Narc'd for the first time

[b1gcountry]

I know several instructors who do all their training in a local quarry that's only 85' deep. Actually, I think setting a personal limit, and sticking to it in front of students even during a class setting is a very positive training tool.

Tom

 

[Goindrinkn]

I am the buddy! - Actually there's a little more to the story... After doing some additional research it seems as though common allergy meds played a factor. Diving 32% to 110, I was quite surprised to see her have the reaction she did - and did not initially think of it as narcosis. (as some people have suggested...) My first thought was it has to be a bit of a panic attack, as it didn't seem that she should be narced. And there was a bit of a current and it was crossing the 3 digit threshold. However DAN has some research that says that some allergy meds can effect the serverity and onset of narcosis. Being that the symtoms decreased dramaticly as we hung at the 95 foot mark I'm guessing narcosis is the issue.

And to correct the first post (not that I ever disagree with my wife) we didn't do normal piles, but based on the situation I felt it was better to change the plan and spend 1 minute 45 and 1 minute at 30 before our regular saftey stop. - It had do with hooks and mono on the down line and clear visabilty right back to the boat. Trying to make the situation as comfortable a situation as possible.

 

[Goindrinkn]

Very interesting and descriptive write up on the event. I do think you may wish to consider how this will impact you as a future divemaster, or even more so, if you continue on to instructor as you indicate in your profile. Assuming your ambitions don't extend beyond the recreational level, you need to be very comfortable at any depth up to at least 130 feet if you are taking responsibility for students and other divers in either of those roles.

We are lucky in this case that we live and dive most often on the west coast of FL. Our trips are 40-75 feet 95% of the time. I don't think Stacey really has a desire to work the boat day in and day out, it is just a step to becoming an instructor. Where she can take her expierences and initial hesitations about diving and translate it into a class where people are not just pushed through in 3 days, but understand the finer points and can leave with a level of comfort that will lead to more enjoyment of the sport.

Around here, the majority of the students get their OW and sadly not enough of them go on to AOW or beyond. So there's plenty of work from 0-60 and not a whole lot beyond.

Lastly, as far as effects of narcosis - much of it is simply a lack of deep diving expierence. And the fact that this feeling was previously unknow to her. Now that it is identified, we will continue to push beyond it, as some people can build a bit of a tolerance to it. Knowing that there may be a bit of a wierdness at that depth and where it should happen makes it a lot less scary when it does happen.

 

[openmindOW]

as far as effects of narcosis - much of it is simply a lack of deep diving expierence.

Everybody can narc. Even very athletic people narc.

I have no problem with DiveBee going on to DM. Indeeed, I encourage her to do so.

The key lies in setting personal limits. Know your limits.

There is no need in recreational diving to go deepeer than 80'.

 

[openmindOW]

as far as effects of narcosis - much of it is simply a lack of deep diving expierence.

Everybody can narc. Even very athletic people narc.

I have no problem with DiveBee going on to DM. Indeeed, I encourage her to do so.

The key lies in setting personal limits. Know your limits.

There is no need in recreational diving to go deeper than 80'.

 

[tridacna]

we didn't do normal piles

I promise that I'm not nitpicking...but it's PYLE stops. I've met Richard and I'm not sure that he wants to be remembered for the other kind of "piles"

 

[MASS-Diver]

Sounds more like a classic Co2 hit to me (both times). The current is a key factor. Sounds like you guys are pushing it a bit to hard. You were diving singles right?

Just curious, but how have you been taught to plan your gas consumption?

 

[Goindrinkn]

Sounds more like a classic Co2 hit to me (both times). The current is a key factor. Sounds like you guys are pushing it a bit to hard. You were diving singles right?

Just curious, but how have you been taught to plan your gas consumption?

It was a strong current but we were on the line hand over hand, so there wasn't a huge amount of physical exertion (as compared to swimming against it or swimming some areas of the springs) Comfort-wise - as with all new experiences it does add some load.

As far as consumption, we were taught the normal standard of thirds. However, that it itself does not work for this profile for us. As far as gas management, we were purely on a rec single tank dive. 32% for a 110 mod at 1.4 - we did plan on pushing that ever so slightly to 112. I was on my 95 and she was on an 80. Because she has a better consumption that I do and we go pretty conservative, the plan was to be at the ascent line with 1100 for me and 1200 for her. This would give us plenty of gas to make a slooooow ascent with Pyles (thank you I was rushing and stand corrected!)
or a normal ascent still getting one extra stop in with both on a tank in a OOG emergency. (Taking the tank close to 0 with a fill 3 minutes)

Granted there is some extra safety (however we did not use it as part of our plan) in the fact that there were 27 folks on the boat, all asked to leave the bottom with enough air for 2. So if we were shy at 15 feet there was plenty of bodies on the line.

Though I hate to get on the boat with 800 or 900 when there's such great diving down there, it is the safer thing to do.

 

[b1gcountry]

1200 psi in an AL80 is 30cf.

A slow ascent from 100' will take about 9cf. One minute on the bottom to sort things out would be another 8cf. A safety stop for two people is 9cf. That adds up to 35cf, which leaves you 5cf+ short if you assume a 1.0cfm SAC under stress.

It might not be quite as conservative as you think.

Tom

 

[b1gcountry]

There is no need in recreational diving to go deeper than 80'.

Not a wreck diver, are you?

Tom