Gas consumption on Trimix

[Mark Chase]

I have to say I strugle with the concept of thinner gas gets used more quickley? Thicker gas makes breathing resistance greater resulting in a build up of co2 in the body which trigers breathing responce QED faster breathing.

On CCR the panting effect of a CO2 build up is one of the reasions its so hard to bail out to OC. Whilst some dont realise it even on OC a poor performing regulator will cause faster harder breathing due to CO2 build up in the body.

A light breathing regulator reduses the stress of breathing and the body then takes what it needs rather than breathing due to an abnormal chemical reaction.

The divers would have been using Jetstreems for Air at that depth. Those things jet wash your tonsels with gas if you suck hard enough on them so I reckon they would have shot through the gas what ever.

My take on things is that if they had been thinking streight they would have swaped a reg onto the one deco bottle they had and at least had time for some deco. Possably enough for them to be bent but not dead but who knows. I would also offer that had they been clear headed thy could possably have found the deco tanks. A sub after all is very small and very easy to navigate.

A friend of Petes lost his staged deco gas on a dive to 82m. They couldent find the shot. He an his buddy just stayed down and continued the search as they knew if they went up they were going to die any way. Needles to say they found them in the end. They had to breath a PP02 of 3.5 on the way up but they made it

ATB

Mark Chase

[Ainsleyberryman]

Your right Mark. Having a clear head allows you to make fine judgements or see things latereally. Being narced you may not think to swop regs, or find navigation difficult even on a sub and also be unable to think about risking high O2 partials compared to getting very bent / dead.

As the narcs build up gradually with depth, its effect is often not noticed by divers unless they can compare the same dive/depth to one on TMX.

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by Ainsleyberryman

As the narcs build up gradually with depth, its effect is often not noticed by divers unless they can compare the same dive/depth to one on TMX.

The first thing Nitrogen takes away is your ability to realise you are narked.
There are clues but it's so hard to focus on them and realise your brain is running at 15%.