Quickest path to deco diving?

[Nick_Radov]

And waste the rest of the dive?

Huh? When diving as a unified team, prolonged buddy separation is rare. So I don't understand the concern about wasting a dive. You can always come back for another dive next week. This is a total non-issue.

 

[Wibble]

Huh? When diving as a unified team, prolonged buddy separation is rare. So I don't understand the concern about wasting a dive. You can always come back for another dive next week. This is a total non-issue.

We're talking about different approaches to diving. You like diving with your team which is great.

Others, myself included, don't and vastly prefer independent diving. I don't mind diving with other people, I just don't expect to be wedded to them. I see a blenny then I'll play hide-and-seek with it. I find some boxes, then I'll rummage. Most people I dive with are all like that.

 

[Wibble]

If you dig into the primary research, you'll find that the statistical support for what we're doing is pretty weak. Empirically it seems to work well enough most of the time, but we can't reliably predict effects of minor changes. The algorithms are precise, but are they accurate? Who knows.

Accuracy doesn't really matter per-se, e.g. to several decimal places Mr Spock. All that matters is not being bent. The algorithms have built-in tolerance to cope with small amounts of additional decompression (i.e. the Gradient Factors compared with raw Buhlmann -- 100:100).

There's no real solid experimental evidence to support that practice, but if it works for you then go for it.

After doing many decompression dives one would expect the diver to get a better awareness of their tolerance to gas loadings.

But you've a valid point though. I've done hundreds of hours of decompression dives and haven't been bent yet. Of course there's always a first time. Maybe my arbitrary extending of a my surface GF worked, maybe it didn't. I'm happy not to know that through being bent.

 

[inquis]

Wrong. You wouldn't say that if you had experienced, properly trained buddies to dive with as part of a unified team.

I'm firmly in the middle camp. I'm responsible for myself and ensure I'm capable and prepared to deal with issues alone IF NECESSARY. However, I typically dive with a competent team because they can make it easier if issues arise.

Need vs. want -- there's a difference.

 

[Alaskan Scuba Dude]

Gosh. Reality is nothing like that.

Yes. The reality is solo diving becomes boring.

 

[lostsheep]

I'm firmly in the middle camp. I'm responsible for myself and ensure I'm capable and prepared to deal with issues alone IF NECESSARY. However, I typically dive with a competent team because they can make it easier if issues arise.

Need vs. want -- there's a difference.

I’m in this middle camp also.

Plan A is myself, as is plan B, and maybe C. That said I dive with competent buddies, we know how each other dives, and if it really goes south we are there for each other.

Assuming those of us with a preference for self sufficiency have never dived with “properly trained buddies” reeks of hubris.

 

[J-Vo]

Yes. The reality is solo diving becomes boring.

I think you mean meditative.

 

[Degenerate]

Yes. The reality is solo diving becomes boring.

That's an opinion though, one that is not shared by everyone.
(Mod edit)

 

[Angelo Farina]

Air at 150 feet? I'm not trimix trained yet either, but doesn't sound prudent to me.

It depends on training received
My 3 stars CMAS cerification is for air at max depth of 50m, with deco (not accelerated, using air also for deco).
This is a standard recreational certification. Most not-profit agencies outside US have similar recreational diving standards (Bsac, for example). In US it appears that this kind of diving is considered "tech", or more dangerous than diving "just within NDL".
My personal opinion, instead, is that recreational divers trained, equipped and planning for deco dives to 50m max are getting less risks than recreational divers who "ride the NDL", risking to exceed it for any minor inconveniences, and ending in deco range without the required planning, equipment and training.

 

[Nick_Radov]

Accuracy doesn't really matter per-se, e.g. to several decimal places Mr Spock.

Number of decimal places is precision, not accuracy. A lot of divers get the two mixed up when dealing with decompression.