no O2 on boat - would you dive with operator?

[paddyp]

I'm in the very late stages of planning a diving trip. As an afterthought I asked the operator if they carried O2 on board their boat. They have just told me that they don't.

I really need opinions on this quick. Would <you> dive on a boat that carried no O2. Would O2 be a prerequisite when you choose a dive operator?

Just for your information. The dive sites could be up to 1 hour away from the island I'm staying on, where O2 would be available. I'd be about maximum 2 hours from a chamber.

I'm very inexperienced and I really appreciate any advice given. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Paul

 

[landfish]

dont go or bring your own!

 

[DepartureDiver]

dont go or bring your own!

I agree. But if you do go without oxygen, dive VERY conservative with very slow ascents. Divers can get what seem to be undeserved hits and you never know when this could happen to you. Most sport divers go do beach dives all the time without oxygen, but they are at least where they can call for emergency services and get some oxygen that way. If they aren't they should be carrying their own oxygen with them. Divers have already invested in underwater life support. They should also invest in some on the surface life support too.

 

[HammerNoMore]

Would O2 be a prerequisite when you choose a dive operator?

I would not go on a boat without O2. In fact, I expect its location to be inlcuding in the dive breifing.

James

 

[pipedope]

I would say it depends on the location and nature of the dives planned.

If the water is deeper than about 60' or if ANY staged decompression is expected or is a planned emergency procedure then the boat should have O2 on board.

A chamber 2 hours away is not bad but if you need it you really want to be on O2 during that 2 hours.

The go no-go decision is up to the individual diver and their acceptable level of risk and the expected reward of the dive. For some really great dive locations I am willing to accept more risk than for the regular kind of dives I can do at home.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Besides decompression sickness the administration of O2 is also the correct first aid for near drowning and pressure related lung injuries. There should be O2 on the boat regardless of the depth of the dives.

Some agencies (the charter company may or may not have an agency affiliation) also require O2 to be on hand during any and all OW activities.

I would insist on having O2 on the boat as well as crew that are trained in administering it. I can't really think of an exception.

 

[junior diver]

I can think of an exception. In fact two! If you had a deco chamber on board or were shore diving.

 

[norcaldiver]

In theory, you shouldn't need it handy....but in theory, you shouldn't need a 2nd parachute either, and there's no way I'm jumping without a backup. So I'd have to insist on having O2 on board.

 

[miketsp]

No O2?
Doesn't sound like an operator worthy of the title.
I wouldn't go unless I was diving shallow ( < 15m) or in an area with good air-sea rescue services that could be called up quickly (< 30mins). Supposing of course that the boat does have a radio?

 

[ShakaZulu]

I would not go, if they can't afford O2 (administered to divers in 90% of diving related injuries), how sure are you the boat will make it back to the harbor????