Should I Use Nitrox Diving Socorro?

[Dan]

I've never done a live aboard. Can you not do air for your first dive and then EAN36% for your subsequent and shallower dive? I'm getting my Nitrox certification in November in Coz. I plan on diving air on every first dive, and then EANx on my second, shallower dives. I am hoping to get 36%, but we will see.

You can do whatever you want, but I haven't seen EAN36 in all 10 liveaboards I've been on. They just use EAN32.

Another problem I encounter when I'm switching between air & Nitrox doing 4-5 dives / day in 7-10 consecutive days, my dive computers (SUUNTO D4 & Cobra2) don't like it. Once I set them to Nitrox, I cannot go back to air on the same day. If I want to use air after Nitrox, I need to trick it by entering 21% oxygen (EAN21). Remembering to switch is my other problem. So I tend to just set my dive computers to Nitrox at the beginning of the trip & leave them as is & stick with Nitrox for the whole trip.

 

[tridacna]

Well..., I said "hoping to get", so I realize it might not be easy. But, some dive ops do advertise it. It's my opinion that it's a good compromise of doing air first (with the possibility of going deep), and then a higher O2 content on the shallow dive to help off gas from the first dive.

I remember on my last visit, one person checking the O2% found the tank had 35%, instead of the 32% ordered.

I presume that you'll be doing repetitive diving in Coz? If so, you want the benefit of Nitrox so that you can do multiple dives and have the benefit of those shorter surface intervals. IMO spend the $ on Nitrox especially for your first dives. I always use 32% for all my dives down there. You will have no problem getting your certification.

You should check your mix before boarding. A rich mix can substantially affect your dive plan. That's very unusual for Coz. Most ops get their nitrox tanks from one or two gas fillers who bank their mixes.

 

[Snoweman]

You can do whatever you want, but I haven't seen EAN36 in all 10 liveaboards I've been on. They just use EAN32.

Another problem I encounter when I'm switching between air & Nitrox doing 4-5 dives / day in 7-10 consecutive days, my dive computers (SUUNTO D4 & Cobra2) don't like it. Once I set them to Nitrox, I cannot go back to air on the same day. If I want to use air after Nitrox, I need to trick it by entering 21% oxygen (EAN21). Remembering to switch is my other problem. So I tend to just set my dive computers to Nitrox at the beginning of the trip & leave them as is & stick with Nitrox for the whole trip.

Remembering to switch WILL be my problem. I don't think my Perdix will be any problem, though.

I'm going to be land based in COZ, so I think I might be able to get 36%. I'm no expert on EAN, but if the boat is filling is it that much of a problem? Again, no expert here.

I'm curious. Why were you switching between air and EAN?

 

[Snoweman]

I presume that you'll be doing repetitive diving in Coz? If so, you want the benefit of Nitrox so that you can do multiple dives and have the benefit of those shorter surface intervals. IMO spend the $ on Nitrox especially for your first dives. I always use 32% for all my dives down there. You will have no problem getting your certification.

I like diving 100's. I think that will be harder to get in Nitrox. I could be wrong, but I also want the option of going deeper if wanted/needed. Dive 100/air for the first dive, 80/EAN36 for the shallow dive.

 

[tridacna]

I'm going to be land based in COZ, so I think I might be able to get 36%. I'm no expert on EAN, but if the boat is filling is it that much of a problem? Again, no expert here.

I'm curious. Why were you switching between air and EAN?

Everyone is land based in Coz.

36% is not easily available. 100 cu ft tanks are usually available (if you ask in advance - with 32%).

Who was switching between air and EANx?

 

[Dan]

Remembering to switch WILL be my problem. I don't think my Perdix will be any problem, though.

I'm going to be land based in COZ, so I think I might be able to get 36%. I'm no expert on EAN, but if the boat is filling is it that much of a problem? Again, no expert here.

I'm curious. Why were you switching between air and EAN?

One occasion I went 2-tank boat dives in Fujairah, UAE. The first dive was in Inch2, 70-80’ deep, so I used EAN32. The 2nd Dive was in Hole in the Wall, 25’ deep. It’s a waste of money to do such a shallow dive with EAN32. We used air on that 2nd dive. That’s when I tricked my dive computers to EAN21.

Another occasion was the Pearl of Papua liveaboard in Cendrawasih Bay, Papua, Indonesia, had limited supply of EAN32 (might be having problem with their membrane system) so I was asked to do it on every other dives. That was a nightmare to remember switching back & forth.

 

[Dan]

At one time I used EAN27 to go down to 141’ (43m) to see Mola Mola at their cleaning station in Crystal Bay, Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia.

 

[Snoweman]

Everyone is land based in Coz.

36% is not easily available. 100 cu ft tanks are usually available (if you ask in advance - with 32%).

Who was switching between air and EANx?

Dan_T was switching, for one.

With my preferred dive op, 100 cf air tanks are not super easy. I've never asked for a 100 EAN, as I am not currently certified. I have been diving air on my past three visits to COZ without any problems. I think adding EAN for the second dive will make it better without any risk of going deep on the first dive.

 

[Snoweman]

At one time I used EAN27 to go down to 141’ (43m) to see Mola Mola at their cleaning station in Crystal Bay, Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia.

View attachment 469067

Was this on a Live Aboard?

 

[Dan]

Was this on a Live Aboard?

No. Just on a 2-tank boat dives. The EAN27 was specially blend for such deep dives.