Nitrox Certification

I am considering certifying to dive with Nitrox. I am a warm water recreational diver who is now retired and planning on doing more diving. Most of my diving thus far is during week long dive trips to several different Caribbean islands. Is there really enough benefit gained by a diver like me certifying Nitrox?

Also I noticed I can get certified just by doing an online course. Is this OK, advisable or is there significant advantage to taking the course at a LDS? WHat are the typical costs of such courses. The one I saw for online cert was listed at $89.95 USD.

A few thoughts to help you decide for yourself.

For most new divers, the benefits of nitrox are negligible, since they're going to be time-limited by their air consumption anyway. As you gain experience, develop better technique, and improve your air consumption, the benefits of nitrox may reach the point where it's worth the expense.

The nitrox class isn't very expensive, and it's probably the easiest diving class you'll ever take. The cost, however, isn't so much the class as it is the fills ... on a week-long dive trip they can be upwards of a couple hundred dollars.

The benefits of recreational nitrox increase as your dives get deeper (within reason ... the most benefits are in the 70-100 foot range) ... or if you're planning to do multiple dives per day over multiple consecutive days. If you're doing relatively shallow dives ... 50 feet or less ... you're not going to be time-limited diving air.

To answer your question about an online course, it depends on you. Are you the type of person who can impose the self-discipline to do an online course? Do you benefit from personal interaction with a live instructor ... or are you the sort who, if you have a question, knows how to research to find the answer? Of all scuba classes out there, nitrox usually makes the most sense as an online class ... it's mostly about understanding the limits of oxygen exposure and calculating your maximum operating depth.

For a stand-up nitrox class I typically charge $150. That comes with two dives and I supply two tanks of nitrox for the student. My agency doesn't require me to offer any dives for this class ... but I don't see the point in a diving class that doesn't include diving ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Why do you end your dives? Low air or maxed out bottom time? If low on air then unless you get bigger tanks it won't help a lot assuming longer bottom time is your goal.

Class in my area is 100 for shop 50 for instructor. 3 hour class you do the book work ahead of class. Discussion, dive tables, test, and teach you how to and make you analyze a tank.

Online is fine. You do have to check a tank and determine O2.

Depends. When you end the dive is it because of NDL or PSI (air). If it is because of NDL, then the nitrox will generally give you more NDL or increase your safety margin as for Nitrogen loading. How many dives a day do you do? Two shallow reefs? 4 dives some of them more in the 60-80 range.

How many spare pennies do you have? I dive nitrox all the time locally since tanks are filled without fully knowing where I will be diving. Some only use it on dives where there is a clear advantage.

Recreational diver is an undefined term since anything above 130 ft can be called a recreational dive if no mandatory deco.

--Jon_R posted while I wrote this.

mostlyirish:

I am considering certifying to dive with Nitrox. Is there really enough benefit gained by a diver like me certifying Nitrox? Also I noticed I can get certified just by doing an online course. Is this OK, advisable or is there significant advantage to taking the course at a LDS?

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As several have said, the choices are really up to you. My additional thoughts:

'Online' can mean several different things. In PADI-land, you can complete the academic portion 'online' (eLearning) but still need to link up with a shop to compete the cylinder analysis, simulated dive planning, and examination. Other agencies may vary. Some things to avoid: There is an 'online' certification available through an entity known as SDA - this is not a legitimate certification and probably will not be recognized by any competent LDS or dive op. Similarly, the 'Online Scuba Lessons' / 'Online Nitrox Lessons' website is suspect. Come to our LDS with a card from them, and we wouldn't fill your cylinders. Perhaps, others would.

mostlyirish:

WHat are the typical costs of such courses. The one I saw for online cert was listed at $89.95 USD.

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Prices vary by region, by operation, by what is included. As Bob pointed out, he offers a course that includes two dives. In contrast, at present, in the PADI world, dives are optional. I completed two nitrox dives when I took the course years ago, and now teach the course that does not include dives. Honestly, I do see that I benefited materially from having the dives, but that is just my personal view.

In our LDS, we charge $79 for a 'dry' nitrox class. That is a 4-5 hour 'live' course that includes academics, dive planning, cylinder analysis, etc. From my perspective, an $89.95 online course is overpriced, but it may be more convenient for you.

mostlyirish:

....

Also I noticed I can get certified just by doing an online course. Is this OK, advisable or is there significant advantage to taking the course at a LDS? WHat are the typical costs of such courses. The one I saw for online cert was listed at $89.95 USD.

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Which online cert course did you see? One in particlar is a "scam".

I did SDI online Nitrox. After I completed the online I had to meet with an instructor who observed me as I checked the O2 content of tanks. I believe we also discussed some Nitrox related topics but not sure if that was part of the course. I still carry the SDI Nitrox tables with me although I have added lines for 1.2 and 1.3 in addition to the 1.4 and 1.6 which are on the table. Tables also good since they also cover mixes other than 32 and 36. I usually dive 30 and once in a while 28.

Assuming you have read your table right, or set your computer right, a Nitrox dive is identical to an air dive in terms of dive activities. But always good to dive more.

I really want to thank everyone for the responses. The SDA and "online Nitrox lessons" site are the one I was considering. I am at a point now where my air consumption is no longer the limiting factor for my dives. It is typically the dive operator request to be back onboard within X depending on the location/operator. I typically book the week with 2 or 3 dives per day. Based on the input I think doing a class at a LDS is probably the better choice. Although I have no problem reading, researching and learning online, I benefit more by reading ahead then listening and doing. Again I appreciate the insightful input from you folks.

What others said. If you find that you keep having to ascend or cut dives short because you're getting close to NDL's then Nitrox will help. I did my nitrox course with SDI. I read the book, answered the questions on line, then sat the test and went through filling the tank at the dive shop.

One major benefit of EAN not mentioned here is recovery and feeling after diving. I regularly used to use a 40% mix for all the shallow dives when assisting AOW courses (4 dives, PPB, night, Naturalist, Nav) and air on the deep. using air for all 5 dives on the weekend I would go home tired each night of the weekend and unable to do anything that night. on 40% I'm feeling chipper and OK to see friends and actually have a social life.