Nekton Pilot - Nitrox Question

[scubamgb]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I'm so anxious to get my Nitrox course done that I went out tonight and bought the manual (with DVD and tables) at my LDS...never hurts to get a jump start on the reading. OH...and I have booked my Nekton trip to Medio Reef. It will be my first liveaboard and first opportunity to get 4-5 dives in per day...if I choose too! Many have told me you don't have to do 5 dives a day every day...but it will be hard to sit out!!

 

[DeputyDan]

Many have told me you don't have to do 5 dives a day every day...but it will be hard to sit out!!

You don't have to dive at all.... But - - - Dive Dive Dive

 

[cappyjon431]

I am going to play devil's advocate here (and I am a nitrox instructor and often do use nitrox for cave diving). I worked on Nekton for close to eight years, most of them in the pre-nitrox days. For that time period the large majority of our guests were doing 4-5 dives a day without nitrox. I can look back and honestly say that I can count on one hand (less than 5) the number of cases of DCI that occured on the boat. That was seeing literally thousands of divers do 4-5 dives a day over a period of many years. Does nitrox make diving safer? Yes, it can. The question really is how much safer? I would argue that if it makes you feel more comfortable doing 4-5 dives a day then go ahead and pay for the nitrox, but if you follow your computer closely, it really does not make diving that much safer.

 

[ShanaLyns]

For those of you who have been on the Pilot, do they have a few analyzers or are you better off bringing one of your own? I recall from the class that having your own is preferred for obvious safety reasons, but most places we've gone seem to have a few laying around and 99% of the guests seem to use those. Does the Nekton?

Thanks!

 

[Onewolf]

I just got back from the Nekton Pilot St Croix itinerary yesterday (4/11). There were (I think) 10 of us nitrox divers and we got consistently 27-28 percent Nitrox.

They have an o2 analyzer on the dive deck that everyone used.

 

[rossandmaureen]

My experience on the Pilot when she was still doing the Belize itinerary was Nitrox consistently between 32% and 34 %. Fewer divers were using that side (although we only had nine guests) as mentioned earlier so that could be considered a plus. They did have an Analox Analyzer on board and it's readings were the same as I got on my own. The only down side (other than the extra charge) was the maximum depth limit that did restrict my movements on some of the wall dives. I didn't mind the extra charge and felt the added margin of safety was worthwhile given that I was getting an average of five and sometimes six dives a day.

 

[robint]

I just got back from the Nekton Pilot St Croix itinerary yesterday (4/11). There were (I think) 10 of us nitrox divers and we got consistently 27-28 percent Nitrox.

They have an o2 analyzer on the dive deck that everyone used.

Onewolf - are you planning to do a trip report? There have only been a handful of reports (mixed good and bad) about the St Crox itinerary and I know I am not alone with wanting to hear your views.

robin

 

[Onewolf]

Onewolf - are you planning to do a trip report? There have only been a handful of reports (mixed good and bad) about the St Crox itinerary and I know I am not alone with wanting to hear your views.

robin

Ummm, I've got a stupid question.....

Where are trip reports supposed to go on Scubaboard.com? Because I don't see a specific sub forum for trip reports?

 

[robint]

Ummm, I've got a stupid question.....

Where are trip reports supposed to go on Scubaboard.com? Because I don't see a specific sub forum for trip reports?

Trip Reports on SB go in their respective location.... so you could post it here on Liveaboards Forum OR in the Caribbean Forum. I would put a link on the other forum though to let people know you have a trip report and where you put it.