Diving Speigel Grove without Nitrox...

[jbop65]

Hi everyone it's been some time since I last posted on this site.Computer problems.
Just got my Advance open water cert a few weeks ago down in Miami.Great Birthday gift to myself.
A group of us plan to make a trip down to Key Largo and Key West Oct 2nd to Dive the USS Speigel Grove and the Vandenberg in Key West.
Just spending all my money on my Advance open water course I can't take the Nitrox course before Oct.
Here is my question
Is it possible to make these 2 wreck dives without being Nitrox certified?
I realize my bottom time is short.
Here is what I need help with
let's say the wreck lies 120 feet to the bottom
if I descend at a rate of 60 feet a minute
according to dive table I have roughly 10 minutes of bottom time
I would like to start my ascend up the line at around 1200 psi.
I should make 3 safety stops figure 80' 60' and 20'
what are my safety stop times at these depths?
Is this going to work?
any and all suggestions welcomed.
thanks for all the help

 

[Blackwood]

What basis are you using for those stop depths?

I understand some agencies are teaching a 50% deep stop, but I've never seen 70% outside of stage deco profiles.


Will it work? Sure; there is nothing fundamentally wrong about it. I would recommend reviewing how your tables define bottom time (everything until you start ascending from 60 may count, realistic or not). It's a bit early in your diving life to start experimenting.

 

[iztok]

Spiegel is fine to dive as you really don't have to go to the bottom there is plenty to see in shallow range where you will have enough bottom time even on air. There is enough to see in 80ft range.

 

[parzdiver]

Diving both of those wrecks on air is possible, but I don[t know where you came up with those stops. Both wrecks can also be dived at 100 feet or less, it isn't necessary to go to 120+. Stick with the PADI tables and what you have learned, unless you are familiar with decompression modeling, don't create random stops. I would recommend, gas permitting, that you do a 5+ minute hang at 15 feet for your final stop.

Please make sure you keep an eye on your gas consumption, being deep in a new environment, you could breathe your tank down quite quickly.

Be aware there can be heavy current on these wrecks, make sure you keep both hands on the mooring line and keep close to the wreck.

Take care, these can be challenging dives for a new diver. You may also consider hiring a dive master to lead you on the dives. Not only will they help with the planning and execution, they are excellent guides and know "the good stuff" on the wrecks.

 

[jbop65]

What basis are you using for those stop depths?

I understand some agencies are teaching a 50% deep stop, but I've never seen 70% outside of stage deco profiles.


Will it work? Sure; there is nothing fundamentally wrong about it. I would recommend reviewing how your tables define bottom time (everything until you start ascending from 60 may count, realistic or not). It's a bit early in your diving life to start experimenting.

Well when I took my advance open water with a PADI instructor he told me these were the safety stops we would make we did a 120' wreck.We stopped at 80' did a 2 minute stop then again at around 60' another 2 minutes final stop was around 20' for 3 minutes.

I was using my SSI time table and I believe it said 10 minutes bottom time at 120'
Just worried I want to plan a great dive but a safe one.I guess I would be fine if I have 10 minutes to dive around the wreck but want to know how many safety stops I should make and for how long when I make my ascend up the line.

Last few dives I took my air a little to low for my liking.300 psi when I cracked the surface.

 

[parzdiver]

As Blackwood stated, the way I learned deep stops was 50% of max depth for 1-2 minutes, then half that for 1-2, etc. with the final safety stop at 15 feet for 3-5 minutes.

Of course, you shouldn't base any profile on something you read on the Internet. I would recommend speaking with your instructor and verify the information and how it was derived.

 

[F106A]

Hi everyone it's been some time since I last posted on this site.Computer problems.
Just got my Advance open water cert a few weeks ago down in Miami.Great Birthday gift to myself.
A group of us plan to make a trip down to Key Largo and Key West Oct 2nd to Dive the USS Speigel Grove and the Vandenberg in Key West.
Just spending all my money on my Advance open water course I can't take the Nitrox course before Oct.
Here is my question
Is it possible to make these 2 wreck dives without being Nitrox certified?
I realize my bottom time is short.
Here is what I need help with
let's say the wreck lies 120 feet to the bottom
if I descend at a rate of 60 feet a minute
according to dive table I have roughly 10 minutes of bottom time
I would like to start my ascend up the line at around 1200 psi.
I should make 3 safety stops figure 80' 60' and 20'
what are my safety stop times at these depths?
Is this going to work?
any and all suggestions welcomed.
thanks for all the help

Re the SG: Sounds like you've really gotten into the planning of this dive. However, I suggest you read post #3, start a slow ascent up the line @ 900# (or whatever you air consumption rate dictates) and do the customary (or longer if you still have >500#) SS.

 

[jbop65]

I think I need to review the PADI time tables again.I will be diving with a PADI Dive instructor he suggested I get nitrox certified before the dive.

Just not possible at this time.I am always making a point to watch my air consumption
Just not sure how many safety stops and times on these 2 dives.
Seems I get different opinions as to what time to acsend where to do my safety stops and how much time.Again I look forward to the dive and I realize when it's time to make my acsend up it will be without instructor which I am sure will still have plenty of air left.

Thanks again.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

Hi everyone it's been some time since I last posted on this site.Computer problems.
Just got my Advance open water cert a few weeks ago down in Miami.Great Birthday gift to myself.
A group of us plan to make a trip down to Key Largo and Key West Oct 2nd to Dive the USS Speigel Grove and the Vandenberg in Key West.
Just spending all my money on my Advance open water course I can't take the Nitrox course before Oct.
Here is my question
Is it possible to make these 2 wreck dives without being Nitrox certified?
I realize my bottom time is short.
Here is what I need help with
let's say the wreck lies 120 feet to the bottom
if I descend at a rate of 60 feet a minute
according to dive table I have roughly 10 minutes of bottom time
I would like to start my ascend up the line at around 1200 psi.
I should make 3 safety stops figure 80' 60' and 20'
what are my safety stop times at these depths?
Is this going to work?
any and all suggestions welcomed.
thanks for all the help

I would plan my first dive on the Speigel at a max depth of 70'-80'. This is where the the majority of things to see are located and gives you the most amount of time to get a good overview of the ship. Also, the currents there can be in the 2-3 knots range which have had some divers out of gas before hitting the deck.

Just because you have a card that says you can go to 100' doesn't mean that should be the goal of every dive you do after getting the card. Make the most of the money and time you'll spend on the dive and enjoy.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

First Don't go Deep just to go deep!

50% of max depth is MY norm if I go below 100' then hang at 15ft for min 3 or as long as I can entertain myself sometimes 10-15 minutes.