Nitrox and Fatigue

[Stone]

Then:

- 60 fpm ascents were still being taught.
- My dives were in the 80 - 110 fsw range.
- We did 2-tank dives (on air) from a charter boat (meaning my wife and I had help getting gear on and off the boat).
- We dove until the computers ran out of green.

Now:

- Our ascents are 30 fpm.
- My dives are at the same 80 - 110 fsw sites.
- We do 3 and 4 tank dives (EANx32 - 36) from our boat (and I have to clean the damn boat).
- We still dive until the computers run out of green (same computers)

The obvious variables are the ascent rate and overall workload for the day. I made a "faster than normal" ascent (once) that made me feel like I had taken a benedryl, so I give ascent rate extra weight.

The evidence is still anecdotal, but 2-tank (half-day) dives on air from the old charter boat wore me out more than my current 4-tank (all-day) dives on Nitrox.

 

[ElectricZombie]

I do notice a reduction in fatigue when diving nitrox, especially over multiple dives.

Since adding deep stops and extending the 15' stop time, I feel great using either. Deep stops has really made a HUGE difference...In the past I would almost fall asleep driving home. Now I'm wide awake and ready to go.

The results are even better using Nitrox.

 

[dcostanza]

For those that might be wondering if WB416 made a typo when he indicated his stops, specifically the 4,3,2,1...it's not a typo! He really does stops at those depths! As a matter of fact, I wasn't aware that there was a universal signal for wanting to take a nap WHILE doing our stops, relaxation at it's finest,...but I learned this past weekend.

In all seriousness, I've found WB416 to be quite the diver, mentor and inspiration. ...Learn something new everytime we dive together...as always...thank you WB416!

Best Regards
Don

 

[wb416]

dcostanza once bubbled...
For those that might be wondering if WB416 made a typo when he indicated his stops, specifically the 4,3,2,1...it's not a typo! He really does stops at those depths! As a matter of fact, I wasn't aware that there was a universal signal for wanting to take a nap WHILE doing our stops, relaxation at it's finest,...but I learned this past weekend.

In all seriousness, I've found WB416 to be quite the diver, mentor and inspiration. ...Learn something new everytime we dive together...as always...thank you WB416!

Best Regards
Don

:embarr:

It's always good to dive someone that wants to learn more about diving... it's a pleasure to dive with ya!

 

[GQMedic]

I too have noticed less fatigue at even EAN32.

-Dennis

 

[leadweight]

I can't tell the difference between air and EAN 32 as far as fatigue goes. That was after an entire week of breathing EAN 32 just to see if it would reduce fatigue. Gas consumption is slightly lower with EAN 32. What really made a difference for me in fatigue was increasing the amount of diving that I do. That resulted in fine tuning trim, bouyancy and propulsion. Getting it together reduced the energy consumed per dive. During that transition my gas consumption fell as well.

I know a diver in his 70's who only uses air and he has more spunk than most men half his age.

 

[Walter]

lal7176,

I'd love to do some diving in CA, beach and boat. There are situations that arise from time to time that require more energy output than usual. Beach diving is one. Some current diving is another. I do both on a regular basis (but not in CA).

 

[ABQdiver]

wb416 once bubbled...
(snip)
Very deliberate 40, 30, 20, 10, 5,4,3,2,1 pauses leave me wanting more diving!! (obviously the depth of the dive will dictate other "pauses"/stops in your profile)

I have read and heard divers talking about deep stops before. While I try to take if very slowly in the ascents I don't delibertly make stops other than at 15' for at least 3min.

How long do you "pause" at those various depths?

 

[Arnaud]

In terms of fatigue, I have noticed a much bigger difference between diving wet and diving dry, than between Nitrox and air. I did multiple dives on EAN in Aruba not so long ago, all on EAN32. I felt much more fatigue after the second dive in a 3 mil shorty there than anyday in my drysuit in SoCal after 4 dives...

 

[DivingDoc]

Once I dived my first tank of nitrox, I never looked back. Haven't dived air at all since, except for really shallow dives (40 ft or less). I not only feel less fatigued, I feel really envigorated.

I am interested in this deep stops thing. I read in some SCUBA magazine that a deep stop at 1/2 of your max depth for 5 minutes in addition to your safety stop at 15 feet really helps.

I do mostly multilevel dives in tropical places -- typically, 80 to 100 fsw for the first dive and 50-60 for the second, with sometimes a night dive at 50-60 fsw. I really have not examined the effect of deliberate deep stops. In a multilevel dive, one typically goes to the deepest part first, then ambles one's way along, gradually going shallower and shallower. With Nitrox, I never run out of green on my dive computer. I go until I'm down to 600 or 700 PSI, and that generally gives me about 40-50 minutes for the first dive and an hour or more for the second.

I'd like to know how some of you people do their deep stops -- how do you figure out where to stop and for how long?

I generally do my safety stop for 5 minutes or even longer, depending on gas supply.