Safety stop depth?

[adjuster-jd]

I use an Oceanic computer which begins a safety stop countdown around 20 feet depth. Since we recommend a safety stop at 15 feet, does stopping at 20 feet count for safety stop purposes? For example, if I am coming up a line from a deep wreck and the 15 foot mark is occupied by other divers, but my computer begins a 3 minute countdown at 20 feet, do I need to stop again once I move up to 15 feet?

Thanks.

 

[Floridawannabe]

I might be wrong but the saftey stop is 15 to 20 feet. So stopping anywhere between there would count as a saftey stop.

 

[Vayu]

15' is not a special number. If you are doing a deep wreck it would probably be better to start at 20' if not earlier. For example if you did an 100' wreck you could ascend slowly and then spend a few minutes at 50', then ascend even slower as you rise in depth and do a mini stop at every 10 feet or so... then do a nice stop at 20' and take it extremely slow from 15' and up.

Your computer probably won't like this but it is not your computer that is offgassing. It is just running an algorithm. Your body will thank you later.

-V

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Generally speaking a safety stop works at any depth from 30 ft to 10 ft.

And I agree with Vayu that after a deep dive that a deep stop for a minute or two at half the max depth followed by a slow ascent with a 1 minute stop at 40 ft and 30 ft prior to the 3 minute safety stop at 20 ft will get you out of the water feeling much better with a greatly reduced potential for "silent" bubbles.

In my experience, most computers do ok with that type of ascent as the computer usually consideres itself to be offgassing even at the deep stop after a deep dive.

 

[AquaHump]

your talking abut a 1.45 ATA at 15ft vs a 1.60 ATA at 20ft I do not think it will realy matter that much unless you are tech dive and then you might want to be at 15ft becouse a gas choice and based on the rest of your profile.

 

[SKBRDVR1]

I think all of you are correct. There are several studies out there that say "safety stops" should begin even deeper. To the original question: it depends on how your pressure switch is set on your computer as to when the "stop" actually begins to count down. Some are precise i.e. 18-12ft, others a little more liberal.

 

[DBailey]

The safety stop typically discussed in recreational diving has been designated as 15 ft. Most computers will say it is something between 10 ft. and 20 ft.

In the situation where there are a bunch of divers on the anchor line at 15 ft. and there is no room for you (also assuming current that you need to hang on), then just stay below them. Slowly crawl up the anchor line as they depart.

Also, if the dive site permits it, you can do swimming deep stops and swimming safety stops. You don't have to hang out in one spot. If I am doing a deep stop on a wall dive, it just means I have ascended some and checking out a different part of the wall. I have done plenty of safety stops that invloved checking out coral and other critters.

 

[divnamite]

My instructor actually told me, the way I should do my safety stop from deep (>60) is stop at 30 for 1 min, 20 for 2 min, 15 for 3 min. The very slowly ascent up to the surface.

 

[fairybasslet]

Why wouldn't the computer like it? Would it give off a warning or something?

 

[Ironcat]

I jusr finished certification a couple weeks ago and we were told that the agencies are all trying to coordinate a single safety stop. If what he says is true, the "new" recommandation is half your max depth for 1 minute, then 15 feet for 3.