Repetitive dives,How many do you do in a day?Whats possible?

[100days-a-year]

Saw a net documentary on lobster divers somewhere really poor,claimed they routinely dove AL80s to 150+ 10 times a day,no computer,tables or 02.Lot of of DCS but they still had a line of guys waiting.

I dive air or lean nitrox 5-7 a day 150' ish depths running 30' either way. 12-15 BT 25ish RT up to 7 days straight.I have seen guys get pinged and have to IWR immediately on 02 but mostly we are symptom free.Is it possible these guys are actually doing this,I had thought we were diving the ragged edge of what was possible.

 

[BRT]

I have a hard time believing they could survive 10 a day like that. The Mexican fishermen do 3 a day on AL80's, 20-30 minutes of decompression after 30+ minutes below 100'. If they get low on air someone swims a tank down to them. About 1 1/2 hrs surface interval. And they told me about a guy who does it back to back without decompression but breathes O2 on the surface.

 

[Drin]

It's the Honduran divers of the Miskito Coast, and it's for real. The waters at depths shallower than 150' have been stripped so they have to go deep to get bugs for sale. It's not uncommon for them to do 12-15 dives in a day. A VERY high percentage of them get bent, and many are paralyzed or die, but it's the only source of income around so there are always others around willing to step up.

Adrian

 

[KeithG]

They are doing it. But not without consequences. Check out this article. It is sad & a little frightening. And then it just made me angry.

Alert Diver | Harvesting Divers at Risk

 

[100days-a-year]

Thanks,I was dubious without any documentation.I feel better now about our schedule.

It mentions 100-140'(not all 150' or better) in the DAN report and AL80s.So it seems more plausible as the tank volume with effectively cut the dive short and the immediate return to depth will keep symptoms at bay until later.I feel really sad that these guys are being taken such huge advantage of, but greed on all parties part is a powerful motivator and ignorance is often abused.