Is 130 ft too deep?

[GreenDiverDown]

The real question you want to be asking yourself is, would you be willing to take a 30 dive novice, who doesn't understand how to plan air consumption, and who uses an online forum as a primary source in a field of study where she hasn't yet learned enough to know what she has to learn, to 160 fsw?

Asked and (previously) answered.

Stephen

 

[scubagirl15]

Interesting. I'm not really trying to decide whether or not to do a dive beyond my ability. I am really trying to decide if I have the ability to do the dive. I have done several (but probably less than 10) dives greater than 100 feet with absolutely no problem. I am not worried about going past 130 ft accidentally and really am not worried about running out of air (I am a lightweight good breather and usually end up being the second air source for someone else if needed.) I think either way I'll try to do the Blue Hole, but I might not go all the way to see the stalagtites at 130. All opinions/advice are still very much appreciated.

Pediatron,
Are you still with us?

I think the liveliness of this thread you started is a great demonstration of the fact that a dive to 130' is not something to be undertaken if you're still trying to decide if you have the ability to do it.

The point here is that that decision making process might be more prudently made within the safety and controlled environment of a deep dive training course. If you're not sure of your own ability, why would you want to find out on the fly, so to speak?

Everyone's pointed out the issue of gas management, but there's also the issue of narcosis: do you know your own tolerance for and susceptibility to narcosis? do you know what triggers your narcosis?

I'm no dive goddess, which is why I always err on the side of caution and always take the advice of those who've been there and done that many more times than I have. Just my $0.02.

Dive safe,
:10:

 

[pediatron]

How did we get to 160 ft? By the way, I know how to plan a dive based on tables or my computer but I won't have control over tank size or composition for this dive so I am limited to an 80 al tank. I always am more conservative than the limits of my computer. I haven't been narced at 115 ft yet (that's the deepest i've been). They don't have nitrox (which we were going to learn prior if they had it). I purchased both the rescue diver manual/video and the deep diver manual/video to study prior (I wish I had the resources (time and money) to take both courses prior to our trip). I do learn a lot from reading and watching though. Anyway, reading all these tangents, attacks, etc has been --um-- educational!

 

[eponym]

Way to stick it out, Pediatron. Most questions don't get such--um--interesting answers, in my experience. Have fun, and post a dive report when you come back, okay?

Bryan

 

[pediatron]

Sure. I have decided one thing after reading all of these posts. I'm not going to make any firm decisions until I get there. I really want to hear what the dive master has to say, what extra safety precautions are being taken, etc. If nothing else, I probably can find someone willing to go less deep with me if I choose.

This is only my second post (i think) and it has been kinda fun to watch all of the response -- some were obviously a lot more helpful to me than others.

 

[Web Monkey]

Hi all. My husband and I will be diving in Belize and staying on the Lighthouse atoll in December. One of the dives he is really looking forward to is the Blue Hole. It seems to be one of those once in a lifetime type of dives, but I am a bit nervous. I have done about 30 dives with the deepest around 115 ft. I really would hate to miss out on this opportunity (I doubt we will be back to Belize any time soon). But -- I promised myself I wouldn't take any significant chances diving (2 kids at home I really need to come back to!). Is this a risky dive????

The only "Once in a Lifetime" dive is the one you don't come back from.

Take a "deep" class and a Nitrox class (you want to avoid getting narced), the do a bunch of deep dives over the next year or so, then go try it.

If it feels questionable (any dive), it's time to bag it.

Terry

 

[skipperbrown]

pediatron,
I was on a Dancer liveaboard several years ago (before it sank) and we dove the blue hole on about day 4. By that time, everybody was comfortable w/ each other, their equipment and we had a great DM.

Out of the 18 divers, about 6 decided not to go on the dive for various reasons. It's ok to say no.

We spent over 30 min. going over the dive plan. We discussed how deep we would go, how long we would stay, how close together we would stay, how long and where we would safety stop, where we could find extra gas, etc. etc. etc. The dive plan lasted longer than the dive. We were asked not to do another dive that day.

The dive lasted about 30 min and according to my computer, we maxed at about 135 ft. It took about 5 min to get down, we stayed about 7 min. and spent the rest of the time was spent ascending and doing our stop. It was and is my deepest dive to date. Personally, I think it was one of the most boring dives I've ever done. There wasn't anything interesting to see (in my book) and the dive was over in a 1/2 hr. Everybody returned with plenty of gas. The only fun part was free falling from 20 to 135 ft. in 100+ ft vis. That was ok, but now that I've done it, I'll not do it again. I'd much rather have done 5 shallower one hour dives that day on a reef.

If you are comfortable w/ your skills, equipment, DM, buddy, the dive outfit's ability to care for you in the event of an accident, and you want to log a deep dive, go for it. Remember, you'll have a few days to get comfortable again in the water b/f the hole.

The water is warm and clear and it's a good place to do a deep dive (other than the remote location). However, if you feel the least bit hesitant (women have great intuition), pass it up. If your significant other puts pressure on you to dive it, slug him.

Mark

 

[wedivebc]

Sure. I have decided one thing after reading all of these posts. I'm not going to make any firm decisions until I get there. I really want to hear what the dive master has to say, what extra safety precautions are being taken, etc. If nothing else, I probably can find someone willing to go less deep with me if I choose.

This is only my second post (i think) and it has been kinda fun to watch all of the response -- some were obviously a lot more helpful to me than others.

Good for you. Stay within your comfort zone and you'll be fine and then you'll give us a great dive report. I for one am interested in hearing about it.

 

[SouthFLdiver]

Youll be fine. Just watch your bottom time and go up extra slow so you make sure to relieve the extra nitrogen. Dives at 130 feet have the same risks as 115 or 90 or even 60. Have fun!!!

 

[Snowbear]

How did we get to 160 ft?

Hehe. You're learning to filter through the noise to find the music

By the way, I know how to plan a dive based on tables or my computer but I won't have control over tank size or composition for this dive so I am limited to an 80 al tank.

Well, that's a start. As has already been mentioned, one of the most important parts of planning a dive such as this is gas management/planning. Odds are, you will be fine. Odds are, nothing will go wrong. Odds are, your buddy will have nothing go wrong. Countless inexperienced divers survive these every day. But odds are odds. There's always the "1 in xxx" statistic - are you willing to be that one? How do you know you won't be? You don't. All you can do is minimize the odds that you will be that 1. This means training, planning and experience.

I haven't been narced at 115 ft yet (that's the deepest i've been).

Sure you have - you just weren't aware of it. I've posted before about my tech training. As you probably are aware, Helium is often added to breathing gasses to reduce the narcosis at depth. Well, the first time I breathed it, I was so task loaded due to the "failures" that were being thrown at us that I did not notice the difference between the Helium mix and the Nitrox mix at the same depth the day before. At the end of the dive, we stopped at 70' to switch to our deco gas (EAN 50%). WHAMMO!!! Holy Guacamole!! The narcosis hit me hard. I would never have expected this at a measly depth of 70'!! But it was definitely a lesson in the effects of nitrogen and how it really does have an effect, even if we are not aware of it. :11:

Although I really don't think much of the "deep diver specialty" as a course, it is valuable in that the often subtle effects of narcosis are demonstrated to the student.

Whatever you decide to do - do it as safely as you possibly can