Is our flight time going to conflict with diving?

[bowyorang]

Hey everyone!
We are flying out in the morning to Belize for a mission trip for a week and on our last day there my son and I have the opportunity to go diving. I dont know our exact dive times but I am assuming they will be mid day. Other than that I am up in the air about it. The place we are staying has scheduled our time with the dive place so I will try to find out more when I arrive. I do know that we will be flying back first thing the next morning.
I know that DAN recommends 12hrs where others say 24.
I would love to hear your thoughts...

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Sounds to me like you'll probably have somewhere between 16 and 20 hrs of surface time pre-flight. If it was me, I'd probably do it and add in some additional safety measures..

1) Use Nitrox if available
2) Keep the dive shallow and well within any dec limits.
3) Extend your safety stop as long as possible.

 

[Phil_C]

Personally I don't dive within 24 hours of flying full stop - but then I fly (5 hour flight) every fortnight but also tend to get plenty of opportunities to dive each month without having to dive before flying. If you do decide to dive and only leave 12 hours before flying then that is your choice, and the only advice I can suggest is to make sure you plan a very conservative dive profile and keep the depth fairly shallow. - P

 

[SC_Hoaty]

Be sure you understand the parameters of the DAN recommendation - it is 12 hours for a SINGLE dive, longer for multiple dives (either same or different day). It is also for no-deco dives, applies to certain cabin pressures, and does not ensure no DCS will occur. They note longer intervals will reduce DCS risk further.

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/files/FADWkshpBook_web.pdf

Too bad you can't get the dive in partway through the mission trip, and break up the week.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

The 12 and 24 hour limits are rules of thumb that let you avoid going through a decompression calculation. And by the way the DAN recommendation is for 18 hours for multiple dives within a recreational profile. One short shallow dive is going to be a lot more forgiving than multiple deep long dives back to back and likely would not require a 12 hour wait. The DAN recommendation is conservative as it should be since it is intended as a catch all for all dives. If you want something more targeted there are diving tables intended for altitude that can be used.

 

[bowyorang]

Thanks. Im going to see if I cant get the dives moved up a day if it wont conflict too much with our work there.
Im pretty sure that two dives were planned but I dont know the depths. If nothing else, maybe we can do some shallow dives. If thats not an option I may have to cancel them.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

If you can't move the dives up, could you perhaps extend the trip by an extra day?

 

[endurodog]

Actually DAN and PADI recommendations are 12 hours for a single dive and 18 for multiple dives or multi days of diving. This is for non deco dives. The 24 hour recommended was dropped by these agencies a couple years ago.

 

[Damselfish]

As long as you can cancel these dives at the last minute without getting charged you can always wait to find out the info when you get there - perhaps print and take a copy of the DAN guidelines with you. It would just be unfortunate if you found out you couldn't dive after all. So it would be better if you could find out before you go what time these dives are scheduled for, and ideally get a general idea of the expected dive profile, in case there is a chance of adjusting a bad schedule. The people who are planning this either need to tell you, or at least tell you who you will be diving with so you can email them and find out. Anyone who knows anything about diving will understand why it matters. Perhaps the place you are staying knows when you are leaving and has scheduled something that is ok? Or perhaps they have no idea about the issue and have not taken it into account. Who knows?


...oops, I see this was a last minute question and you have probably left already. Hope it works out.