Posted by Karl S. on November 06, 2001 at 17:19:11:
In Reply to: AAARRGGGHHH! I got bent! Or did I? posted by msblucow on November 06, 2001 at 14:59:58:
yes it seems like the restricted bloodflow from the shoulder straps or bunjee straps could have triggered the localized bends. restricted bloodflow is definitely an issue.
yes you could be the only one that got the bends, even though 9 other people did not. your increased swimming activity at depth could account for the difference.
plus Suunto has 3 levels of sensitivity for setting deco, which is default, "+", and "++". since we are diving in cold water out here, we should probably set "+". that doesnt explain why the water is also so cold in Finland where they made it. maybe they were designing the default for the French Riviera. since you suspect a DCS hit, you should definitely set yours to "+" or even "++".
yes NitrOx is a better diving gas than air. absolutely right. air is not a very good deco gas either. NitrOx is much better. EAN32 is great overall to 100 fsw. its the only NitrOx mix you ever really need, even though there are other choices like EAN36 and EAN25 also available.
you may very well have added to the DCS with the deep air stops, which in all honesty are not a great idea with air as a mix. you are still packing nitrogen into your blood and tissues at 79% when you are using air as a gas mix and a deco mix too.
yes, everybody seems to debate for 20 minutes while in denial, if not longer. try hours too.
yes it is cold and clammy in the chambre. sometimes it is hot and humid too. or so I am told. I have friends who have been there.
you can also add, MikeK told us so. at the very least he does warn everybody about basic stuff like the hazards of diving on air, and the hazards of diving deep on air, and the superiority of EANx for dives to 100 fsw, and TriMix for deeper dives than that.
recommendations:
set your Suunto to "+" personal mode or even the "++";
take a NitrOx course and get the cert card and dive with EAN32 all the time;
even though the recreational diving limit goes to 130 fsw on air, stick to 100 fsw on EAN32 until you take tech training for Advanced Nitrox and/or TriMix.
if you go deeper than 100 fsw, use a tech mix with tech deco, and learn how to do that in your tech class. NAUI and TDI and GUE all teach tech diving courses. and some PADI stores also offer TDI and GUE training.
a dozen people on this board, two or three in particular, and going to holler hypocrit at me. Oh well. live and learn, that applies to me to.
Have a nice day, Jeff, Kevin, and Josh.