Two recent articles on Nitrox

[HowardE]

Theoritical? Right.

That's fine if other people only think it's theoretical right?? Let them wait for nitrox divers on the boat while we enjoy our "theoretical" extended bottom time. :laughing:

 

[TheRedHead]

A typical nitrox dive for me is 100' wreck. Nothing above the wreck only green sea and 10' vis. Quite what you would do in that "using up your No Stop time or remaining gas" beats me - looking at your buddy's BC maybe, or reading a book?

That situation would be a reef with a sloping bottom in places like Bonaire. And since you can do 4 or more dives a day in Bonaire, Nitrox is the way to go.

 

[PerroneFord]

I don't care if I am only doing ONE dive a day, nitrox (assuming appropriate depths) is always the way I am going to go.

 

[HowardE]

That situation would be a reef with a sloping bottom in places like Bonaire. And since you can do 4 or more dives a day in Bonaire, Nitrox is the way to go.

Another good example is at one of my favorite dive sites in Boynton Beach, FL

The average depths are 60-70' - let's compare.

Let's use the PADI tables for Air, and EANx 36%, and compare my typical dive plan

I'll round off to 65 feet... I do 55 minutes of bottom time, and then I start my ascent. Do a 30-40 minute surface interval, and then another 55 minutes of BT.

Air - Dive1 PG = Oops - I'm off the tables... In Deco.

EANx36 - Dive 1 - PG = "P" - 40 min SI ... PG = "H" - Dive 2 - PG = W

But I guess this is only a theoretical advantage.

 

[TheRedHead]

I don't care if I am only doing ONE dive a day, nitrox (assuming appropriate depths) is always the way I am going to go.

Do you dive Nitrox on the 30 foot Keys reef dives? That's once instance where I usually don't.

 

[HowardE]

Do you dive Nitrox on the 30 foot Keys reef dives? That's once instance where I usually don't.

Me? I do. 40% (if I'm bringing my own tanks - pre-filled) - If I have to get fills in the Keys, I usually do the wrecks on 30-32% (whatever I end up with) and air for a shallow reef. ONLY because they charge SO MUCH MORE in the Keys for nitrox fills than Fill Express (who spoil us all in S FL)

I dive nitrox when I dive on my reef 15-20 FSW - only because it doesn't cost any more than air at Fill Express... Otherwise, I might think differently.

 

[chrisch]

That situation would be a reef with a sloping bottom in places like Bonaire.

Sounds nice. Bit of a drive though dude..

Chris

 

[TheRedHead]

I think it is about $10 in the Keys. You are a lucky dog, Howard, but you know that.

 

[HowardE]

I think it is about $10 in the Keys. You are a lucky dog, Howard, but you know that.

You know... almost every time I'm in Fill Express, I bump into another ScubaBoarder. Some people drive 20-30 miles to fill up there. Which if your filling 6-8 tanks, and/or doubles, it's worth the trip. I have 8 tanks, and fill them all at once. Usually I fill one or two with 32% just in case someone wants to make a run for the keys.

 

[scubadobadoo]

Another good example is at one of my favorite dive sites in Boynton Beach, FL

The average depths are 60-70' - let's compare.

Let's use the PADI tables for Air, and EANx 36%, and compare my typical dive plan

I'll round off to 65 feet... I do 55 minutes of bottom time, and then I start my ascent. Do a 30-40 minute surface interval, and then another 55 minutes of BT.

Air - Dive1 PG = Oops - I'm off the tables... In Deco.

EANx36 - Dive 1 - PG = "P" - 40 min SI ... PG = "H" - Dive 2 - PG = W

But I guess this is only a theoretical advantage.

And all this math is coming from what? THEORY. Theory ,that BTW sometimes is completely unexplainable when someone gets bent at 40 feet after 10 minutes. Of course you get more time. Of course it is safer. Of course there is an advantage. I never said there wasn't. I am refering to the number of people hit on air versus the number of people not hit using nitrox. The simple fact is that WE CAN'T PROVE THAT NITROX USE HAS LEAD TO FEWER HITS for the average rec diver and Mike above pointed out exactly why, so I am not going to repeat him. BT advantage? Yes. ANYONE CAN CLEARLY SEE AND EXPERIENCE THE BT ADVANTAGE especially for a week of diving on a liveabored trip. Good for you. You can do basic math. The less risk advantage is a LITTLE HARDER TO PROVE although we all understand it is there. SO yes, it is theoretical at this point.

I think the SD article was written from the perspective of nitrox being taught to be a cure all for new divers and when viewed like that, it isn't really a negative article. The titlt of the article sets up his point of view clearly. The article is being written for rec divers and not decompression divers Perrone.

Nitrox won't save you from getting bent, it may help, but how you use it is far more important than the actual advantage of less nitrogen. That is what I read in the article.