Posted by MHK on March 29, 2000 at 10:30:34:
In Reply to: Re: Nitrox- Poll question posted by kelphead on March 28, 2000 at 17:21:06:
Kelphead,
I think you raise a good point in that part of the issue is lack of understanding of the merits/dangers of the sunject matter.
Absent a significant debate about Oxygen Toxicity which is a concern that is completely over inflated by the naysayers of the nitrox debate. It's simply a scare tatic. The statistics simply do not support the fact that nitrox will kill you if you dive it. Commercial and military diver's have been using it for years and now even the recreational diving community has been using it for several years without thr flurry of deaths that have been predicted. That is not to minimize the effect OxTox will have if you violate it's limits but simply put the panacea of fatalities simply does NOT exist.
That aside, the benefits of a reduced FN2 are manifest. Clearly on multi day trips this benefit is greater than on a one day trip, but nonetheless for those of us who dive very often the long term cell rigidty advantagous of diving a mix with a reduced FN2 are noteworthy.
Many of the problems that you highlight, MOD's, 02 analyzer's, etc are not unique to Southern California, they apply everywhere that Nitrox is being used. And BTW, a common misconception is that it is difficult to analyze your mix. This process should take no more than 30 seconds. But again, the anti- Nitrox crowd will tell you that this is such a big deal. Moreover, as to the need for new equipment, also a misconception when diving mixes less than 40% ( other than a dedicated tank ) you can use your same gear. The vast majority of diver's will be using the common 32% and 36% mixes and will therefore not require 02 clean equipment.
And laslty, while I am a strong advocate of diving within the recommended NOAA limits, ( ie; 1.6 max P02 ) the myth that if you violate this limit for a split second you will die is greatly overexagerated. I have heard instructors and shop owners on boats telling diver's that if you dive to 131' on a 32% mix you will die immediatley. Again, another scare tatic used by the anti-nitrox crowd.
NOAA recommendations are clear and the NOAA exposure times are equally clear.
Hopefully this will reduce some of the mis information that is being spread, but if anyone wants a further, more detailed, explanation please let me know.
Regards