Nitrox on OW course

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candudave

candudave

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Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
# of dives
50 - 99
A colleague recently completed dives 3 and 4 of her OW course and she told me they used nitrox for the dives. When I looked at her in amazement and said that Nitrox is a specialty and divers should be able to analyze their own mixture she said " oh the instructor checked them all".
Has anyone else heard of this?
 
I know of someone who did what appeared to be a "combined course" of OW certification and Nitrox. I dont know if it meant that the instructor was checking the tanks. I hope not.
 
Why not? I did a couple of 'introductory Nitrox dives' with two different dive shops and they took care of everything including a DM. I decided that because of the type of diving I did it wasn't for me. I don't see the problem.
 
I was recently on a boat for a few days in Mexico and there was a decent sized group with a shop that was doing their OW cert dives, and during the pre-dive briefing they announced that anyone who wanted to dive Nitrox could as long as they were with the instructors. I thought that was interesting, especially since the majority of their group was students who wouldn't even be OW certified until the following day. Would be terrible to see divers who haven’t been taught the ins and outs of Nitrox make a simple mistake that could have serious consequences. As we have all read about how well groups always stay together while diving. (Insert sarcasm here)
I have talked to several OW divers that have made the comment that they can’t wait to get Nitrox certified so they can “dive deeper!” SHEESH.
 
Another example of the dumbing down of certs in favor of profits. We still require dives and that students do not only know how to use the nitrox tables but also how calculate END's, MOD's, and analyze their own mixes. Any instructor who would allow students to use a gas they are not trained for is a disgrace to the profession. Any agency that would permit it is as well.
 
jim lapenta:
another example of the dumbing down of certs in favor of profits. We still require dives and that students do not only know how to use the nitrox tables but also how calculate end's, mod's, and analyze their own mixes. Any instructor who would allow students to use a gas they are not trained for is a disgrace to the profession. Any agency that would permit it is as well.
Click to expand...

Hear Hear!!
 
Garrobo:
Why not? I did a couple of 'introductory Nitrox dives' with two different dive shops and they took care of everything including a DM. I decided that because of the type of diving I did it wasn't for me. I don't see the problem.
Click to expand...

The problem is that people make mistakes.

Anesthesiologists have turned off wrong valves during surgery and caused deaths or permanent brain damage in healthy patients.

When you are allowing someone else to verify the mix in your tank you are potentially placing your LIFE in the hands of a stranger.

People get separated during scuba dives and they don't always stick to the planned dive profile.

If you're not Nitrox certified you may not understand the true risk. Without getting too technical...if the mix is too high in oxygen, and you get too deep, you can get convulsions and be unable to breathe.

That makes staying alive somewhat "tricky".
 
This is another example of the "Oh my!" over reaction. If the dives were shallow and the mix was indeed checked by a professional what's the big deal? Really, Nitrox is not some exotic, mystical mix of super special gases, it is just a little more oxygen.

As for the "dumbing down of certs in favor of profits." comment, I just don't see any dumbing down or additional profits being made by the OP's post.

Fact: Nitrox is cheap and certainly will do no harm to the student in a teaching environment. It only becomes dangerous at depths far below any open water student would be going.
 
idocsteve:
Without getting too technical...if the mix is too high in oxygen, and you get too deep, you can get convulsions and be unable to breathe.
Click to expand...

Like Jim said "another example of the dumbing down of certs in favor of profits." After my normal SCUBA program, all of my students could be briefed on Nitrox and Oxtox tables and in less than 30 minutes of instruction, dive Nitrox safely. Somehow it has been made into yet another program to turn a buck.

People seem to forget that AIR IS NITROX!
 
DCBC:
Like Jim said "another example of the dumbing down of certs in favor of profits." After my normal SCUBA program, all of my students could be briefed on Nitrox and Oxtox tables and in less than 30 minutes of instruction, dive Nitrox safely. Somehow it has been made into yet another program to turn a buck.

People seem to forget that AIR IS NITROX!
Click to expand...

True enough. So your objection is that there is actually a course for basic Nitrox use?
 
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