$70 Nitrox Course - Three Hours

[vondo]

One question I do have that hasn't been addressed...what about oxtox with the increased O2 level in Nitrox? Doesn't that make the planning of your max depth, and its relationship to the mixture's MOD, more, rather than less, critical? If you're unsure what your dive profile will be, doesn't the reduced O2 concentration in air provide a greater margin of error than a 32 or 36 mix? I realize this doesn't apply when dealing with a hard bottom profile (e.g.: max of say 90 feet to the sand) but say on the Grove or the Duane with bottom at 130 or so or a wall dive @ Grand Cayman (max depth 6000+)... Can't you exceed the MOD of 36 (and maybe 32)?

Absolutely. And since this whole discussion started with how a non-Nitrox newbie pissed off Don, how about the person who shows up with nitrox on the Grove and tells the air-diver (possibly more experienced) that they can't go to the deck, only the super-structure, because their mix is too rich.

I guess the point is that as an insta-buddy, you take your chances. But in Don's situation I would have strongly suggested pairing with the Nitrox breathing couple and forgetting about diving with the DM.

 

[ReefHound]

One question I do have that hasn't been addressed...what about oxtox with the increased O2 level in Nitrox? Doesn't that make the planning of your max depth, and its relationship to the mixture's MOD, more, rather than less, critical? If you're unsure what your dive profile will be, doesn't the reduced O2 concentration in air provide a greater margin of error than a 32 or 36 mix? I realize this doesn't apply when dealing with a hard bottom profile (e.g.: max of say 90 feet to the sand) but say on the Grove or the Duane with bottom at 130 or so or a wall dive @ Grand Cayman (max depth 6000+)... Can't you exceed the MOD of 36 (and maybe 32)?

Those are questions to be addressed in your Nitrox course. And it illustrates Don's point that even new divers can benefit from the course because even though you might not be diving nitrox, your buddy might be. It could be helpful to have a working knowledge.

 

[frankc420]

There is a solo diver class isn't there? That's a nitrox divers best friend if they are going to get pissed about having to cut their time short because their buddy is on air.

I suppose I'll agree w/ Don mid January, after I take my AOW and Nitrox together. But even then I doubt I'll really get a benefit from it because my SAC sucks.

Don, say everyone on your boat is diving nitrox, do you then ask the boat what their average SAC is and then say, I want to be your buddy?

 

[ReefHound]

They make a solo cert don't they? That's a nitrox divers best friend if they are going to get pissed about having to cut their time short because their buddy is on air.

I don't know of any "solo" cert and it doesn't matter what certs you got when you're diving someone else's boat, you gotta play by their rules or you don't get to go.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I don't know of any "solo" cert and it doesn't matter what certs you got when you're diving someone else's boat, you gotta play by their rules or you don't get to go.

TDI has a solo course and cert. You're right, you have to play by their rules, but there are a few boats out there that honor the TDI Solo Diver cert.

 

[DandyDon]

There is a solo diver class isn't there? That's a nitrox divers best friend if they are going to get pissed about having to cut their time short because their buddy is on air.

I suppose I'll agree w/ Don mid January, after I take my AOW and Nitrox together. But even then I doubt I'll really get a benefit from it because my SAC sucks.

Don, say everyone on your boat is diving nitrox, do you then ask the boat what their average SAC is and then say, I want to be your buddy?

Interesting comments. I don't see the solo course as an answer to anything other than those who insist on diving solo. Kind of a last resort treatment. I have done it, barely survived it. As a camera shooter, I do tend to be a same ocean diver sometimes, but really do try to stay with my buddy - always for descents and ascents, the most dangerous times.

Anyway, it'll be good to have the Nitrox cert when you do run into NDL challenges, instead of after you need it. Glad you have scheduled yours. When everyone on the boat is Nitrox, then it is easier to match up.

I don't know of any "solo" cert and it doesn't matter what certs you got when you're diving someone else's boat, you gotta play by their rules or you don't get to go.

Oh that's too easy to get by, really. At the most, you usually have to leave the boat together.

TDI has a solo course and cert. You're right, you have to play by their rules, but there are a few boats out there that honor the TDI Solo Diver cert.

Actually, many. But this is not at all a solution to this, to me. Helping the newbie become a better diver and better prepared for the boat team seems more appealing - and since newbies will do the 60-130 ft dives when they're allowed, I really think that encouraging a Nitrox course well before a newbies first ocean, St.Lawrence, etc dive trip is the answer. For those who live on the ocean, St.L, etc - ASAP.

Had a nice chat with my LDS manager today - her hubby the Padi/TDI Instructor is not as available. Looking forward to talking with him more next weekend at the Xmas party. They train vacation divers mostly - who will do one dive trip a year, then come back with computers that maxed out at 130, locked up when they violated, etc - but are much less likely to talk openly about it.

I catch some grief here on SB sometimes, and sometimes I deserve it, but I thought this was a good idea for discussion. Thanks for helping...

 

[1_T_Submariner]

" 3 hours?! You can't do a 3 hours class for $98 to be a better diver? "

Ummmm...I don't live in FLA, I live in the middle of Illinois. I'll check into Nitrox here but, I don't think it will be as inexpensive and simple to take as in a bigger city. I wasn't disagreeing about taking it just why I havn't taken it yet.

 

[Carribeandiver]

just food for thought, some resorts offer a combined AOW and Nitrox course for a single low price. For example, I happen to know that the Bay Island Beach Resort in Roatan offers the AOW and Nitrox courses for $250. Of course, Nitrox counts as one of your AOW specialities which still allows you to take Night, Deep, and two other specialities of your choice.

 

[stever2002]

I took it form my LDS last year, when they offered it for 1/2 price (I think it turned out to be $68+books) if you had taken either OW or AOW with them. I ended up doing the course work with them the week before my AOW weekend, so I dove nitrox for (most) of my AOW dives.

 

[hammerhead45]

Take a good advanced open water first,little more physics and more exposure to decompression theory. Maybe suggest to your LDS to combine the courses!
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