Question Nitrox Needed for Dive Profiles for Local Ambergris Caye Dives?

[Rob9876]

Are the dive profiles for the Local dives around Ambergris Caye such that nitrox is really needed (that is, fairly square and deep)? What are the dive profiles like for those local dives (**Not** Blue Hole, Turneffe, etc.).

>>Please note: I'm not one of those "may as well dive Nitrox every dive" guys, so no need for answers like that.

 

[schuylerclark]

Most of my dives there were around 60', though the reef starts shallower and goes deeper. I didn't have a Nitrox cert yet, and it wasn't an issue. The reef slopes gently with cuts and canyons in it, so it really could depend on the routes you take. That said, more folks were diving air than Nitrox, so I'd say it's not a must have for your "average" local dive.

 

[rsqdvr]

Nitrox isn’t “needed” on any of the dives in that area but i dive it as much as possible anyway. I feel a lot better at the end of a long day of diving when I dive Nitrox so I prefer it over air when it is available and fits the dive profile.

 

[Rob9876]

Nitrox isn’t “needed” on any of the dives in that area but i dive it as much as possible anyway. I feel a lot better at the end of a long day of diving when I dive Nitrox so I prefer it over air when it is available and fits the dive profile.

That's cool, I wish it had that effect on me, but I don't notice any difference. So for me I only "need" Nitrox when the dive profiles are deep most of the dive, where on air I might be likely to hit the NDL before I would otherwise need to end the dive because of low air/gas.

 

[34109411]

Are the dive profiles for the Local dives around Ambergris Caye such that nitrox is really needed (that is, fairly square and deep)? What are the dive profiles like for those local dives (**Not** Blue Hole, Turneffe, etc.).

>>Please note: I'm not one of those "may as well dive Nitrox every dive" guys, so no need for answers like that.

went there 5-6 times never seen anyone using nitrox.

 

[Rob9876]

Update: did 5 days of local 2-tanks off of Ambergris Caye last week all on air, and never once wished I had gone with nitrox. Most folks I saw were diving air, and I believe I only went into single digit NDLs was once, briefly.

 

[34109411]

i might think that the problem is to get the nitrox in belize in general and more specifically in the keys. logistics is not there to handle this.

 

[Rob9876]

i might think that the problem is to get the nitrox in belize in general and more specifically in the keys. logistics is not there to handle this.

It seemed to be readily available with our dive op and the others we looked at also. I believe our dive op only offered 32%.

 

[gmerick]

Based on 2 recent trips trips to Ambergris Caye.
Dive Guides used air, and dove profiles, although they must have used a gf of xx/85 or less conservative.
No shore diving, Boats had a mixed crowd of 6-12 divers. If your boat has mostly air divers, you won't be "that diver" that turns the dive for the early group returning to the boat. If most are on EAN32, you'll want to watch your depth on the morning (usually deeper) dives.
At no time did I have opportunity to exceed MOD for EAN32.
Summary - You are more comfortable on air, so dive air unless you are with a group where staying with air would affect the groups consensus on dive profile.

That being said, I will be diving Nitrox on the Turneffe invasion.