Is 130 ft too deep?

[DavidPT40]

I edited my last reply to show the info and a link.

 

[TCDiver1]

Diving past 80 feet actually can cause permanent neurological and spinal damage. I'm not talking about DCI or air embolisms. I am referring to perfectly normal dives.

Well, it looks like i'm heading for some serious permanent drain bamage then. Shod i bee woorrried?

I'm %^*$3 feeling jduist oK f*0#r now ...........

j/k David

 

[skipperbrown]

Same reason most agencies advise that kids don't dive deep as their bones aren't fully developed.

 

[TCDiver1]

Bottom line: The DAN numbers suggest that diving below 80 fsw is a significant risk factor for sport divers (more than 70% of DAN treatments involved sport dives to depths below 80 fsw). The deeper and more often this deep diving occurs, the more the risk for long-term neurological damage. It is not possible to predict the type and severity of this physiological impairment.

http://www.mindspring.com/~divegeek/deep.htm

Seriously though, i have read this before quite awhile ago. I think the first time was in "Deeper into Diving" by Lippman i believe.

Personally i think much of the potential problem, and it is primarily a potential problem IMO until more studies are done, is related to faster ascent rates. Time will tell but i think deep stops and slower ascent rates (slower than 30'/min) will/can mitigate much of this potential problem.

 

[eponym]

Yes, saw the link in subsequent post, thanks. You've quoted the relevant parts of Taylor 1991 there as well. (Condiser editing that to make it clear that this is a long quote from the monograph.)

Has anyone seen the research on non-clinical degradation that Taylor was referring to? And does anyone know whether this been followed up in the intervening thirteen years?

Hang on, I'll just email Taylor and ask him. If I get something, I'll post it in Diving Medicine.

Bryan

 

[ShakaZulu]

Geezzuz, I already have some of those symtoms.......... Now what was I doing here again???

 

[jbisjim]

Diving past 80 feet actually can cause permanent neurological and spinal damage. I'm not talking about DCI or air embolisms. I am referring to perfectly normal dives.

Autopsys on professional divers (who died of non-diving related injuries) show significant spinal chord damage.

I thought we were talking about 130

not 80??

That makes the Straits not so much fun then

 

[Hank49]

Here is an idea!

I could put some helium in her cylinder and make the dive a 60 foot narcosis equivalent. recreational limits

Would that work?

Nice to hear a "someone who lives outside the USA", type attitude, even if you don't. The whole thing about getting this cert, that cert, do this dive first, blah blah blah is just to provide lawsuit protection. Ther are other ways to learn that are just as effective.

 

[Abratty]

Pediatron,

Knowing what your abilities are is a good first step. Being extremely nervous about a dive is probably not the safest thing as you are one step closer to panic and certainly consuming more air than if you were relaxed.

That said, a dive at any depth is just time and pressure. If you felt comfortable at 115, there is not much difference between that and 130 mechanically. There are some that advocate different gases, which may make your dive safer, different equipment, which may make your dive safer, or more training, which may make your dive safer. Those people all would be right but that does not mean going to 130 should be avoided, just respectfully considered. Of course, you need to take the time to plan, preferably with someone experienced and then dive your plan, again, preferably with someone experienced.

Now before I am flamed, no one can make you dive, and no dive is perfectly safe. Be careful and comfortable with your choice. Ultimately if you reach your limit mentally, or on the bottle its up to you to be responsible to go up.

 

[rjchandler]

Wow I didnt know this, then how come our DM took us to 160 feet in cozumel. We were all fine accept my high pressure hose blew down there 5 minutes into the dive and the DM gave me her octopus and we finished the dive at about 40 minutes later sharing air. First i shared air with her and then shared it with my hubby. I thought we should go up but no we finished our dive with no problems. Is that safe to do?
Kathy

No -- but i hear it happens in Coz a lot