Deep Stop on Dive over 100 ft? California Wreck

[boulderjohn]

Dudes not talking about doing deco. The deep stop he is referring to is the “recreational deep stop”.

Simple answer, it won’t hurt you to do a deep stop. The initial reason that agencies started teaching recreational deep stops is that many divers are still ascending too damn fast. The deep stop and the safety stop for recreational divers is a tool to limit the ascent rate average.

Which agencies teach deep stops for recreational diving? I know of UTD, GUE, and NAUI. Who else?

Now that tomfcrist explained the ascent rate and why they started doing rec deep stops it makes much more sense to me. I agree its only 1:30 on my watch so why not.

"Why not?" How about "Why?"

Here is the DAN discussion with a panel of experts on the question of recreational deep stops. They are nearly unanimous in saying don't do them.
Alert Diver | Deep Stops

 

[IncreaseMyT]

"Why not?" How about "Why?"

I hear you loud and clear, just saying I understand why not. After the feedback in this thread have decided to leave the deep stop function on my watch off, and just be super cautious with ascent rate, which I am anyway because I have an ascent rate bar graph on my watch and if I go too fast it yells at me.

The watch has to be super conservative too cause even at a slow ascent it will yell at me sometimes.

 

[sea_ledford]

For your first dive to 130, maybe not take a spear gun? I know sacrilege!
Especially if it is cold and dark the narcosis is no joke the first time around. I was teaching a deep class and one diver got so narked she couldn't even re-clip her SPG. At 90 feet. This is someone I do 130' research dives with, but not in cold and dark. It makes a big difference.

-Chris

 

[IncreaseMyT]

For your first dive to 130, maybe not take a spear gun? I know sacrilege!
-Chris

LOL so true, the only dives I have ever done without a speargun were my first 2 dives in Key Largo for my OW cert. I will def keep that suggestion in mind, but also keep in mind the Baja California wreck is 70 miles offshore and its rare to be able to get out to it. Usually too windy, or can't get the guys together to do it.

I guess I didn't contemplate narcosis, I have done a handful of dives at 95 feet, here in SWFL if you don't go at least 40 miles offshore you can't see anything.

Another thing that worries me without a speargun, is as soon as someone down there shoots a fish the place with be crawling with suits that are in a frenzy. Its nice to have that gun to poke them away from you.

We will see though, we are also doing 110 foot dive and I may skip the first one, its possible we will need someone to stay on the boat and if we do I will take on the duty at that dive.

I have never been narced, so just not sure what it even is, or if I was, I didn't realize it. Ive never let my watch go into deco mode either, the truth is no reason to over here, its like a desert with a few things here and there, doesn't take much time to see it all.

 

[TMHeimer]

As long as you understand that on a deep stop you are still taking up N2 in the slower tissue compartments, and your tables/computer compensate for it, no worries. Personally, I'd rather get shallow quickly and hang out in the sun. I don't need a gimmick to tell me if I'm exceeding ascent rates or any of that crap. So while it may not hurt, it doesn't help. And you use more gas the deeper you are.

Yeah, that's exactly my view. I don't dive deep often at all, but am quite able to make a safe ascent rate.
From what I recall, the deep stop idea was kind of "in vogue" until somewhat recently, like the last several years.

 

[tomfcrist]

For what it’s worth, there is also ample evidence that doing bounce dives following deep dives (either in deco or on the edge of NDL) is unwise.

 

[tomfcrist]

Which agenceis teach deep stops for recreational diving? I know of UTD, GUE, and NAUI. Who else?

I don’t know...

 

[tomfcrist]

Here is the DAN discussion with a panel of experts on the question of recreational deep stops. They are nearly unanimous in saying don't do them.
Alert Diver | Deep Stops

I didn’t get that from the discussion at all. They mainly said don’t do it arbitrarily, but if the computer or tables call for it, then it certainly won’t hurt to do it.

Furthermore, there is just as little evidence for effectiveness of safety stops at 15’. That’s not to say there is zero evidence for either....go back to the DAN article on deep stops from 2011, where the addition of a deep stop and a shallow stop decreased incidence of bubbling as seen on Doppler from 30% to zero. It was more effective than a slow ascent, or a slow ascent with only a shallow safety stop.

I personally don’t care about either type of stop nor if anyone chooses to use them. I am a firm believer that within NDL, a slow (20-30 fpm) ascent is good enough. Worrying about having enough gas to do a bounce dive after a 130’ dive is bananas to me. Don’t do the bounce dive.

 

[lowviz]

...//... Furthermore, there is just as little evidence for effectiveness of safety stops at 15’. ...

Damn! Someone actually had the brass to put it to text. Yeah, you'll probably live.

My way of looking at it is that doing the shallow safety stop means that you didn't cork from 60+ feet. That last half-atmosphere compressed into two body lengths is something worth taking one's time with. Do the gradients...

 

[RVBldr]

Been reading this thread.... it strikes me that the OP has a listed total of 0-24 dives, and self-admits not knowing how to calculate detailed air consumption, has a high consumption rate, and the solution is to just carry 130 cf and a pony. Add in task saturation with spearfishing, and we're talking a potential for some potential risk here. Not telling anyone how to dive, but rather suggest to tread lightly! I'd think that spearfishing at 130' fsw is prime for some EANX discussion.