Really long, shallow no-deco dives

[DeepBound]

I keep getting weird looks when I tell people about doing 3 or 4 hour dives that are recreational no-deco dives. For example, 4 hours at 30ft using EAN32. They seem to think its dangerous, but can't provide any reason other than "are you crazy?".

Is there anything dangerous about doing such a long dive? Should it be treated as a technical deco dive?

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

If you don't exceed NDL then you don't have deco.

 

[DeepBound]

If you don't exceed NDL then you don't have deco.

I agree with you. One argument I've heard is that if you have to switch regulators during the dive, then it's a technical dive. So I guess these people would be happy as long as you have the SAC rate to do it all one tank, or one set of doubles (no stages).

 

[wedivebc]

I agree with you. One argument I've heard is that if you have to switch regulators during the dive, then it's a technical dive. So I guess these people would be happy as long as you have the SAC rate to do it all one tank, or one set of doubles (no stages).

I am not sure by who's standards changing regs becomes a tech dive but I would say unless you are carrying a gas that may be dangerous at planned depth (which is not the case here) changing regs is jsut part of the dive. Every open water student is taught how to do it.
Long dives should pose no problem since it takes a long long time to load tissues at those shallow depths.

 

[fdog]

I would agree, if you are allowed free access to the surface (no overhead by deco) that it's a "recreational dive".

Beware of OTU's. Although they aren't a factor, say, with a single 5 hour dive perhaps once as week as you speak of above, they would be if you were doing two 4 hour dives every day for a week, using 36%.



All the best, James

 

[Garrobo]

Shallow or deep, necessary or not necessary, I always take at least a three minute at 15-20 feet. Others may differ in their actions or opinions.

 

[all4scuba05]

sounds like the same guy that wouldn't let my buddy's wife try scuba in the hotel pool because she was flying the next day.

 

[Peter Guy]

Aren't ALL dives "deco" dives?

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

Shallow or deep, necessary or not necessary, I always take at least a three minute at 15-20 feet. Others may differ in their actions or opinions.

But what if your whole dive was in the 10-20' range? I frequently swim around the cove and many times never go belwo 20'. That is where I see the most fishies! Although after I saw a really really big snake swoop in the water next to me and grab an 8" fish, I have to say I really wanted to be deeper at that very moment.

 

[all4scuba05]

But what if your whole dive was in the 10-20' range?

Well then you just move the decimal. Now it's a SS at 1.5-2.0'