News
That’s Wrong: Technical Diving Misconceptions
By John Bentley and Brian Shreve
Perusing internet forums on technical diving can be an entertaining way to waste a few moments of a lunch hour, but it’s disheartening to see the amount of misinformation perpetuated online. Just recently, we’ve seen some of these recurring topics, and thought it might make for an interesting article. So what have we seen?
I can just do whatever I want for decompression, because it’s only loosely understood
This one isn’t really a misconception, at least not completely. Decompression theory isn’t thoroughly understood from a physiological perspective. This is being mentioned because the looseness of our understanding is taken as a free pass to bypass the rules. Guess what? Science doesn’t really understand much when it comes to physiological interactions at that level but we still follow the research and data that is available. Saying “it’s just a theory” doesn’t justify aggressive gradient factors, skipped deco, or diving with antiquated versions of tables. While it is true we’re our own crash test dummies on dives that push boundaries, that can’t be taken as carte blanche to do whatever on every dive. There’s a good body of evidence of what works for most technical dives, and a prudent diver will keep within that range of ascent strategies.
CNS loading isn’t a real thing
People, more and more, seem to devalue CNS tracking for repetitive decompression just because they know of explorers pushing 500% of their CNS clock. This shows a clear lack of understanding to the actual value of that percentage and what it represents. 100% does not mean “CNS toxicity happens here.” 100% is a recommended value over a period of time. Sometimes that value is pushed further and done so successfully with specific considerations being met. The fault here is probably the units (percentage) chosen to represent this loading. We’re used to 100% being the maximum in a dataset, while the time variable in CNS loading makes that not the case. Just because 100% is typically used as a maximum value and can be surpassed significantly does not mean that the idea of a max CNS load is invalid. Divers doing repetitive decompression dives with accelerated deco should be tracking their CNS and should stop waylaying data in favor of anecdotes and conjecture.
Buoyancy control and trim
“If I’m not in a cave trim, it isn’t a big deal.”
Really? No. If an open water student can be horizontal in the water you can too. Vertical diving comes from a time of over-weighted technical divers whose equipment literally wouldn’t let them be trim. Now, with balanced rigs and standardization of gear it’s simple to be flat in the water. There really isn’t a good excuse for this anymore, especially considering that SDI instructors are consistently producing entry level scuba divers with horizontal trim.
Helium doesn’t require a full class, it’s just a new gas
Hopefully this is only a popular one among the internet divers, which is where it’s seen the most. A helium class’s necessity coming in question really shows the lack of respect towards years and years of fatalities and accident analysis. Helium is different. We’re all glad you have Google and read something about isobaric counter diffusion. The skill sets developed in a trimix/advanced trimix course, and the evaluation of those skills, is a vital part of a self-regulated industry. Your self-evaluation is important before a course, but the idea that self evaluation and an exam makes a trimix diver is not valid nor is it supported.
While talking to your favorite internet diver don’t forget to take wild anecdotal evidence with a heaping grain of salt. Training, experience and research make a great instructor as well as a great diver. Those two things can’t be replaced by marginalization of facts and data that appease egos and mitigate hard work.
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To find out more about International Training, visit www.tdisdi.com.
News
Dive Worldwide Announces Bite-Back as its Charity of the Year
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
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Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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