Air sharing as part of a dive plan on Coz dives?

[Johnsaffer]

A couple of threads and trip reports have suggested that Aldora uses steels to extend air time but there has also been reference to the fact that Air Hogs often share air with the DM to extend eveyones diving so that all can come up together. Is this true or am I misunderstanding?

As far as I understand it air sharing is a life saving contingency and not part of a standard dive plan and sending a dive buddy pair up a line to a safety sausage for pickup is a reasonable plan and is certainly preferable to air sharing. Air sharing besides a new skill also ties the DM's hands so that he is less able to deal with a real emergency or a real out of air situation. If anyone can give me a little more info I would appreciate - Thanks John

 

[ggunn]

A couple of threads and trip reports have suggested that Aldora uses steels to extend air time but there has also been reference to the fact that Air Hogs often share air with the DM to extend eveyones diving so that all can come up together. Is this true or am I misunderstanding?

As far as I understand it air sharing is a life saving contingency and not part of a standard dive plan and sending a dive buddy pair up a line to a safety sausage for pickup is a reasonable plan and is certainly preferable to air sharing. Air sharing besides a new skill also ties the DM's hands so that he is less able to deal with a real emergency or a real out of air situation. If anyone can give me a little more info I would appreciate - Thanks John

Well, I have shared air with my wife in a non-lifesaving situation. She neglected to check her tank pressure before descending one morning (hold the lectures, please; lesson learned ), and when she showed me her console when we collected at the bottom, it was showing only 1200 psi. I put her on my octo and we dove like Peter Pan and Wendy until my tank was also at 1200 psi, then we split up and finished the dive. No swimthroughs, of course.

 

[paulw]

I put her on my octo and we dove like Peter Pan and Wendy until my tank was also at 1200 psi, then we split up and finished the dive. No swimthroughs, of course.

Nice move, I like it

 

[jbird71]

I see this happen (air sharing with DMs) all the time, and I don't see a problem. In fact, as a non-air hog, I appreciate it.

In the event of an emergency, it would take about 2 seconds for the DM to disengage and lend assistance where needed. And this practice is only done at shallower depths where the risk is limited.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I routinely share air with my sons to extend my dive time, with a long hose it is so simple even a caveman ca do it. The fact that we are drilling for a OOA situation is a nice bonus. No problem unless either one of you gets below rock bottom pressure.

 

[pelagic_by_nature]

When I dove with Aldora this past spring, the plan was that the first person to hit 1000 psi shared air with the divemaster until the second person hit 1000 psi. At that point, everybody ascended together. Seemed perfectly reasonable to me.

 

[5615mike]

When I dove with Aldora this past spring, the plan was that the first person to hit 1000 psi shared air with the divemaster until the second person hit 1000 psi. At that point, everybody ascended together. Seemed perfectly reasonable to me.

I have been diving with Aldora two times a year for almost 10 years. The plan outlined above is correct and has never changed. Doubt it ever will. Cant wait to see them the end of Sept.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

That is the Aldora Divers standard procedure, except it is not an immediate ascent when 2 or more are at 1000 psi, but a slow ascend from our maximum depth towards a safety stop. We normally only get out when at 500 psi or less, depending on conditions.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[pelagic_by_nature]

a slow ascend from our maximum depth towards a safety stop.

of course

 

[TSandM]

I don't have any issue with sharing gas as a routine procedure, so long as both divers have adequate reserves while it is being down. My husband and I often share gas for five minutes or so, to equalize supply, when we are diving rental tanks. (At home, he just dives bigger ones.) It has the nice side effect of having people practicing both air-sharing and buoyancy control while sharing gas. To do it comfortably, though, you won't be sharing gas on a 40" octo hose.