Deep stops and ascents...

[Nailer99]

Hmm- I clicked on "safety stop only," but I think I may start doing the half-depth stops, since my dives always seem to be 100' +.

 

[Mothball]

Never mentioned in o/w class. I've made it a habit of stopping at about 75% of max depth for 2-3 mins and 50% max depth for about 3-8 mins and I try to take 4-8 mins 20'-surface, taking it especially slow from 10' and up. Semper Fi, Dave

 

[El Orans]

Wasn't covered in OW or AOW.

90% of my dives are multi-level. Ascent is always slow.

3 Minute stop at 5 meter.

 

[gcbryan]

I more or less treat all of my dives as if I incurred a 10 minutes deco obligation. That's just the way I think of it. My longest dives generally do incur a 10 minute deco obligation so I treat all dives like that.

In actual fact I usually do a deep stop usually around 65 fsw and either stay 1 minute at each 10 increment or pause each 10 feet until 30 fsw where I do 5 minutes with another 5 at 20 fsw and depending on environment maybe only 2 minutes at 10 fsw and a slow ascent to the surface (in many cases it's just standing up).

If you plan for enough backgas for emergencies then if one didn't occur you always have plenty when you reach 30 fsw. In some cases I just think of it as a 2nd shallow dive and hang out until I'm cold or bored.

 

[ckharlan66]

I do deep stops on all my dives. If the dives are very shallow it gives me a chance to work on bouyancy and control and if they are deeper I like the extra margin of safety.

I generally do a pause @ every 10 up to 40ft , 1 min every 10ft from 40ft to 30ft, 2 min at 20ft and 10ft. Sometimes I will add time to the 10ft stop if it was a stenious dive.

Nothing other than 3 to 5 at 15 was mentioned in OW.

Chad

 

[JohnL]

For the last six months or so I have been doing slow ascents and pauses along the way. If I am coming up a slope I will usually plan to spend some time checking out the shallows somewhere half way or maybe a little shallower. The amount of time or exact depth doesn't seem to make much difference, just doing something to slow down and pause the ascent makes me feel better.

I usually do a regular 3 minute safety stop and a slow ascent from there...but alone it doesn't seem to leave me feeling as good after diving.

 

[nessum]

Deep stops sort of just become multi-level dives for me. Most of my diving is shor diving. So if our max. depth is quite deep we'll use come up and spend some time cruising around at 50 and maybe some more time at 30 or 35. And we always do at least a 3 minute safety stop. I encourage a 5 minute one if we're going to near 100.

 

[DandyDon]

How many recreational divers practice this? Was this covered in your Open Water class at all?

Always...! I always make a one minute stop at half of my deepest depth and then do a 3-5 minute safety stop.

The deep stop I learned here on SB. Trying to learn safer habits since I was lucky enough to make it this far alive and uninjured.

 

[Rafael]

I always do my 3min at 15', it was mention in my Padi OW class.
The 1 minute stop at half of deepest depth is new for me, but makes sence so i will start doing it, now more of my dives are under 60', and i always make sure my ascent is very slow, i monitor my computer during my ascent and in case i start going up to fast i stop there for a few seconds check bouyancy and then i start going up again

 

[dive_lover88]

i always do a safety stop on any dives that is deeper than 10m.