Is nitrox "briefing" enough without certification?

[Snakekid97]

Hi all,

I have a basic OW certificate with about a dozen OW dives. I recently moved to a coastline, but I haven't gone diving in the ocean in about a year (although I have done a couple of quarry dives since). I recently talked to a local PADI instructor/dive charter owner about easing back into things. After scheduling a date to go out on his charter, I found out they only use nitrox on all of their dives. They claim it's the better way to dive. Their website states " If you are not Nitrox certified, don’t worry, we will give you a Nitrox Briefing that lets you dive Nitrox that day...We will also put a _ Dive Computer on your wrist set for 32% so you can track your NDL."

I have read that I should have a certification for nitrox (which I don't have). My question is: would you trust a "Nitrox briefing that lets you dive Nitrox that day" or does this seem to be a questionable practice? I have no prior experience with Nitrox.

I should add, the charter is a 2-tank trip on reefs 40-60' deep over about a 3-hour period.

Thanks!

 

[Twoblues]

Clearer in the head? Nitrox does NOT counteract narcosis. Only helium does that.

There's much anecdotal evidence that diving with enriched air leaves a diver feeling refreshed.

 

[Marie13]

There's much anecdotal evidence that diving with enriched air leaves a diver feeling refreshed.

That is quite different from saying nitrox combats narcosis.

 

[Twoblues]

Bad precedent. There is a reason for the class. It isn't much of a class, but still there are some things that are important.

40-60', so long as you are on Nitrox32 there is nothing you will notice with the gas and there isn't enough depth to even be close to an issue.

The official answer would be no, get trained first. The reality answer, go dive it, take a Nitrox class (before or after, don't care) and learn about what makes it different. And how to be safe with it. There are a couple of things that add risk.

1. If an inexperienced diver saw something that intrigued him/her ,"like the color gold In the sand", not knowing about oxygen toxicity could be deadly

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

1. If an inexperienced diver saw something that intrigued him/her ,"like the color gold In the sand", not knowing about oxygen toxicity could be deadly

The MOD for EAN32 is 111 feet. I would sure hope that the DM would have enough control to prevent the inexperienced diver from descending an additional 50 feet+ from what was briefed. And that the inexperienced diver listened to instructions.

 

[scubadada]

There's much anecdotal evidence that diving with enriched air leaves a diver feeling refreshed.

There are some divers who say nitrox makes them feel less tired. There are other divers who say that it makes no difference.

 

[lowwall]

Here's the original statement which led to this tangent. From the context, it's definitely a claim of reduced narcosis, not reduced post-dive fatigue.

...it doesn't taste different nor breath different - you will feel clearer in your head (most of the times - although at 30-60' you probably don't even feel the difference)

 

[broncobowsher]

There are some divers who say nitrox makes them feel less tired. There are other divers who say that it makes no difference.

Original Nitrox marketing. Some still believe the marketing department was right.
The same marketing of the "oxygen bar" after a late night of partying in Vegas. You want it to work, so you tell yourself that it worked.

 

[MB NZ]

1. If an inexperienced diver saw something that intrigued him/her ,"like the color gold In the sand", not knowing about oxygen toxicity could be deadly

Do you not think the same applies to Nitrox 21?

 

[azstinger11]

Original Nitrox marketing. Some still believe the marketing department was right.
The same marketing of the "oxygen bar" after a late night of partying in Vegas. You want it to work, so you tell yourself that it worked.

Hey placebo effect is legit lol

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

That is quite different from saying nitrox combats narcosis.

Hey Marie..... Not sure I fully understand why Nitrox would not help with narcosis.. If a diver goes to 110ft on air and experiences some level of Narcosis from breathing 79% nitrogen..... wouldn't that same diver have most likely experienced less narcosis if they were breathing 68% nitrogen?