Traveling with Nitrox

[Firefish!]

What’s your thinking behind using 32% as a travel gas?

Saving air until I’m below the max depth for nitrox

 

[Marie13]

Saving air until I’m below the max depth for nitrox

Get a weaker blend that’s appropriate for the dive site.

 

[Firefish!]

Your local SSI dive shop (unless you are on the north side of the lake then I don’t know) pp blends Nitrox so you can get any mix you want. If you think your going deeper than 110 get 30% or if headed to the Oriskany get 28%

PP? Oriskany is a dive I want to do the second I’m fully educated to do so.

 

[Firefish!]

Get a weaker blend that’s appropriate for the dive site.

Heard. Thanks!

 

[Damselfish]

What would happen is you'd have way less time there, assuming no deco. The point of using Nitrox is usually to get more bottom time. Switching to air makes no practical sense. You might do a bit deeper rec dive on a leaner Nitrox mix, 32 is just the most common but not the only option. But if you get into tech diving there's going to be alot more to it...

 

[MaxE]

PP? Oriskany is a dive I want to do the second I’m fully educated to do so.

Partial pressure blending. Basically some pure O2 is put in the tank and air is added to get the mix you want. 30% will get you to the sand on all the local dives. I now take 32% and am happy not to dig in the sand. The LuLu of New Venture are the other local “deep” dives and I have no issues with 32%

 

[uncfnp]

Interesting question. And it seems MaxE has given you a practical answer.

But looking at it theoretically…Assuming that you are not doing a lot of “traveling” you are essentially asking if doing your safety stop, maybe even an extended stop, on 32% would be worth taking two tanks? I guess it would depend on the depth, what blends are available and if having a redundant air source is beneficial as well.

 

[tursiops]

Eventually yes, but like I said, getting into the certification courses for deep diving, extended range, etc, is going to take awhile because a course with enough people to justify holding a class will be hit or miss.

When you take the class you'll discover that Nitrox can be obtained in various strengths. Many get 28% and use it comfortably 1o 130 ft.
And it is used for the entire dive.
"Travel Gas" is a concept usually associated with technical diving, multiple gases, and considerable complexity.

 

[Marie13]

When you take the class you'll discover that Nitrox can be obtained in various strengths. Many get 28% and use it comfortably 1o 130 ft.
And it is used for the entire dive.
"Travel Gas" is a concept usually associated with technical diving, multiple gases, and considerable complexity.

Agreed. This is way above the OP’s pay grade right now. And I still don’t get how the delayed specialties play into this.

 

[PfcAJ]

PP? Oriskany is a dive I want to do the second I’m fully educated to do so.

Aight, I'm seeing your logic. And what you're describing IS a technique used by technical diving in certain scenarios, usually hypoxic gases that you can't breath at the surface or perhaps an extended transit in a cave before descending to a deeper portion.

That said, for a dive like what you're describing, the answer would generally be "no", and air really isn't a good gas below 100' despite the "MOD" of 198. There's more to MOD than just the oxygen content when you start diving deeper than about 100'. Additional reasons being narcosis and gas density.

Gas switches like what you're talking about are generally avoided because if you make a mistake, you're really increasing the risk of an oxygen toxicity issue. That would be bad.

The training pipeline you're looking for to do a proper dive on the O involves a basic skill development course like GUE Fundamentals, NAUI Intro to Tech, etc, then an introductory trimix class like GUE Tech 1, IANTD normoxic trimix, etc. This will give you a respectable bottom time, safe decompression, and a clear head at the bottom so you can enjoy the dive.

Oh also a bunch of experience dives along the way.