× Scuba Diving
Terms of use Privacy Policy

101 Compression Diving



snorkeling vs scuba diving

The process of decompression occurs when a diver descends to a lower pressure than the ambient one. During the ascent from depth, the diver's body experiences decompression. This process can be dangerous but should be avoided if decompression diving done properly. For more information, read about decompression diving and decompression sickness. Find out more about the decompression sick penalties and standard treatment. These are some of common questions that decompression divers may encounter.

Deco dives

Before you start planning your deco dive, make sure to review the basics of your V-planner. By doing this, you will be able to determine how much deco is needed to achieve the proper visibility and depth. A V-planner can be used to plan a dive up to 35m. Otherwise, you'll need to calculate deco manually, if possible.

A minimum deco represents a slow climb from half the average height. It is not as short-term as its name suggests, and takes far more time than one minute. You will usually ascend 10ft/3m in 30 secs, then stop and recover for 30 secs before you repeat the process. You may want to make sure that you've decompressed fully before attempting to ascend. You can do this by making sure that there is enough air in your tank.


diving boards for pools

Planned dives

A computer-generated plan can be useful for divers. The computer will generate deco schedules for divers based on their chosen number and decompression model. It also allows them to adjust conservatism settings. The software can be used to plan dives for specific decompression times, OTU loadings and gas requirements for each level. Divers will be able to avoid the common mathematical errors that can occur when planning a diving trip manually by using the PC planner tool.


A decompression stopping is a series if stops that occur during an ascent. This allows the body and its helium to escape. It is necessary to adjust to pressure in the environment. The profile of the diver as well as the maximum depth reached will affect the length of the decompression breaks. You should plan multiple stops to ensure you can reach the deepest depths.

Standard treatment for decompression sick

The standard treatment for decompression illness is to breathe 100% oxygen through the mask, maintain blood pressure and administer fluids to prevent oxygen from being lost. In intensive treatment, the hyperbaric oxygen chamber is used in order to reverse the blood pressure changes and convert nitrogen back into liquid. This can be done over several hours. Avoid diving if you feel decompression sickness.

For acute cases, the diver should receive supplemental oxygen until assistance arrives. Decompression sickness may be difficult to diagnose, since symptoms may not be immediately apparent. However, decompression sickness should be treated as an emergency and the diver should be kept warm until medical assistance arrives. The condition of the diver must be monitored closely. Any neurological signs should be ruled out. Air embolism is possible if symptoms persist beyond a few minutes.


scuba diving equipment packages

Penalties for decompression diving

Penalties for diving under pressure can cause loss of consciousness, insufficient air supply to the lungs, and even death. These consequences can be avoided and decompression illnesses reduced by using a variety of methods. Know what you are doing while diving. Diving without the right equipment can lead to decompression sickness. These are some common mistakes you should avoid when diving.

Underestimating the decompression time is the first mistake you should avoid. Recreational diving is dominated by fast tissues. Maximum ascent rates are set to allow for the direct ascent from the surface. Regardless of the type of tank, decompression diving requires more complex calculations. Buhlmann ZH–L16 fixes nitrogen half-times at 2.65x more than helium. In addition, it adds a longer time for decompression if helium is higher than anticipated.



 



101 Compression Diving