how many dives on a trip?

[cra2]

Have only done a single 2-tank boat trip per weekend so far.
When you guys go on a live-aboard, how many dives can you realistically do during a week? Multi-day, multi-diving.

I'm talking about the average diver, doing average dives (nitrox or air, 30-80', etc).
When you folks go to places like Bonaire, can you really (safely) be diving 4 and 5 times a day as I've heard rumored? Aren't some longer surface intervals required in there?

tanks,
cra2

 

[kent_1848]

Obviously depends on depth and time, but yeah, you can get 5 dives in no problem. Morning 2 tank, Afternoon 2 tank and a night dive. Never ran into a problem with surface interval time keeping me out making 5 dives a day.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Did 6 in a day on a recent trip to Roatan.

Dawn dive - 5:30 AM
Boat dives - 8:45 AM and 10:45 AM
Boat dives - 2:15 PM and 4:30 PM
Night dive - 7:30 PM

Total bottom time, 5 hours & 19 minutes

Slept real well that night ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[triton94949]

Have only done a single 2-tank boat trip per weekend so far.
When you guys go on a live-aboard, how many dives can you realistically do during a week? Multi-day, multi-diving.

I'm talking about the average diver, doing average dives (nitrox or air, 30-80', etc).
When you folks go to places like Bonaire, can you really (safely) be diving 4 and 5 times a day as I've heard rumored? Aren't some longer surface intervals required in there?

tanks,
cra2

With nitrox, combined with 1 hour surface intervals, and a 2 hour break at lunch, you can do 4 to 5 dives per day. That is not in question by most divers.

What is in question is how many consecutive days of diving like that is conservative?

Two days in a row is certainly no problem. Three days is probably ok as well.

Most experts would recommend that you take the 4th day off from diving and relax.

Others will tell you that from their own anecdotal experience they can do 5 days in a row like this.

I think you should find your own limits. But I would suggest you take it slow, with 3 consecutive days as your max, and then a day off to rest, the first trip.

 

[triton94949]

Did 6 in a day on a recent trip to Roatan.

Dawn dive - 5:30 AM
Boat dives - 8:45 AM and 10:45 AM
Boat dives - 2:15 PM and 4:30 PM
Night dive - 7:30 PM

Total bottom time, 5 hours & 19 minutes

Slept real well that night ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

What was your mix, Bob?

EAN 36? EAN 32? Air??

 

[triton94949]

Obviously depends on depth and time, but yeah, you can get 5 dives in no problem. Morning 2 tank, Afternoon 2 tank and a night dive. Never ran into a problem with surface interval time keeping me out making 5 dives a day.

How many consecutive days, Kent?

 

[kent_1848]

How many consecutive days, Kent?

1st day 3 dives
2nd day 4 dives
3rd day 5 dives
4th day 2 dives
5th day 5 dives
6th day 3 dives
7th day 2 dives
and on the 8th day I rested and saw what I had done and was pleased

 

[kent_1848]

Triton is right, you could try doing 5 days in a row of 5 dives, but I wouldn't recommend it. You don't want to have to take a vacation after your vacation because you are so tired. Also, 5 dives a day leaves little time for anything else. If you are going on a live aboard, well, there may not be much else to do. If that is the case, I would definately get nitrox certified if I were you.

 

[herman]

We typically do 3 or 4 dives a day when on Bonaire and a 4-5th night dive. We typically dive 32% nitrox and most dives are in the 40ft range with 60 to 75 minute bottom times. With the exception of the 1 or 2 deep (~100ft) dives we do, the computers stay well within the NDL's. One reason is if you follow the shore profile of Bonaire you will spend a good bit of time in 15-20 ft of water. We do this on purpose for the extended bottom time and it creates some long deco stops. There is really no need to go deeper, there are plenty of fish and coral in the shallows.

 

[Damselfish]

I probably average 4 a day on a liveaboard or 3 land based, including night dives. I've tried doing 5 on a liveaboard and it was too much for me, partly just because it doesn't leave enough time to relax. Some day in the middle of a trip I drop to 3 on a liveaboard or 2 landbased which usually leaves a long enough interval to clear my computer, or close. I usually dive 32%.

On a liveaboard some of your surface intervals actually tend to be longer than when you do day boats and 2 tank dives, where you typically have an hour or less between those dives.