Bad dive at Ginnie

[TONY CHANEY]

"Case and Haldane theorized that the respiratory response to CO2 was suppressed by nitrogen narcosis"...yes back in 1941. So what is my point from what stated before about the article. No point at all. I really believe that it is a good article and I give it its due respect but I feel that the article as a whole was stressing something outside of CO2 buildup. I think that it really is an article, by GUE, stressing to use mix. Helium, has less density than air or nitrox. Less density means less narcosis and less CO2 build up etc. Dive mix, dive mix etc.

[PfcAJ]

Less density means less narcosis and less CO2 build up etc. Dive mix, dive mix etc.

Seems like a reasonable solution to the problem at hand.

[TONY CHANEY]

Maybe we could shed some light pertaining to the dive. We have a rather young 25 year old male diver. Diver is 6'1" and heavy built. Never smoked. He also has about 200 dives with alot of them around 100 fsw. So he is not new to the depth (average depth was 80'), regs or back gas. He was well hydrated. So what was new on this dive? Lacking the proper training, too many goals, trying new equipment under adverse conditions (zero vis, high flow, distance, etc), prior two weeks of bad situations coupled with being solo. As I stated before, I feel that it could be a combination of simply getting out of breath and CO2 built up and maybe some narcosis. So our diver dives the same dive again but changed a few things and guess what? He had a great dive. He did not use trimix nor did he change out his regs. He just did not do as much tasking, had a buddy and took his time. It is not always CO2 bulid up or narked to the point of needing trimix but sometimes it is a basic OW 101 rule. If you get out of breath, stop all activity and catch your breath. It really can be that simple.

[Jay]

If you get narced at Devils on Nitrox stick to Peacock. That would be my advice! (this is meant in general, not to the OP)

In PADI 101 it talks about narcosis occuring earlier or stronger in colder water, limited vis, increased work, etc.

[TONY CHANEY]

Seems like a reasonable solution to the problem at hand.

Sounds like an expensive solution not indicated. Care to start a poll asking how many divers use mix at Ginnie?

[PfcAJ]

I don't care what "everyone else" does. I don't make decisions based on what Timmy Tentpeg and Friends do at Ginnie springs. I've done the same dive at Ginnie on both 32% and on helium (30/30), and its way better on helium.

[jcr]

I think that it really is an article, by GUE, stressing to use mix. Helium, has less density than air or nitrox. Less density means less narcosis and less CO2 build up etc. Dive mix, dive mix etc.

This sounds like a knee jerk reaction to anything GUE related. Did you even read the article? I went back and did a word search for the words "helium" and "trimix" and they don't even appear in the text. The only discussion of "diving mixes" is one short paragraph which summarizes the tables and points out that "[a]ir at 99 FSW, 32% nitrox at 99 FSW, 16/55 at 200 FSW, and 10/70 at 300 FSW all have approximately the same density."

The last sentence of the first paragraph states exactly what this article is about, which is that "[u]nderstanding how CO2 can become elevated, the symptoms, and the consequences of elevated CO2 can only make us safer divers." This seems exactly on point to this person's dive and the discussion at hand.

[LCF]

The first time I really ENJOYED a dive at Ginnie was the first time I did one on 30/30. On Nitrox, I get CO2 toxic, and I get the dark (anxious) narc. I don't care what anybody else does; if I dive Ginnie or JB, it will be on mix.

[mtherr]

Nice to see humble people publishing their experiences (I just noticed this thread). I solo dive quite a bit and I do not have the luxury of having the Devil's system in my backyard. On each trip to FL, over a week, I focus on one area of the cave and I add up one passage or segment to what I already know. It is fun and relaxing. I don't think there will be much changes before my next trip and I do not pressure myself with goals. However, I do prefer diving with one of my very fine dive buddies I have in the area. Thanks for posting.

[Tracydr]

It would be interesting to see how the OP would feel doing Ginnie on mix,once he's trained to use it.