Maximum dives per day ? ?

[The Mushroom King]

Hi,

I'm a new OWD and new to SB as well. I've been avoiding work and surfing the net and noticed that most dive shop websites (and tour companies etc..) that I have looked at show 2 dives a day and sometimes an optional 3rd dive.

But I've seen a few threads here with people saying as many as 5 per day.

What is the recommended maximum number of dives to do per day ?
example: If I was to take a 5 day holiday, how many dives could I get in?

I know there are going to be a lot of "it depends" answers, but I'm really curious to hear your thoughts based on your experience. (and there seems to be a heck of a lot of experience on this board!!)

Thanks everyone!
M

 

[spectrum]

Since you mention diving on a holiday lets assumes tropical water.

With a reasonable wetsuit, hood or beanie it's safe to say that heat loss probably is not a limiting factor for most divers.

Lets assume that you do a combination of shore and boat dives and you are OK with diving at night. That pretty much rules out logistics as long as you are someplace with good cylinder availability.

What's left is your NDL (No Decompression Limits) Every dive you make loadss nitrogen into your system and leaves you less cpacity to make a subsequent dive. Tis will accumulate day by day and will even carry ahead into the next day to some extent.

If you are not diving with a dive computer you will be planning your sives from tables and this will create very conservative dives profiles that limit your diving.

2 big things will maximize your diving:

1. Dive with a computer. The computer will calculate your nitrogenn loading based on your precise profile as oposed to considering the whole dive as the max depth.

2. Get Nitrox certified. Breathing nitrox will reduce your notrogen absorbtion and enhace the expelling of what you do absorb. this will give you more available dive time.

Limiting your deep dives is another way to avoid running into your NDL. Plenty to see at modest depths, no need to go constatntly deep for the sake of being deep.

My first dive intensive trip is coming up latter in the season. I have high hopes of making 4-5 dives per day. Some will depend on your competency and how effortlessly you can make the dives without tiring.

Pete

 

[maged_mmh]

limiting factors are:
how deep you plan your dives?
SI?
thirst
how cold you feel
and......sleep!

 

[Diver Dennis]

Most people get tired after 3 and that is a tropical destination. Depth and dive times would be a couple of the deciding factors. Some people though, go just to dive and will do 5 dives a day. I was in Sipidan in December and did 5 dives on some days but not every day.

 

[dive_lover88]

my friend told me that she did 6 dives a day when she was at sipadan.

 

[sbrooks]

Get a set of tables and work yourself through a dive plan for several dives a day... You'll see when you have to stop.
S.

 

[Loneranger]

Most liveaboards pride themselves on getting in a certain number of dives per day. Most will advertise 5 with the 5th being a night dive. I have been on trips where 6 were possible but I sat out the night dive. Too much of a good thing can take the fun out it. I do 3 tanks regullary with local charters and find that to be plenty unless on vacation. It really comes down to the physical aspect and when you feel you have had enough.

 

[Charlie59]

In Roatan did 5-6 per day starting at 6 am (shore) with 4 boat and 1 shore night dive. That gets old quick and 4-5 a day is enough. On a five day vacation 16 to 20 would be a good trip.

 

[redacted]

I've done 5 dives in a day in warm water, all 80 to 100 FSW, with 2.5 hr SI. It pretty much wears you out. I tried it in cooler water (low 60s) and ended up wrapped up in my bunk after 4.

 

[Diveral]

I took a live-aboard trip in the Bahamas and got 6 per day including the night dive. That was right after I left the military and was in the best shape of my life. I probably could not dive that many today.

If you are taking a charter trip from shore you are probably going to be limited to 2-3 dives unless the dive sites are very close.

AL