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The WKPP no longer uses air in any application. We used to use it for deco from 190 (where there was immediate relief to 150 above us), but now we use the right mix for that. We used to dive to 150 on air ( with gas on our backs), but now we use the right mix. JJ and I changed the 150 rule when we suspected a problem three years ago, and we recently, starting with the Wakulla dives last April, changed the deco 190 rule. For support divers who have a variable depth and may go beyond 120, we use mix. Gavin originally selected the 190 deco and 150 air becuase we had a long run at 150 with TRIMIX ON OUR BACK in Indian Springs, but JJ and I changed that. He also used the 190 WITH GAS ON OUR BACK for ONE application, Wakulla Springs. None of our other sites even had air in the combination, as they were either too deep or they were shallow enough for nitrox . In Cheryl, Turner, Big D , Sullivan, etc, we dropped nitrox and other than Turner, the bottom gas had a high enough oxygen content to make a 21 nitrox unnecessary. The orgiginal standard predated the type of exposures we do now, so did not have enough use to warrant any attention, and GAS WAS ALWAYS ON THE BACK IN EITHER THE 150 OR 190 situations, there are no 150 caves that we dive : they all only stay at 150 for a while before dropping, or in the case of Sullivan upstream, they dip and go back shallow. Now we do neither. It has come to our attention that air at these depths is a severe mental impairment, and causes severe phsiological damage - only a blithering idiot would continue a practice that has been shown to be unsafe, and I am not afraid to admit that I was a compete moron for not doing something sooner when JJ and I had REPEATEDLY discussed it and suspected it for the last several years. Sometimes it takes a wakeup call, and unfortuneatley with the level of ignorant stupidity in diving we are on our won as to arriving at these decisions, and I will do nothing or impose nothing on others that I have not tested on myself, so JJ and I tested these things out before we instituted them, hence my excuse for the delay. I was an idiot, but I admit it , and I also NO LONGER DO IT. It was never the intention of Bill Gavin , who was dead set against air diving, to push the narcosis limits, it was only to make the deco, and he was always very concerned about the deco. Bill Gavin was the guy who ended air diving by the WKPP after he saw McFadden get killed. That was eight years ago. Gavin only did dives with gas on his back, so was only thinking in those terms - he in no way was ever making an air diving level judgement. -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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