To Nitrox or not to Nitrox

[DandyDon]

BTW, on your Oceanic computers if like mine - once you select Nitrox for a dive, you have to set the O2 level for every dive - even 21%. Yeah, if you do one Nx @ 32%, then switch it back to 21%, they will stay @ 21% until changed, but your computer can lock up unless you go thru the cycle or turn Default Off which is what we do.

sport chalet has a course that is short and reasonably priced, suggest you only buy one DVD and course manual as that saves 50.00 and you just don't need to buy two for you and your daughter. read the manual and answer the questions in both books before you attend class and you might be able to simply complete the required class time and test in one evening (three hours).

Total cost including class material was 250 for my wife and I. We took it because of an up coming live aboard doing several dives daily. We have approx 1000 dives and live in southern Cal too.

That sounds great. I know that some shops charge less but most charge more. It's certainly a good tool to have.

Haha, if Padi, you can get a combination card - like AOW Enhanced Air. Padi likes to issue the Nx card first, then let you pay extra for the combo - but I made an advance phone call, requesting superiors, and refused to hang up until they promised me special handling and a combo card. They won't hang up until you say bye, and eventually they will get reasonable.

 

[Tunaman68]

Hey all,

Well good info so far! I don't think we'll have time for a class before we go. Between work for me, and AP hell at school for the girl, Coz is the getaway from work! Maybe 3 hours of books on the patio overlooking the ocean is a better classroom anyhow!

My experience in Coz (18 years ago) was that the first dive can be upwards of 100 fsw over a beautiful blue abyss, so Nitrox 34 on that one could be dicey if there's any sort of problem?!?

This Don?

Yes! This Don!

It's unusual to see a diver with that many logged who is not Nitrox certified, but you are from California. Just not very common there is it?

Well, the first 700 of the dives were done while I was working for Princess back in the 90's and there was no such thing! The rest have been shore dives here in CA, and the handful of vacation dives every few years in HI, so there really hasn't been a need that justified the time and expense. And as was pointed out, paying that much for a NX fill to dive 35 fsw in Shaw's with 15 foot vis just doesn't make a lot of sense!

Keep it coming, but it sounds like we may check it out, and add some $$$s to the budget!

T

 

[DandyDon]

so Nitrox 34 on that one could be dicey if there's any sort of problem

Yeah, the target is 32 but sometimes it arrives higher. Some suggest 32 for the first dive of the day but Coz is known for its down currents. Not me...!

 

[Codiak]

I dive nitrox any time it's available, for the simular reason you state: it makes logical sense in terms of nitrogen exposure.

If a few extra dollars per tank isn't a real factor just go for it.
With 32% your good within recreational limits for most of your dives

 

[Diver Kat]

My experience in Coz (18 years ago) was that the first dive can be upwards of 100 fsw over a beautiful blue abyss, so Nitrox 34 on that one could be dicey if there's any sort of problem?!?

Guess it depends who you dive with. We use Scuba with Alison, and in general our 1st dives are in the 70-80 foot range, so depth/Nitrox isn't an issue.

 

[The Kraken]

Just do it.

Good for the mind . . .

the K

 

[DandyDon]

A year ago, I saw a couple repeatedly dive Nitrox without analyzing. He said they left their computer on Air and were using Nx only for extra safety. Not knowing for sure what mix you're on is careless, and then I saw them do a pretty deep dive. :shocked2:

 

[Illini_Fan]

I'm Nitrox certified, but I don't dive Nitrox when in Coz. Typically, I'm only doing the two-tank dives each morning and then maybe one day of an afternoon double-dip. Plus, the extended safety stop night dive outside of Blue Angel.

I just couldn't cost justify the extra money for nitrox for that amount of diving.

Now, on a live-aboard with 4-5 dives a day, that is a no-brainer for me.

Either way, have a great time and enjoy the relaxation and time with your daughter. My son and I will be back at BA in January

 

[TV Mark]

My dive buddy and I knew we wanted to get Nitrox certified after our first year diving Cozumel.
Nitrox 32 is perfect for the depths between 60 and 90 feet. This will help your actual bottom,
on the bottom, time when diving day after day. Otherwise you may be floating above the bottom in the water column due to the repetitive days of nitrogen load.

 

[bbarada]

My wife and I got EAN certified many years ago in Cayman Brac. At first we were using air computers and using Nitrox for safety.

But in Cozumel the drift diving is so easy and so much to see we were easily outlasting the tanks when set on air. One dive I used a wrist computer set on air and another computer set to 36% Nitrox. The bottom time extension was over 20 minutes! Now we dive Nitrox with Nitrox computers for the bottom time, not just the safety. We are usually the first in and last out on the boat. At Scuba Club we order 32% for the first dive and 36% for the rest of the dives. We usually do the twilight/night boat dives too.

Do it online before you go.