bp_968
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Is it possible to rent O2 bottles while on vacation? This would seem like a darn good idea if your trip involved a lot of shore diving (bonaire, etc).
Ben
Ben
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You're going to have a hard time finding a place that will. Oxygen is considered a drug which makes people leary about handing it out. Also, since it's used for decompression they might assume you're planning decompression dives without training/c-card.bp_968:Is it possible to rent O2 bottles while on vacation? This would seem like a darn good idea if your trip involved a lot of shore diving (bonaire, etc).
cornfed:You're going to have a hard time finding a place that will. Oxygen is considered a drug which makes people leary about handing it out. Also, since it's used for decompression they might assume you're planning decompression dives without training/c-card.
cornfed:You're going to have a hard time finding a place that will. Oxygen is considered a drug which makes people leary about handing it out. Also, since it's used for decompression they might assume you're planning decompression dives without training/c-card.
bp_968:I just love father government. The coast guard doesn't need it (or even need to step on the gas when your in need of it) so you should carry it to be safe. Oops! Forgot to tell you, you *CAN'T* carry it. You might do something bad or something you shouldn't do with it. Can't run the risk you might use something incorrectly. Better to ban it so the 0.5% of stupid people don't hurt themselves.
It makes me think of that guy in france that saw the base jumpers at a popular BASE spot out there. He decided it looked like fun, bought a real deal BASE rig, went to the top and jumped. You have to wonder what was going through his head. I mean go ahead and learn how to fish, ride a bike, play baseball, etc, by trial and error. But BASE, technical diving, OW diving, climbing, skydiving... These are all poor choices to learn by trial and error. But hey, if your self preservation instincts are that bad then go ahead. Rather then society freaking out about how unsafe this or that is the correct response would be "boy was that stupid."
RIOceanographer:Now, this is where it gets goofy. Medical O2 is considered a drug and is regulated by the FDA and DOT. Many places will even demand a prescription before providing a fill. Aviation grade is not considered a drug, is regulated by the FAA/DOT does not require a prescription, and fills are often cheaper than medical grade just because it isn't labeled for medical use.
Only in a bureaucracy does that make any sense.
RIOceanographer:Where this gets really silly is the difference in the rules between "medical grade" and "aviation grade" oxygen (in the US at least). Both are 100% oxygen intended for breathing purposes. Aside from the name and intended use, the difference between them is that aviation grade oxygen is required to have a lower moisture content than medical grade to prevent condensation from forming if it is used at high altitude. Other than that, they are the same thing.
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