Recreational Helium?

[Tomeck]

We don't have a technology and we are still primitif!

 

[Rhone Man]

It is a byproduct of natural radioactive processes, and so light that it floats off into the atmosphere if it isn't captured.

True, but it also replenishes itself constantly. Although known reserves are being run down, we should (in theory) never "run out" of helium, so long as we can keep locating new reserves. Like oil, but without the millions of years needed to turn from dinosaur into Esso premium.

 

[Reg Braithwaite]

I hope you are now and then able to do a safe ascent from depth without a buddy/team, if not at this stage then you need to work on that first!

Well, this is an interesting tangent. A safe solo ascent if all my equipment continues to function? Yes. A safe ascent under various failure scenarios? I feel more confident handling certain failures with a team than without one.

And given that the trade-off of Helium is less of a margin for error on ascents, my feeling is that it is a reasonable choice when you have a team you trust but highly suspect on an insta-buddy dive when you might sufer a failure that forces you to rely on the buddy to ascend.

Does that clarify things?

 

[ianr33]

Doing 130 foot single tank dives with insta buddies is not exactly a smart thing to do no matter what you might be breathing.

 

[Reg Braithwaite]

Doing 130 foot single tank dives with insta buddies is not exactly a smart thing to do no matter what you might be breathing.

I agree with this. When did I say otherwise?