Nitrox availability and travel

[DiverDunk]

I've been thinking about going through Nitrox training but almost all of my diving is done while traveling. I haven't looked that hard but I haven't been aware of many dive operations in the Caribbean, Red Sea, etc. ofering Nitrox tanks as an option on their boats. How commonly are these available on dive boats?

Steve

 

[zboss]

I've been thinking about going through Nitrox training but almost all of my diving is done while traveling. I haven't looked that hard but I haven't been aware of many dive operations in the Caribbean, Red Sea, etc. ofering Nitrox tanks as an option on their boats. How commonly are these available on dive boats?

Steve

A couple of dive shops in St. Thomas just started offering Nitrox... I think it finally dawned on then that they can start charging $15-$20 for a fill rather than $4. Besides... what the consumer wants... the consumer gets.

I always heard the excuse "we don't carry nitrox because the types of dives around here aren't deep enough to warrant it" but what they were really saying is that they were ignorant of the use of nitrox. Possibly most people do dive shop lead boat dives and are only diving twice a day. When I tell these guys that I like to get 4 or 5 dives a day in, they seem stunned.

 

[miketsp]

I initially did my Nitrox course not to dive Nitrox, which I rarely do, but because of a few specific dives around the world for which it is necessary to show a Nitrox card. This because of deco done with Nitrox and/or O2.
Frustrating if you're on a trip and you can't do a fantastic dive because of a relatively quick & cheap course.
But once you've done the course it opens your eyes to other factors of which you were not even aware. IMO the Nitrox course is the real starting point to understand what you are doing. Really worth doing just for the educational value even if you never use it.

 

[DiverDunk]

Thanks for the advice - I may have to pursue it sooner rather than later.

Steve

I initially did my Nitrox course not to dive Nitrox, which I rarely do, but because of a few specific dives around the world for which it is necessary to show a Nitrox card. This because of deco done with Nitrox and/or O2.
Frustrating if you're on a trip and you can't do a fantastic dive because of a relatively quick & cheap course.
But once you've done the course it opens your eyes to other factors of which you were not even aware. IMO the Nitrox course is the real starting point to understand what you are doing. Really worth doing just for the educational value even if you never use it.

 

[DMDC01]

one essential piece of equipment you need to purchase for the course; a calculator!!

 

[JRO]

one essential piece of equipment you need to purchase for the course; a calculator!!

AMEN!!! Brought back memo...nightmares of high school Algebra.

In all seriousness, I noticed quite a few divers using Nitrox in Grand Cayman and I heard a lot of divers talking about it in St John (not sure if it was available or not). The final straw was when I was planning my first liveaboard and started talking to other divers and reading this board for advice...everyone was saying that I should get my Nitrox cert. Being the Lemming that I am, I did...glad I did to. Tons more bottom time than non-Nitrox divers were able to do (I was able to take the course on the boat).

Definetly worth the time and money invested, which is minimal. It really made the trip and it does seem to be available in more and more places.

Jeff

 

[wedivebc]

I remember a day when it was hard to find unleaded gasoline. I think that nitrox will follow that trend someday now it has proven to have such benefits.

cheers,

 

[startag]

if you get your nitrox cert, id recommend a nitrox capable dive comp too. standard mixes of nitrox - nitrox 1 (32%) and nitrox 2 (36%) - have dive tables available, but i find when i travel the only mix usually available is 34%...

 

[Charlie99]

When you check with a charter boat for nitrox availability, don't forget to explicitly ask if they have a O2 meter. Sometimes a boat will get a tank of nitrox from an offsite diveshop or fill source, but not have an O2 meter for you to check the mix.

Don't dive a tank that you haven't personally checked.

 

[vjongene]

I've been thinking about going through Nitrox training but almost all of my diving is done while traveling. I haven't looked that hard but I haven't been aware of many dive operations in the Caribbean, Red Sea, etc. ofering Nitrox tanks as an option on their boats. How commonly are these available on dive boats?

Steve,

Many boats in the Red Sea now offer Nitrox. When you are doing 4 dives a day in the 25-35 m range this really makes a difference. It is also commonly available in Bonaire, although at 2-3 relatively shallow dives a day I did not find it worth the money. Diving the Aliwhal Shoal in South Africa essentially all ops offer Nitrox, since most dives keep you over 20 m for extended times, and it would be difficult to stay within NDL on air. Nitrox is also easily available where I live (Lake Geneva area), but since most dives here are deep (40 m range) and short (cold!), it has not really caught on yet.

So I would say that in places where diving Nitrox makes sense it is usually available. I have never seen an op offering Nitrox but no O2 gauge, but yes, better make sure...

Victor J.