The Great Blue Hole: Business as Usual

[diverrex]

Really? Don't you think MOD might depend on the mix?

<img src="http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=161859"/>

Yeah I remember going to 132 on Nitrox down in Jupiter, Florida. That's common there for a first dive. But they will use a 28 or 30 mix.

 

[tanksforthememories]

Sorry, I was assuming a EANx32 and PADI's recommendation P02 of less than 1.4. (Shouldnt assume) Which is exceeded when you are deeper than 130ft. Still if you haven't taken the EANx course you may not know this is a potential issue....

 

[Sevenrider860]

It has been said before but bares Repeating Nitrox can cause oxygen toxicity beyond P02 of 1.4 so approx 110ft. You wouldn't/shouldn't dive to 130ft on nitrox it can kill you!!!

I dive 28% to 120-130 all the time. Your assuming 32%.

 

[themagni]

The Blue Hole is one of these dives. If you ran out of air at a really bad time (just before your planned ascent, for example) and simply swam to the surface, there's a really good chance you would get to check out your DAN insurance or worse.

Yep, most people don't get hurt on the BH because it's an edge case dive. Enough people do get hurt that there's a financial incentive for SSI to keep a chamber operating in San Pedro. Don't get me wrong, I'm super happy it was there.

Ok could see an insistence on taking the deep dive course for that but not a Nitrox specialty. The nitrox course doesn't cover any of the things you would be required to be aware of for a deeper dive such as increased gas consumption, deep stop requirements, and dive planning. That being said I am aware that you would gain an increased bottom time with Nitrox but that isn't why you should be required to take a course to do the dive.

It's his boat, so it's his call. It's probably to get a better bottom time. I haven't taken Enriched Gas or whatever it's called now, so I don't know what the math is behind using something besides air.

 

[Chilly_Dipper]

It has been said before but bares Repeating Nitrox can cause oxygen toxicity beyond P02 of 1.4 so approx 110ft. You wouldn't/shouldn't dive to 130ft on nitrox it can kill you!!!

You're making an assumption of 32% O2 content, you can safely dive to 130' with 28% Nitrox. This doesn't change the fact that there are a number of things you need to be aware of when diving this deep, which a Nitrox course does not cover in any way shape or form.

---------- Post added August 1st, 2013 at 06:43 PM ----------

Whoops late on the band wagon for that response

 

[tracydr]

Clearly you were smart enough to offload him as a buddy and as a husband. If I had a partner or a buddy like that I would only dive once with them and never again. I have dived with inconsiderate air pigs before and my response once I find they are very low on air is to abort the dive and come up. I give them no choice, if they want my air they come with me or stay down without any. Then once on the deck, I refuse to dive with them again. Its one thing to run low on air and share air and come up, but another thing to run low and then expect to share air and continue the dive. My life is worth more to me than that.

When they weigh 250 and you're 5'1", 115, there's not a lot you can do about it. Especially when they are known to use less then polite tactics to get their way. It took me a long time to get away, and its a long story to tell. I could probably write a book about the whole saga. Let's just say it involved a very detailed plan in the middle of the night, the help of a very nice sheriff and several deputies, along with one of the faculty members in my residency program.
I'd say that our dives were almost a metaphor of the marriage. I was stuck down underwater, not free to leave because I was being held by somebody stronger and had no control of the situation.
I'm in a much happier place now, although I still have issues when I can't stand if somebody tries to control me, either physically or mentally. Especially when diving, I can't stand if somebody touches or holds me when I'm underwater.

---------- Post added August 28th, 2013 at 10:49 AM ----------

I dive 28% to 120-130 all the time. Your assuming 32%.

Exactly. It would be my preference to dive 28%, especially a dive like the Blue Hole, where I could have a little more bottom time.

 

[bada3003]

... The Blue Hole has an excellent safety record (IRT injuries that require care) and as long as that record remains intact and money from tourism keeps coming in, I'm fairly certain that the current local attitude towards the dive will persist. ...

I share the same concerns expressed by most, but the "excellent safety record" part caught my eye. What explains this? Given the large number of dives, couldn't be a statistical fluke.

 

[charlesml3]

It would be my preference to dive 28%, especially a dive like the Blue Hole, where I could have a little more bottom time.

The Belize Aggressor does exactly that. You're on 32% for the week... except this dive where they skinny it down to 27 or 28%. It's the perfect solution for this dive.

-Charles

 

[flots am]

I was stuck down underwater, not free to leave because I was being held by somebody stronger and had no control of the situation.

That's a good reason to carry a couple of "dive tools" of the "pointy" variety.

I'd seriously consider giving the offender something more important to worry about than me, if they physically tried to keep me underwater.

Glad you're OK.

flots.