Deep Diving 108 feet w/ a single AL 80 (Air.) No redundancy.

[johndiver999]

Sorry, there is no good reason to not dive to recreational limits, 40 m, on an Al80, as long as you are aware of you NDL and gas limits and have the skills to do the dive. You adjust for cold, dark, poor vis, high current water.

You mean without any redundancy, right? Does this apply to solo in your opinion as well?

 

[tursiops]

Oh, come now, you're kidding

Why would you say that? People are at least somewhat narced at 40m, you get perceptual narrowing, thinking is slower, time is helpful, not hurtful.

 

[scubadada]

You mean without any redundancy, right? Does this apply to solo in your opinion as well?

No I dive with a pony Deep Diving 108 feet w/ a single AL 80 (Air.) No redundancy.

 

[scubadada]

Why would you say that? People are at least somewhat narced at 40m, you get perceptual narrowing, thinking is slower, time is helpful, not hurtful.

And you plan extra gas for this? Gas planning is the whole dive

 

[johndiver999]

No I dive with a pony Deep Diving 108 feet w/ a single AL 80 (Air.) No redundancy.

I was inquiring about your "no good reason not to" comment. If you include a pony bottle, then I don't have a problem with some people diving like that.

 

[RyanT]

And you realized this after the fact, attributed it to narcosis, and needed the extra gas?

I was feeling a tad narced at the start of the dive. Visibility was about 8' and the wreck was broken up so the hull was in multiple sections with rubble fields. I thought I was navigating well, but on the return, I didn't find the anchor where I expected it. Not a huge deal. I backtracked, worked out some landmarks, found the anchor, realizing where I had missed my turn. It took me maybe 5 or 6 minutes longer than my planned bottom time. The big gas reserve I had took away the stress of spending a bit of extra time on the bottom, particularly when I started to accumulate some deco. The alternative would have been to do a free ascent in the current and drift away from the anchored boat. I'm sure that would have turned out OK too, but it's always better to return to an anchored boat.

 

[johndiver999]

I was feeling a tad narced at the start of the dive. Visibility was about 8' and the wreck was broken up so the hull was in multiple sections with rubble fields. I thought I was navigating well, but on the return, I didn't find the anchor where I expected it. Not a huge deal. I backtracked, worked out some landmarks, found the anchor, realizing where I had missed my turn. It took me maybe 5 or 6 minutes longer than my planned bottom time. The big gas reserve I had took away the stress of spending a bit of extra time on the bottom, particularly when I started to accumulate some deco. The alternative would have been to do a free ascent in the current and drift away from the anchored boat. I'm sure that would have turned out OK too, but it's always better to return to an anchored boat.

I don't mean to take people's comments out of context, but for some people, when they are "lost" at 130 feet and going into deco, it might not always be the best decision to stay down and build up more deco time searching for the anchor.

When you are narced and you are deep and it is cold and dark and air supply is winding down, this type of decision can be challenging. Getting into deco at 130 with a single 80 tank is something that should be contemplated on the surface, well before the dive.

It is one reason why I find "anchor diving" stressful.

 

[RyanT]

@johndiver999, that's really my point. If you are narced, you don't always make the best decisions.

If you carry substantial gas reserves, then it simply gives you options in the face of unexpected events. For my example, I'm deco trained; the added gas reserves simply meant time to work the problem. So I had options and it turned the situation into merely an inconvenience.

The OP asked for views on doing a dark, cold dive at 108' on an AL 80 with no reserves. I suggested that things can quickly go sideways in those conditions. I don't think a single AL 80 is appropriate for that dive, and that would come in to play during my dive planning. At a minimum, it's too easy these days to dive at least an HP 100 for that kind of dive.

Others have disagreed with my view. Personally, I err on the side of caution and bring reserves. So to each their own and dive on!

 

[scubadada]

Unplanned deco should probably be avoided

 

[ChuckP]

I was feeling a tad narced at the start of the dive.

particularly when I started to accumulate some deco.

If you are narced, you don't always make the best decisions.

Narced at the start of the dive, continue the dive instead of maybe limiting it then accumulate deco with no secondary source......

I realized I was probably too drunk to drive or pass a breathalizer but I drove home anyways.......

Sometimes the best decisions aren't made before you get off the boat - I don't mean to be harsh, but that reads pretty bad.