[440634]

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<font color='#000F22'>Hi everyone,

DAN has said recently that you should take a day off from diving in the middle of a week long trip; This ties in with what most agencies also advise and on the face of it makes sense.......

HOWEVER......

At LIDS Kevin Gurr said that this, is in fact incorrect, as after a couple of days diving your body has started to remove 'gas seeds' and a day off allows them to return.

I've also 'heard' of evidence (but not actually seen) that would indicate this is true, the evidence being Doppler readings taken over the space of a week long tech trip including dives to 125m, showing that over the space of the week the results showed a reduction in ‘silent bubbles’.

Has anyone else heard of this? Have any views/opinions? Seen any specific evidence?

Juz

 

[DanE]

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I said no such thing.  Oh, wait, I see...

dan

 

[440634]

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<font color='#000F22'>Bump

Just bumping this one, I'm sure someone has some comments on it......


Juz

 

[jlwarlow]

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<font color='#008080'>Does anyone actualy take a day of on a weeks diving? This Plymouth I did 8 dives <= 20m over 4 days. This July I'll be doing 8/9 days diving up to 45m and I don't think the trip has a day off plan.

 

[Dr Stevil]

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Hmmmm... spend XXXX pounds on overseas diving holiday then sit a whole day out

Neine danke!
Think I'll stick with my "extreme hydration" methods instead

 

[Stu Sheridan]

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<font color='#0000FF'>Tell you what Juz...

We'll have to wait 18months but we can do our own sub 40m studies off Donegal next summer!

Stu.

 

[440634]

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<font color='#000F22'>Good call Stu, apart from 2 things....

1. No doppler kit
2. No way I'm taking a day off on that trip!!!

Juz

 

[Iestyn]

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<font color='#000080'>Now, I have to pre-disclaim what I'm about to say on the basis of lack of experience etc. , but is it not possible that talk of 'gas-seeds' etc. is not just a way of making us feel better about ignoring DAN advice in order to get the most out of an expensive holiday. I'd really like someone who knows better to prove me wrong....Otherwise I can't help thinking that DAN and the other agencies are right and we just don't want to admit it. Out of interest, what's the practice in commercial diving...Andy or any of the other commies on here?

 

[Mark Chase]

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Unfortunatly I dont know beter but I have read several articles which said CONSERVITAVE repetative diving over a period of days builds the bodys resistance to a bend and increases personal levels of narcosis.

Mr Gurr is keen on using a dopler tester to prove his theorys on deco so perhaps he has more scientific proof. From my point of view I have done 20 dives in a week and last week I did 18 dives two to 60 and in total 7 over 40m with a four dive day in the middle and I got away with it. 1000's of divers are doing the same number if less agresive profiles every week and getting away with it so it does make you think.

We here of a fair few divers geting bent on one dive or two dive days in the UK but when did we last here about someone getting bent on a livaboard?

Just my 2p

Mark Chase

 

[peter k]

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What are "gas seeds?" I've never even heard of them getting mentioned anywhere before!

Peter

 

[440634]

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<font color='#000F22'>AIUI they are the very smallest of microbubble or silent bubble, but they form a 'seed' for gas to attach to, making the small microbubble bigger, like when droplets of water join to form bigger and bigger drops and then become a pool, or when globules of mercury join each other.

This type of thing can be viwed (I'm told) bu taking a glass of water - obviously there are no bubbles in it - then placing a candle into the water - you will see bubbles on the candle because the microscopic imperfections on the wax allow the gas to attach to it.

Juz

 

[bang-on]

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<font color='#0000FF'>i would take a day off diving when diving abroad for a week and i would normally choose the day before my flight back.
but seriously it's another individual thing and depends on dives done,depths etc etc.
so i think the thing is to do what 'you' feel comfortable with and capable of doing based on your refreshments consumed and sleep taken,if any.

cheers
barrie

 

[chrisch]

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As best I know (correct me if you know better please..) there is no empiric evidence to suggest taking a day off from repetitive diving has reduced DCI.  The view is founded on theory, as is the counterview on microbubble "seeds".

The facts though are clear, if you spend loads getting there and take a day off you lose diving for a non-proven advantage.

If you want to get a doppler and sponsor me for a week's livaboard at Truk I will volunteer now.

Chris