ENRICHED AIR COURSE

Want to know about Enriched Air?
Nitrox (enriched air) is normal compressed air that has a higher amount of oxygen than SCUBA divers conventionally use. It is because of this increased oxygen in the air supply that our body absorbs less nitrogen and therefore creates a greater allowable bottom time and can reduce the chance of decompression sickness in certain conditions. More oxygen, however, means stringent limits and new concerns. Before you go signing up for an enriched air course answer the following questions and see if it would be something that would benefit you!

Do you want longer bottom times?
Have you reached a no decompression limit and wanted to look around for longer? Enriched Air (Nitrox) will give you greater flexibility in bottom times and surface intervals. As we all know we can stay at 30m for 20 min on air but on Nitrox 32 we can stay for 30 min which gives as quite a bit longer looking around at that depth. This is very useful for the more experienced and keen divers that want to get in a couple of longer dives in a day. Maybe you are on holidays on a tropical island. It is through the use of diving on Nitrox that you will be able to see all that is below in that nice warm water. Realistically diving on Nitrox and extended bottom times are most useful in dives between 18 to 30m. Come in and have a look at the tables compare the bottom times.

Do you intend to dive a lot?
If you are an occasional diver that may do an overseas trip every couple of years and only dives every few month around here, then getting certified as a Nitrox diver may be a bit of an over kill. But if you are a eager keen diver, worth ambition to see what is around under the water, if your planning a live-a-board trip or a dive intensive holiday and Nitrox will be available, then you are a candidate for the benefits of Nitrox and the so called “feel good” effect.

Nitrox not only extends you bottom time and allows for shorter surface intervals but many people swear by the fact that they feel better after a dive. Many Nitrox divers feel that the higher levels of oxygen in their blood through using Nitrox rather that compressed air reduces the tiredness after a dive and allows them to enjoy there on surface time as well.

Are you ready for more sophisticated dive planning?
As we all know there is more to diving then just sticking a reg in your mouth and jumping in. There is the planning that is done before including depth and time considerations. When using Nitrox there is more planning that needs to be done. For starters diving with Nitrox requires you to know what the content of your tank is. For example diving with Nitrox 30 you can go to 35m but if you are diving with Nitrox 40 you can only go to 25m. If you were to go deeper than the blend will allow then you are putting yourself at risk of oxygen toxicity. As well as knowing what blend you have in your tank you need to use a different set of tables and also track your oxygen exposure and stay with in the boundaries. Just as many of us dive off computers alone using air there are now computers on the market that do all of their calculations for you but you should still know how to use the tables.

Are you still keen?
The course covers equipment and procedural concerns involving enriched air. You will learn how to plan enriched air dives, and determine your no decompression limit and your oxygen exposure limit while using enriched air. There is noting to the diving side of it, just swimming around with a different tank on your back and watching your depth limits.

The Enriched Air course is a theory based, pre dive planning course and therefore can be added to the advanced course. The Enriched Air course usually costs $325 but if you want to add it to a trip to Nelson Bay you can have it for only $195 while doing your Advanced course or $249 as a stand alone course on the trip. The course cost cover everything you need, text books, tables, certification, Enriched Air fills etc.