High Elev. Drive after Monterey Dive

[SantaCruzCA]

I need to know if driving to a higher elevation is going to cause a higher risk for dcs. I will be driving from Monterey, CA which is at sea level ... up to Loyalton, CA which is at around 6,000 ft. The drive is going to take around 6 hours. I will be doing 2 dives, no deeper than 70 fsw. Also, I will be diving with nitrox, if that would help. Anyone got any thoughts..??? Thanks.

 

[Jim Ernst]

i drive to and from monterey down i-5 to 152, on 152 you go up and down about 2-3000 feet, when i asked an instructor of it, after the many dives i do each time i am there he said it could be of some concern so i to am interested in the answers you may get!!

 

[DandyDon]

Well, yes - diving Nitrox always help reduce N2 loading. Think of your adjusted air depth.

Using the NOAA Diving Manual, and looking at the Navy Dive Tables there, one could hit Group J on one air dive to 70 feet without going into decom, and the suggested wait time by Table 4.3 of this manual before going to 6,000 feet altitude is `11:32 hours.

For 2 dives to 70 feet, even on Nx, the possibility of getting that close to decom or Group J is even greater - depending on surface interval and all.

Albuquerque and Denver divers face this challenge when they dive Santa Rosa NM and then want to drive home, crossing high passes. The general consensus among them seems to be - if you have absolutely no dcs symptoms - wait until your computer clears.

Spend the night and go in the morning.

i drive to and from monterey down i-5 to 152, on 152 you go up and down about 2-3000 feet, when i asked an instructor of it, after the many dives i do each time i am there he said it could be of some concern so i to am interested in the answers you may get!!

3,000 feet is a lot less than 6,000. The suggested wait for that after Group Jis just under 5 hours.