THE COMPLETE DIVE COMPUTER GUIDE

EVER WONDER WHY YOU NEED A DIVE COMPUTER?

Many divers ask me “Why You need a dive computer?” I always ask ” Do you have your RDP dive planner table with you and remember how to plan your repetitive dives so as to make sure the residual nitrogen in your body after each dive is at a safe level to ascend without risk of decompression sickness?…. The reply is mostly either no or most anticipated as a rhetorical question, but the fact remains, there are a lot of scuba divers out there, who, for whatever reason, don’t pay close enough, if any attention personally to this and reply upon dive guides and professionals to do it for them.

WHY DO YOU NEED TO TRACK RESIDUAL NITROGEN?

During a scuba dive, as we breath compressed gas, Nitrogen absorbs throughout our whole body. As we ascend, and the pressure drops, the nitrogen begins to release from the body. It’s impossible to release all the nitrogen absorbed during a scuba dive as you ascend therefore once you reach the surface you are retaining a certain level of nitrogen.

Not before long, you will go down again. Once underwater you stop releasing nitrogen and begin, once again to absorb it, but this time you will surface with even more nitrogen in your body. The residual nitrogen from the first dive plus the nitrogen absorbed during the second repetitive dive.

The higher the nitrogen level within your body, the higher the risk of decompression sickness occurring. We know, however, if we stay within the limits of the safety guidelines form the dive tables, this risk can be controlled safely.

USING THE RDP DIVE TABLE

Anyone who has taken the PADI Open water Diver course should remember the good old RDP dive tables. Cringe as you may, you can’t deny their importance in your safety. You plan your dive profile. How deep and how long. you check your table and you check you’re within acceptable nitrogen limits by the end of the dive. Sound pretty simple right?! Then why do so many people simply not do so before a scuba dive at dive resorts or on diving holidays?

Here are some of the reasons I’ve encountered to why people don’t use the RDP dive tables

To effectively You a Dive Table you need to monitor time underwater. Many divers don’t have a dive suitable timepiece. Many divers don’t check their depth gauge on the SPG to check their depth because they know the dive master is doing it. Many divers simply don’t remember how to plan properly after even a short period of inactivity. Some divers don’t like the limits imposed by the conservative rounding up the dive table uses for planning. Some simply think that because they are only doing “shallow dives” that it’s not important.

All of these reasons for using the dive tables are the exact reasons why all scuba divers should use a dive computer.

WHY YOU NEED A DIVE COMPUTER

» It’s a Digital Depth gauge and timing device in one!
» You’re more likely to be aware of your Depth and Time when it is in front of you on your wrist.
» There isn’t much to remember to use a dive computer safely and effectively.
» The dive computer monitors your depth in real time and credits your dive time back
» Dive computers can double your allowable bottom time especially with Enriched Air
» Makes learning to use Enriched Air Nitrox easily as pie and its required now!
» Tells you your No Fly times AND Dive history
» Tells you how slow to ascend and when to make stops for safety and emergencies.
» Basically dive computers are required by wreck divers & Deep Divers these days.

All in all. You need a dive computer because when you use a dive computer effectively it helps to make you a better, safer diver. If you are already a PADI Open water Diver and want to learn about using a dive computer, ask about the PADI Advanced Open water Diver Course and the Multilevel Dive computer Adventure dive.

If you are a Certified Diver and Book Your Pattaya Dive Trip Online You will Get a FREE Dive Computer Rental! *Terms & Conditions Apply.