quick trip report

[salty]

This weekend my buddy and I headed out on the dive boat R/V Wreck Valley to dive the wreck of the Oregon.

For those of you who don’t know the Oregon went down in the 1880’s and was a Cunnard ocean liner. The wreck lies in 130 ft of seawater.

Sunday morning’s weather was predicted to be the best out of the preceding two and following two days and the reports were accurate as we were meet with light wind and 3 foot seas.

After the two-hour boat ride we arrived on site and in short order we dived in. The surface temp was around 40 degrees F and the bottom temps were 35. The vis which was around 35 to 40 feet was a little better than what is typically found on the wreck but was what we expected based on the weather and water temps. I was surprised at the amount of sea life with such a low temp but all the usual critters were out and about. My buddy and I worked the boiler area and did some light penetrations into the wreck not that there are too many areas to do this considering the collapsed condition. Just getting in for the first time of the year made the dive worth it but being able to use my new 18-watt hid was a big bonus.

We spent 30 minutes on the bottom with a max depth of 125. The gas for the dive was 28/20 with 50% for deco which was about 19 minutes, total in water time was around 55 minutes.

 

[Marcos]

Hey thanks for the trip report. It's great to get an idea of conditions out there from you brave souls who venture out so early! 35 degree bottom temps, WOW. That is hard core. I'm still diving wet so my first wreck dive isn't till mid June. I'm hoping bottom temps will be up to 50 by then. I was contiplating going out on Memorial Day weekend, but I don't know if that 35 will go up to 50 by then. Thanks again for the report and I will be sure to share mine once my wreck diving season starts.

I would like to see more trip reports from WV members who dive locally. It's interesting and we can learn from each other as well.

 

[VTernovski]

just curious... your mix seems kinda low? I would have opted for 21/35 for that depth, with 50% at 70, but then again I am not trimix diver, this is just a theoretical question what prompted you to use that mix? (I am just curious, please don't take it as an insult).

P.S.
I noticed you also took GUE classes? I just completed my DIR-F and looking to dive with fellow GUE grads.

 

[salty]

Gas choice: I havent fully switched over to GUE standard gas so I utilize 28/20 alot. Anything under 100 I use 32%. Any thing over 100 to 135 I use 28/20. 99% of my diving is between 80 and 135. If I do anything over 135 Ill switch to 21/35.

I stick with standard gas as far as only using 32 and 28/20 for the type of diving I do.

I like the 28/20 because it is good on the PPo2 and keeps the deco short as compaired to useing 21/35 in the same depth range also the END is 75 fsw. If I did more diving in the 150- 180 range I would probly forgo the 28/20 all togther for logistic reasons.

Also I belive 100% would have been the correct choice for Deco as far as dive planning would proceed if two dives were planned( it was but I got too cold for a secound) the first would deco on O2 and the secound would be on 50% and O2.

 

[IzzyTahil]

Salty - thanks for the report. I was also wondering about your 50% deco choice so thanks for the clarification. Which deco model are you using?

Vadim - to keep a 1.4 ppo2 level at 130fsw (ie 4.9ata), your best gas choice is .28 So if you profile at 125fsw (4.8ata) and keep a 1.4ppo2 the best gas is .29

 

[NEWreckDiver]

just curious... your mix seems kinda low? I would have opted for 21/35 for that depth, with 50% at 70, but then again I am not trimix diver, this is just a theoretical question what prompted you to use that mix? (I am just curious, please don't take it as an insult).

P.S.
I noticed you also took GUE classes? I just completed my DIR-F and looking to dive with fellow GUE grads.

The higher He you use requires more deco time.

 

[salty]

Which deco model are you using?

Vadim - to keep a 1.4 ppo2 level at 130fsw (ie 4.9ata), your best gas choice is .28 So if you profile at 125fsw (4.8ata) and keep a 1.4ppo2 the best gas is .29

I have been using Deco planner and experimenting with the gradient factors and moving time around. I usually will do a minimum of a 3 min stop at 70 for a gas switch and depending on the overall time I might shorten the mid range stops a bit till I hit the 20 foot stop. When using two decos gases Ill push the gradients at 70 and 20 and shorten the 30 and 10 foot stops. For this short dive I didn’t stray to far from the deco planer out put other than the 70 foot switch and 3 min stop.

As far as the best gas reference my gas choices are based on what works for the range of depths I normally dive. All I use is 32 and 28/20. It keeps things simple as far as mixing and deco schedules.

 

[DEEPLOU]

I have been using Deco planner and experimenting with the gradient factors and moving time around. I usually will do a minimum of a 3 min stop at 70 for a gas switch and depending on the overall time I might shorten the mid range stops a bit till I hit the 20 foot stop. When using two decos gases Ill push the gradients at 70 and 20 and shorten the 30 and 10 foot stops. For this short dive I didn’t stray to far from the deco planer out put other than the 70 foot switch and 3 min stop.

As far as the best gas reference my gas choices are based on what works for the range of depths I normally dive. All I use is 32 and 28/20. It keeps things simple as far as mixing and deco schedules.

Not into trimix yet, but I like to use 28 to 30 % nitrox. While Oregon is listed as 130 ft wreck, I find most of my dive is at abt 125, and at that depth 30% is PPO2 of abt 1.45.
Not sure what U mean by "When using two decos gases Ill push the gradients at 70 and 20 " Are u talking about the GF or the 70 abd 20 ft stops? GF of 70 and 20 is somewhat conservative. I have found 85 and 20 to work for me.
I have also found that the difference between using 50% and 100% as deco gas is how much gas u use. The total deco time is almost the same. Of course using tri mix, you want to get off the He as soon as possable.

BTW: you didn't mention taking any bugs, did u? will there be any left when I get there on the ninth?

 

[salty]

Lou:
When I mentioned pushing the gradents I was refering to spending more time then deco planer calls for at the 70 and 20 foot stops to maximize the O2 window. With the PPO2 being the greatest at these two stops its better to spend some time there when the pressure gradent between the N2 in the body and the N2 of the deco gas is the highest. Although there isent much of a diffrence when using 28/20 and switching to 50%. I usaly take the time to refresh my memory on the mechanics of decompression prior to the season getting underway since this dive was early and last minute for me I havent as of yet reviewed most of the information I have so I might have goofed on an explnation.

 

[salty]

Getting off He early:
I dont think theres much of a concern in getting off the He early. If you slow your accent rate down it realy stops being a concern. I hear more and more about the 70 foot stop mix getting a squirt of He. I havent realy learned or researched this because it has more to do with longer and deeper dives then Im doing at this time. Rember He is a fast gas fast in fast out. Slowing the accent rate to 30 fpm makes a big diffrence as well as deeper stops.