI already has an "Intro to Tech" course. I didn't take it and don't need it at this point. I haven't looked at the course details but I think it's more like what you describe. Intro to tech gear, doubles, H-valves, tank handling etc. From what I've seen there is a great need for the course. Too many divers I see rushing in without the basic skills.