Free Diving after SCUBA Diving

[AlexRD]

Just wondering if this is recommended against, as I plan on doing quite a bit of SCUBA and regular diving in a few weeks, and if I should separate them or not. If so, no problem, just wondering in the possibility that I do Freedive and SCUBA dive in the same day.

 

[Sam Miller III]

GOOD GOSH!

Check out E.R. Cross and Taravana--Aka "Skin Diving Bends."

sdm

 

[AlexRD]

It was never mentioned in any SCUBA class I participated in, and wasn't brought up by the DMs I've met. Apologies for wanting to educate myself.

 

[Storker]

A little googling gave me Breath-hold Diving:Taravana

Repeated dives alter the off-gassing process as well as taking on more gas and would completely change the dive profiles. Free diving onloads N2, to a small degree, more or less depending upon the depth and time at depth of the dives and this time should be taken into consideration when calculating residual nitrogen. Snorkelers between scuba dives should stay on the surface.

More details in the article my first quote links to: divess.htm

 

[Dr Dog]

what kind of depths are you planning on attaining while freediving?

 

[JBRAT]

I am also interested!! At the moment I do keep the 2 seperate to be on the safe side. I usally dive between about 10 and 15 metres with about a 1 min bottom time and can dive for
upto 3hrs??

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Most people feel that you can engage in freediving first, THEN scuba. The reverse is much more dangerous. If you freedive for 3 hours doing 40 dives to 50 feet, I would think that you may begin to build up some residual nitrogen. I often do some freediving before scuba, but nothing that extensive.

I think a good break between the two activities would be smart and I would be more conservative on the scuba diving with respect to decompression sickness. Maybe some of the dive computers will be able to help, i'm not sure if they would just go crazy with beeping after 30-40 rapid ascents..

 

[Bob DBF]

A lot more interesting information has surfaced since I would free-dive before and/or after SCUBA diving. Although I never had any problems with the practice, now I usually have a separate day of free-diving, or may do a little bit before SCUBA.

Computers today give me the ability to spend a lot more time, and N2, underwater than tables. Since I am now less conservative on computer than the tables kept me, I make up the difference by being more conservative in other practices like ascent rate, safety stop, and free-diving.

Each to his own.


Bob
-----------------------
I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

 

[AlexRD]

Thanks for the responses so far. I don't plan on going that deep on Free Diving days, it would be to 20 feet most likely because we'd be staying on the inside of the Bahamian islands to lobster.

 

[vladimir]

Here's a good article on the subject from Skin Diver magazine.

There are several stories of divers getting DCS this way. A surface interval spent freediving is not really a surface interval and the calculation of decompression will not be correct. The best advice is to avoid freediving during surface intervals. If you want to snorkel, stay on the surface.