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My experience of this past weekend further confirms my suspicions that air and nitrox may not be the best gas to breath for intermediate range diving. Lately, Irvine and myself have been using hyperoxic trimix (25% helium 32% oxygen - depending on the depth) on scooter dives over the spectacular outer reef system in north Ft. Lauderdale. The average depth of this outer system is 100 fsw with dips to 110 feet in places. The reef consists of a progression of large coral encrusted islands strung out like an archipelago from Port Everglades north to Pompano Beach. Nobody dives on this system because of the increased depth and as a result these reefs are still pristine with spectacular soft corals ( including certain black corals) and all of the same hard corals you see in the Bahamas (Bimini is 42 miles as the crow flies). The invertebrate and fish life on this outer system is very diverse and the lobster hunting is second to none. In fact, the diving here is so good we did not bother to take the boat to Bimini this past summer. Visibility has been running to 100 feet or better with water temperature of 75 degrees (85 in the summmer) and all of the big fish such as gray grouper (gags) and cobia are now in. Scootering is the only proper way to experience this reef system. We use WKPP or Mako scooters and cruise above the reef watching for the telltale antennas of the Florida rock lobster during a dive which may cover more than a mile. The enhanced visual and mental acuity associated with breathing trimix significantly improves the kill ratio. When it is dark you are using all of the hunter/killer pattern recognition skills to resolve the lobsters against what appears to be a monochrome background during overcast conditions. In short, I find that I am much more effective, can handle far more task loading (scooters, drift line, lobster catch bag, snare, compass and buddy monitoring) than if I am diving nitrox or air (never use air anymore). After the dive I feel much better and do not suffer the typical fatigue associated with air or deep nitrox. We are doing dives with bottom times of 40 - 60 minutes in the 90 - 100 foot range with a transition to the shallower inner reef system in lieu of stage decompression. I have been able to perform emergency aborts to the surface after ½ hour without any ill effects (like when some idiot runs over the drift line). This past weekend we dived off of Errol Kalayci's boat, The Grateful Diver (leaves from Brownies Southport) and employed scooters and Halcyon harness backplate systems with single aluminum 80s. I believe that all of this equipment is available if you are in from out of town and they will fill nitrox and trimix if you are not a stroke and get you dry ice for your fish and lobsters (the airport is 5 minutes away). This Sunday we hit our lobster limit within 20 minutes and I attribute this largely due to the enhanced perceptive ability. This dive also works great on mixed gas rebreathers with the hydration and added warmth from the breathers improving the comfort of the dive. The point of all this is that trimix should be (and probably eventually will be) used for anything over 70fsw. In fact this is where all of the mixed gas diving skills should be taught in the first place. This is safer, more fun and can be done year round. See you in Ft. Lauderdale, Bill -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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