Pending changes for certifications required for JDC dives

[Divin'Papaw]

Many of us that frequent the numerous South FL dive operators like to abbreviate the names. We write about them so frequently it gets tiring to type the name every time. A few of the common abbreviations:

JDC = Jupiter Dive Center
SFDH = South Florida Dive Headquarters
SW = Scuba Works
PV = Pura Vida
Walkers = Walkers Dive Charters
SeaExp = Sea Experience
HD = Horizon Divers
RR = Rainbow Reef

etc.

 

[Johnoly]

except for routine 2 tank reef dives

With Jupiter's depths and then add in a 3rd tank, an air diver will crash into deco (which isn't allowed either).
There are a couple of local boats that also don't allow AL80's. Just too many incidents of diver's freaking out because they are at 700psi and 115deep. Might as well as sidemount & sling 4 Spare Air's.

 

[tekkydiver]

The Nitrox certification is just a money grab. The difference between breathing air and Nitrox can be explained by a short video.

 

[boulderjohn]

The Nitrox certification is just a money grab. The difference between breathing air and Nitrox can be explained by a short video.

I, too, agree that Nitrox is pretty simple, but that is not the history in the world of scuba.

1. In the early 1990's nitrox was considered so dangerous that DEMA did not even allow workshop presentations on the subject.
2. At that time, entire agencies were formed to teach nitrox, since the mainstream agencies refused. That included the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers and ANDI.
3. When I was nitrox certified around 2000, I had to pass a 50 question exam that will filled with math problems. It was the hardest test I have ever had in any course before tech instructor exams.
4. When I first started diving nitrox on trips to Cozumel, it was only allowed on one of the two dives of the day, and it had to be the second (shallower) one. When I wanted to use it on the first dive, I got a stern lecture from the DM about how dangerous it was.
5. When I first started on ScubaBoard, the typical thread was all about how the scuba world is going to Hell in a handbasket because people were graduating with nitrox certifications without having completely memorized all the equations necessary to do proper nitrox planning. One person was absolutely outraged when he went into a shop to get nitrox and saw people looking up MODs on a chart rather than doing the math on the spot.

So things are evolving, but the past is close behind.

 

[scubadada]

I, too, agree that Nitrox is pretty simple, but that is not the history in the world of scuba.

1. In the early 1990's nitrox was considered so dangerous that DEMA did not even allow workshop presentations on the subject.
2. At that time, entire agencies were formed to teach nitrox, since the mainstream agencies refused. That included the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers and ANDI.
3. When I was nitrox certified around 2000, I had to pass a 50 question exam that will filled with math problems. It was the hardest test I have ever had in any course before tech instructor exams.
4. When I first started diving nitrox on trips to Cozumel, it was only allowed on one of the two dives of the day, and it had to be the second (shallower) one. When I wanted to use it on the first dive, I got a stern lecture from the DM about how dangerous it was.
5. When I first started on ScubaBoard, the typical thread was all about how the scuba world is going to Hell in a handbasket because people were graduating without having completely memorized all the equations necessary to do proper nitrox planning. One person was absolutely outraged when he went into a shop to get nitrox and saw people looking up MODs on a chart rather than doing the math on the spot.

So things are evolving, but the past is close behind.

I took a hyperbaric chamber operation course from Dick Rutkowski down in Key Largo in 2005. Boy, did he have the stories about the reluctance to adopt nitrox.

I was certified for nitrox in 2002, not only did we have the written exam, but certification also required 2 dives on nitrox with the instructor. This was PADI

My wife and daughter both did nitrox with PADI e-Learning with a brief follow up with a LDS.

 

[CosbySweater]

JDC certainly isn't the only one. Pura Vida recently started to require AOW and nitrox for their deep dives as well.

It's seems like common sense for JDC to require both, as practically none of the sites they visit are shallower than 60 feet, with many deeper than 80 feet.

At the end of the day, these decisions are all made with one primary thing in mind....liability insurance. It only takes one strike of "negligence" to shut down a whole shop for good.

 

[Tournesol2000]

Seems counter intuitive to me.
If diving deep, then would it not be safer to dive with air, given MOD on 32% is only 111 feet vs 186 for air?

 

[tursiops]

Seems counter intuitive to me.
If diving deep, then would it not be safer to dive with air, given MOD on 32% is only 111 feet vs 186 for air?

Deep means within 130 ft, and the Nitrox percentage is often 28%.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Seems counter intuitive to me.
If diving deep, then would it not be safer to dive with air, given MOD on 32% is only 111 feet vs 186 for air?

Would depend on how deep your dive plan takes you. If you were intending to go 131 ft, then no to EANx. If everything is at 100 ft, clear win for EANx, wrt bottom time. And if you are trying to herd cats, makes sense they're all on a common platform. And IIRC, the sanctioned "max" depth for AOW cert divers is 100 ft.

If the dive plan is for 186 ft, that's plainly a tec exercise.

OMMOHY

 

[DavidFL]

Most of the recreational dive trips in/near Jupiter/West Palm have a bottom less than 100 ft. Shops typically "bank" EAN36. With N36 and a comfortable SAC you can have two 60 minute dives.