Decompression Stop Guidelines - What we have to do if got deco alert?

[teknitroxdiver]

So? Lots of shops and divers promote themselves on ScubaBoard. I'm way OK with that. My problem isn't with them using us to promote themselves. It's with the incomplete as well as alarmist verbiage they used. No, we won't accommodate non-scuba attempts to do the same, I guess because we're so biased. But look at the discussion it has engendered. I think it's good overall.

That was a large part of my point. The blog link wouldn't even raise an eyebrow if not for the gross incompetence and utter lack of interest in actually being useful. We read many posts here by competent instructors and scuba business owners who express themselves well, cover the topic at hand with valuable, accurate information, and actually engage the rest of the forum in discussion.

Those business are effective at attracting customers via their ScubaBoard activity because we can see that they're real divers who know their stuff. And most of us really enjoy hearing from them as we always learn something. If anything the OP is doing the opposite. Would you jump at the chance to get your DM from a shop that advises divers to write their emergency deco "rules" on the back of their dive computer?

I'm not saying they should be banned or prohibited from posting links. Just pointing out that road they're taking here is definitely not the high one.

 

[boulderjohn]

That was a large part of my point. The blog link wouldn't even raise an eyebrow if not for the gross incompetence and utter lack of interest in actually being useful. We read many posts here by competent instructors and scuba business owners who express themselves well, cover the topic at hand with valuable, accurate information, and actually engage the rest of the forum in discussion. Those business are effective at attracting customers via their ScubaBoard activity because we can see that they're real divers who know their stuff. And most of us really enjoy hearing from them as we always learn something. If anything the OP is doing the opposite. Would you jump at the chance to get your DM from a shop that advises divers to write their emergency deco "rules" on the back of their dive computer?

I'm not saying they should be banned or prohibited from posting links. Just pointing out that road they're taking here is definitely not the high one.

If you go back to my first post in this thread, you will see that I said their blog is frightening. They are supposed to be an instructor development center, yet their advice in the blog is so very wrong that any instructor teaching a basic OW class should recognize it immediately. If you have ever graded a recent OW course test and helped students through their wrong answers, you will see that their comments in this blog are wrong.

If nothing else, anyone reading this thread after reading the blog will see this and steer clear of them. IN that case, it is doing a real service.

I assume that they have not read a word since starting the thread. Maybe someone should write to them and tell them what is going on.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Resort + Wall Dive + Tourists = Unplanned decompression dives will be a reality and divemasters should seek qualified instruction so they can quickly plan a deco dive on the fly as well as safely guide divers through unplanned decompression stops.

 

[boulderjohn]

divemasters should seek qualified instruction so they can quickly plan a deco dive on the fly

That training is part of beginning OW instruction now, which is part of the discussion of this thread--the OP does not seem to know that.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

That training is part of beginning OW instruction now, which is part of the discussion of this thread--the OP does not seem to know that.

I specified, "qualified."

 

[lermontov]

Thanks @Lorenzoid for the more than kind words. I hope to live up to them one day!

So ratchet down on the alarmism and give a better idea on the strategies needed to resolve the issue.

I sat in on my daughter OW class a while ago and had to bite my tongue when the instructor told them ' never, ever, under any circumstances exceed your NDL"

No caveat, no explanation - nothing -the look of abject terror on the face of the students said it all-

 

[joe10540]

Then you have to realize that with some computers conservativeness at 100 feet OMG YOU HAVE MANDATORY DECO and when you ascend somewhere around 60 feet you get the dude your good you got 60 minutes of NDL still. I was diving with some friends and my computer was beeping away telling me I had over 20 minutes of mandatory deco and their computers hadn't even cracked NDL yet. Sure enough by 40 feet I was back in the black on my NDL clock. It's not emergency decompression unless it's going to be a real obligation that you don't have the gas to do. Heck in my case it wasn't even unplanned decompression as it cleared on a slow ascent.

 

[cipherbreak]

I'm going to write PADI and recommend they change the term to Possible-Emergency, Unplanned, Incidental, Mandatory Decompression Stop (or PEUI-MDS). That should make everyone happy.

 

[lermontov]

Then you have to realize that with some computers conservativeness at 100 feet OMG YOU HAVE MANDATORY DECO and when you ascend somewhere around 60 feet you get the dude your good you got 60 minutes of NDL still. I was diving with some friends and my computer was beeping away telling me I had over 20 minutes of mandatory deco and their computers hadn't even cracked NDL yet. Sure enough by 40 feet I was back in the black on my NDL clock. It's not emergency decompression unless it's going to be a real obligation that you don't have the gas to do. Heck in my case it wasn't even unplanned decompression as it cleared on a slow ascent.

yes and probably most of us have done it- the warnings alarms (whatever terminology ) are for these who dont have a grasp on deco obligations or are unable to calculate on the fly ( or have not allowed for gas reserves)or know that my few minutes past NDL at 27m will clear as soon as i get shallower.
I'm sure the organisations are aware alf all these issues but probably for liability and structuring a progressive training regime have to have a cut off point in order to establish safety boundaries for those who may not at a later stage do their Deco procedures course. I agree with their stance on not going past NDL divers without training

Its really a matter of how to introduce technical issues without doing a technical course(DP)and im not sure if its possible without an intermediate course call it "how to deal with accidentally exceeding NDL' or whatever you like for those who dont want to do DP course ( why not i say)
In an ideal world you can teach new divers about all theses things in OW course but most new divers have enough trouble just getting the newly found skills established.

 

[DevonDiver]

Then you have to realize that with some computers conservativeness at 100 feet OMG YOU HAVE MANDATORY DECO and when you ascend somewhere around 60 feet you get the dude your good you got 60 minutes of NDL still. I was diving with some friends and my computer was beeping away telling me I had over 20 minutes of mandatory deco and their computers hadn't even cracked NDL yet. Sure enough by 40 feet I was back in the black on my NDL clock. It's not emergency decompression unless it's going to be a real obligation that you don't have the gas to do. Heck in my case it wasn't even unplanned decompression as it cleared on a slow ascent.

Firstly,.do you understand WHY you were given deco and WHY it clears on ascent?

Secondly, do you understand the situations when it WON'T clear on ascent, or may even continue to rise?

(and yes, it WAS decompression... ALL decompression clears on ascent... what differs is the necessary speed of ascent... you can consider stops as simply a method of dictating ascent speed)

The point about no-stop diving is that the minimal training and testing done to get that level of certification has to be tempered and balanced by ensuring you always maintain the option of a direct, timely, ascent to the surface.

You may not consider it emergency decompression if you have enough gas... but that absolutely ignores any unforeseen contingency that might arise.

Contingencies that you haven't planned or prepared to deal with whenever immediately surfacing ceases to be your safeguard option.

A little experience can be a bad thing. Enough to think you know better, but not enough to have encountered the inevitable issues that show you don't...