driving to higher elevation after diving

[SteveDiver]

May be a stupid question...When we were in Oahu we were staying on the top floor of the tallest building. I often wondered if we should wait to go to our room after diving. Of course we did'nt good point to ponder....

 

[boulderjohn]

I asked a question that is a variation of this theme in the Dr. Deco section of the forum. Four days later, and not a single hit. Apparently no one outside of this forum, not even Dr. Deco, wants to talk about this.

I also asked a slightly unusual "flying after diving" question in that forum, and, again, no responses.

Feeling a little frustrated, I wrote to DAN a couple of days ago and asked them my altitude driving questions.

No response.

I am feeling something like The Sixth Sense. At some point, will I finally realize that I am actually dead, and all these messages I believe I am sending out are invisible to the living?

 

[SteveDiver]

I asked a question that is a variation of this theme in the Dr. Deco section of the forum. Four days later, and not a single hit. Apparently no one outside of this forum, not even Dr. Deco, wants to talk about this.

I also asked a slightly unusual "flying after diving" question in that forum, and, again, no responses.

Feeling a little frustrated, I wrote to DAN a couple of days ago and asked them my altitude driving questions.

No response.

I am feeling something like The Sixth Sense. At some point, will I finally realize that I am actually dead, and all these messages I believe I am sending out are invisible to the living?

No, they are visible however as fate would have it the answer will be sent to you the day after your buried. Is that not how some things work out? Nobody does anything until something bad enough happens to get their attention...

 

[knotical]

May be a stupid question...When we were in Oahu we were staying on the top floor of the tallest building. I often wondered if we should wait to go to our room after diving. Of course we did'nt good point to ponder....

Goofystan,
There you go, using your head for more than a place to put your mask! Bravo. It’s a good question. There is a pressure difference. Fortunately, unless the building is extremely tall, it will be a very small pressure difference and you’re probably safe. If you climbed your hotel 1000 feet (perhaps the hundredth floor), the air pressure would still be over 96% of what it was at sea level. For comparison, the Empire State Building is 1250 feet.

 

[Wijbrandus]

I'll give that a shot, Rickster. I never noticed it coming into Santa Rosa, but then when I'm leaving, I'm not looking back either.

Anyone planning a Hole Party this year?

 

[roakey]

I asked a question that is a variation of this theme in the Dr. Deco section of the forum. Four days later, and not a single hit. Apparently no one outside of this forum, not even Dr. Deco, wants to talk about this.

The problem is that it has been asked and answered probably a couple dozen times in that forum alone, and no one is interested in answering it yet again.

Using the advanced search function and limiting the search to the Dr Decompression forum, do searches (seperately) on "driving" and "ascending" for a starting point and look through what comes up. Those responses may yield other words that you might feed into the search engine to search on too.

You should always make a good effort to search before establishing a new topic.

Last time I left the 'hole I had my GPS on, and my guess is that your worst exposure for DCS is between SR and Las Vegas. If you're not bent by the time you get to LV, adding a couple more hours to Raton and being symptom-free is a good sign you're good for the pass. I had a friend get bent going home a year or so ago, and he was feeling it before the pass.

Anyone stop at the truck weigh station at the top of the pass lately? A couple years ago I stuck a DAN sticker on the payphone

Roak

 

[Rickster]

Last time I left the 'hole I had my GPS on, and my guess is that your worst exposure for DCS is between SR and Las Vegas. If you're not bent by the time you get to LV, adding a couple more hours to Raton and being symptom-free is a good sign you're good for the pass. I had a friend get bent going home a year or so ago, and he was feeling it before the pass.
Roak

Roak, What was the elevation change from SR to LV? I have heard people say they are going to LV, to eat, right after diving. I will continue my 2-3 hour stay in SR.
Rick

 

[knotical]

Approximate elevations:
Santa Rosa (Blue Hole): 4600
Las Vegas: 6450, road to Las Vegas, somewhat higher
Raton: 7830

roakey is right, the more pronounced elevation increase is in the first leg.
roakey, what max el did your GPS show on the way to Las Vegas?

Our typical experience:
By the time we log our dives, pack our gear, and maybe check out of the motel, we’ve already had a surface interval of an hour or two. Then an hour's drive to Las Vegas, a stop for food, and a longer drive to Raton. We’ve sorta done a “staged decompression with slow ascents”. If we’ve dived at all conservatively, we’ll be well within the NOAA guidelines.

Alternatively, as suggested by octotat, plan all your dives as if you are at 8000 feet (or whatever your highest elevation will be).

Perhaps roakey’s friend had dived fairly aggressively. Of the few cases of DCS from Blue Hole, (with which I am familiar), all involved aggressive diving.

 

[Rickster]

We are suggesting Nitrox to all our students. All our Instructors and DiveCons/DM's are diving Nitrox when down there, we have been for the last two trips. It adds a little edge, and lowers the chance for DCS. I myself, have noticed a little change. I don't feel as tired after numerous dives with students. Also, Odyssey provides Nitrox fills for the same cost most other shops charge for air fills, so, it is well worth it.
Thanks, Rick

 

[roakey]

Perhaps roakey’s friend had dived fairly aggressively. Of the few cases of DCS from Blue Hole, (with which I am familiar), all involved aggressive diving.

No doubt about that, he was diving mix to the bottom of Rock Lake.

Roak