Posted by Kevin on January 04, 2001 at 12:40:46:
In Reply to: Re: The Cosmology of DIR on the West Coast - Part 3. posted by MHK on January 04, 2001 at 10:35:29:
The current DIR is excellent, and I think everyone's heads are spinning around all the different issues. I find myself mentally taking a position, then playing Devil's Advocatewith myself, and at the same time reading the posts in which people take positions, and field comments by others.
This is what a diving BBS is all about, and the reason I part of it.
The DIR issues are abundant and diverse, and my query is going to be a simple one. This is a question I have been wrestling with for a long time, and started thinking about it again when I read Mike's post ( specifically:
"No deep air - I have posted often that we recommend Nitrox for dives above 100' and then trimix from 100' and deeper. And as for your comments about SoCal diver's rarely going
deeper than 100' I STRONGLY disagree. I'll site for example Farnsworth Bank, USS Moody, Caissons, Ship Rock, oil rigs just to name a few." )
And I need to add that whenever MHK (or Terry or Seahunt) posts, I am always impressed not just with content but with the passion they have for diving.
What is the best mix for a specific dive ?
I dive the Moody or Ace One ( both wrecks deeper that 130 FSW ) maybe once a month, and usually do it on air. I also dive the sand fields around Ship Rock often, and I dive those on air. I also remember two dives on Farnsworth to 200 FSW on air, and that was to complete mt IANTD Technical Deep Air course.
Now I realize 200 FSW is trimix country, but should a dive to 130 or 140 require mix gas ?
And if I am out hunting off Big Rock, Malibu and never get past 30 FSW should I be using Nitrox ? If I am teaching over at Casino Point at 40 FSW does that also warrant Nitrox ?
What is the best mix for a specific dive-
Shallow Dive( 0 to 40 FSW ) I would say air.
Intermediate Dive ( 40 to 90 FSW ) I would say Nitrox.
Deep Dive ( 90 to 140 FSW ) I would say air.
Technical ( 140 and beyond ) I waould say Trimix.
And assuming cost is no object, and it always is, I guess we should all be diving Heliox, even to scrub the bottoms of our boats ( ohh, I know, I shouldn't have said that, but what a great dish without a little spice ? )
Let the games begin . . . .
Kevin