The Altitude Rule

[Mountainturtle]

I live at an altitude of about 1000m (ca. 3000 ft). Generally I wait 12 hrs after diving before driving home. This was what was recommended to me by my dive instructor but I find it pretty inconvenient since I have limited spare time anyway, and don't like to waste it waiting around. However, others have said that it is not nessecary to wait that long, and if I dive in the morning it is ok to come home at night. I did this yesterday after a pretty easy dive and a 5hr wait and have had no side effects, but what is the minimum time that I should wait before ascending to this altitude?

Mountainturtle

 

[Rick Murchison]

I wouldn't think a drive to 3000' would require much of a delay at all - the pressure drop is equivalent to about three feet of water, and the "ascent rate" of a drive to that altitude is pretty slow, even on a steep road.
My personal "back pocket" number for flying after diving is 4000' - which I consider ultra conservative - the standard wait periods that DAN and others are working on are based on the rapid ascent to the 8000' cabin altitude of commercial airliners.
Rick