Flower Gardens Trip - Should I get Nitrox Certified?

[Wookie]

I have thousands of dives in the flower gardens. As senior divemaster Kenny Cruse would say, “air is for putting in your tires, nitrox is for putting in you”.

Yes

 

[Dan]

Last year my dive buddy and I were the last ones that were still in the water. Suddenly a school of Giant Trevally just swam around us. That was incredible.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Short answer-yes. Long answer-yeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssss

Get the card, geezer gas makes a difference and air hog or not, less nitrogen build up is safer no matter what your consumption rate is.

Enjoy the trip, hope the weather cooperates.
Jay

 

[Dan]

I have thousands of dives in the flower gardens. As senior divemaster Kenny Cruse would say, “air is for putting in your tires, nitrox is for putting in you”.

Yes

Some fancy sport cars now use nitrogen to inflate the tires instead of air

 

[Wookie]

Some fancy sport cars now use nitrogen to inflate the tires instead of air

Yes. Oxygen breaks down and goes through tire material.

 

[pauldw]

From another post on ScubaBoard. Do 1.4, not 1.6.

 

[Icyymike]

Last year my dive buddy and I were the last ones that were still in the water. Suddenly a school of Giant Trevally just swam around us. That was incredible.

I am so pumped. Apparently the sand sharks are out and about. Reported they saw them every dive this weekend. Hope we get lucky too.

 

[Dan]

I am so pumped. Apparently the sand sharks are out and about. Reported they saw them every dive this weekend. Hope we get lucky too.

Yes, the sandbar shark is a resident of Stetson Bank #1, just off the dropff to 100’. As you see in my video. It likes to sneak up behind you.

 

[nolatom]

The first time I dived there almost 20 years ago, it was on air, as were my buddies, none of us had Nitrox cert as I recall, and nitrox wasn't quite as ubiquitous as it is nowadays.
It was okay, as during that first year, gas was my limiting factor rather than nitrogen load. And my hockey puck computer was not nitrox compatible anyhow. And I kept it less than 100' which I recall was the boat's rule.

Then I got Nitrox cert, and computer, about a year in (with not all that many dives, maybe 25 or so). By then I needed it, as my gas consumption had improved, and Nitrogen loading was beginning to be my limiting factor.
Nowadays "air is rare", and Nitrox is common. I use air only on the shallow venues. Also it can be a bit awkward if you don't have Nitrox and buddy does, or vice-versa.

Enjoy the Flower Gardens! A beautiful venue, and the operators are good. If you're lucky enough to get a platform dive and/or a Stetson Bank dive, that's the trifecta.

PS: listen to Wookie, he was the Captain, and later the owner as well, for most all of my FGB/Stetson trips.