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FORWARDED MESSAGE from (mail @ smtp {anscott@hi*.ne*.au*}) at
> 11/22/96 3:21 AM
> I keep hearing about how dangerous deep air is, not that CNS is the
> cause but that narcosis is the major factor in accidents on deep air.
> Is this just
> talk or are there some solid studies and stats to lead to this
> conclusion. Any ideas anyone?
>
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***** NOTES from Paul Pretorius (PAUL1 @ MLC) at 11/22/96 8:18 AM
One thing I've noticed about deep air (or to use the possibly new term
"extreme air") is the unpredictability of "narcs". We do a fair amount of
deep air diving in South Africa (deco diving was not frowned apon in the
past by all the training organisations) with the group I dive with diving
to in excess of 180 feet on air fairly regularly.
From personal experience, narcs has hit me badly one day (to the point of
being bloody dangerous) at 260 feet and being being able to cope quite
comfortably with in the next day at 335 feet. I've found that at that type
of depth narcs hits you without warning like a sledge hammer and I belive
an O2 convultion will hit you as quikly (from discussion with a freind of
mine that had one).
DCS hits are also fairly unpredictable. We had a hit in March, one diver
was fine and the other picked up skin bends and balance problems that had
the quacks at the institue for aviation medicine going balistic for a week
- both had similar (although lunatic profiles).
Theres no doubt in my mind, if you do it long enough, something will hurt
you, it could be a bend, oxtox, narcs with its knock on results or diver
error. It could happen on your first dive to 165 feet or your 10th to 330
feet.
But its safer than living in Johannesburg (no-one has tried to hijack my
truck underwater ; ))
Paul Pretorius
(with asbestos suit on)
South Africa
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