Slamfire
Contributor
Getting an eventual hit after many, many dives is NOT inescapable. Yes, I understand the analogy and I believe it is well intentioned when it is aimed at de-stigmatizing bends. Anybody on any algorithm can get a hit. But I do not look at it with approving eyes when it can be used as a blanket statement to excuse less than effective deco strategies.The analogy is: If you play American Football long enough, you will eventually get a concussion. It used to be okay just so you don't get a lot of serious Grade III's . . .
I know some very experienced deco divers that have never had to take chamber rides or IWR to treat bends. I believe I read in somewhere that Steve Lewis (aka Doppler) is one of these cases. My tech instructor never took a chamber ride in spite of spending decades teaching TDI's deep air courses in the cold, dark waters of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. He was also very regularly organizing and executing dives to Pacific Northwest wrecks like the Admiral Sampson (320fsw) and the Bunker Hill (280 fsw). I've never taken a chamber ride, and, knock on wood, I hope I never have to.
"The only way to guarantee that you will not get a DCS hit is to avoid diving altogether". While I accept this to be true in and of itself, I refuse to use it as an excuse.