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To: techdiver@inset.com
Subject: In-water Decompression Completion
From: "JR Oldroyd" <jr@fu*.in*.co*>
Date: Sat Feb 20 08:58:31 EST 1993
Forwarded letter from story@be*.wp*.sg*.co* follows:
> Absolutely.  Do *NOT* follow their in-water procedures for missed
> decompression stops!

This was in reference to suggested reimmersion procedures outlined in
Gentile's and Mount's books.  Off the top of my head, I can't remember
for sure, but isn't their recommended procedure that you're OK if you
reimmerse within 5 minutes and resume decompression where you left off?

Now, when I took my Intro Cave class, one of the things covered in the
course was what to do if you find yourself obliged to break
decompression and run to your van to get another tank (assuming of
course that you have a spare there).

The algorithm suggested was to get the spare tank.  Then, IF AND ONLY IF
no DCS symptoms were present, to get back into the water.  Then descend
to:

	12m  for 1/4 of your originally-planned 3m deco time
	9m for 1/3 of your originally-planned 3m deco time
	6m for 1/2 of your originally-planned 3m deco time
and
	3m for 1.5 of your originally-planned 3m deco time

Then exit, and hope for the best.  The assumption here is that you've
just exited a cave system that's out in the sticks somewhere and no
other recompression facility is available in a reasonable time.  The
hope is that this procedure will be better than waiting possibly up to
24 hours, or maybe even longer, before you can get to a chamber.  This
could apply equally well to boat dives, of course.

Now, I have not had a need to try this out.  I'm wondering if anyone
else here has.  Specifically, I'm interested in comments on the actual
algorithm here.  If you had to do this, would you use these timings and
depths? If you'd broken decompression deeper than 12m, would you restart
deeper? Also, if you disagree with the whole principle of doing this,
I'd be interested in your views on what YOU would do, if for some
unfortunate reason, you found yourself having to break decompression, in
a situation where no recompression facility is anywhere close, but where
you do have more air available when you got to the surface.

	-jr

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