Enriched
Air (Nitrox)
is air that has a higher oxygen content. Originally
introduced by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) for research diving, nitrox
is now widely accepted within the recreational dive
community.
Typically,
air contains two major components... oxygen (21%)
and nitrogen (79%). Commonly referred to as nitrox,
enriched air for recreational
diving is considered blends of 22% to 40% oxygen with
the most common being 32% and 36% nitrox.
Benefits
and Risks
Nitrox
offers several distinctive benefits including increased
no-decompression limits and shorter service intervals
while reducing risk. Also, nitrox
divers have often reported that they feel less fatigued
at the end of a full-day of diving than they typically
would while diving air.
Unfortunately,
there are also potential risk. It is a major misconception
that nitrox allows you
to "dive deeper for longer." The increase
in oxygen content requires strict depth limits based
on the oxygen partial pressure of the specific blend
at depth. For instance, the recreational oxygen partial
pressure maximum depth for 32% nitrox
is 110-feet, where as the maximum depth for 36% nitrox
is 90-feet compared to the 130-feet depth limit of
air.
The
greatest advantage of nitrox
for divers is between depths of 50 and 110-feet. Imagine
extending your bottom time and safety margin on an
80-foot profile while drifting effortlessly past Goliath
Grouper on a coral reef, or over the hull of a 184-foot
wreck. With air, your no-decompression limit at 80-feet
is 30 minutes. With 32% nitrox,
your no-decompression limit is extended to 45 minutes.
With 36% nitrox, your
no-decompression limit is extended to 60 minutes.
Visualize the difference.
If
you find yourself on multi-day diving vacations, would
like to increase you no-decompression limits, or would
like to add an additional safety margin into your
dive profiles, enroll in a PADI Enriched
Air (Nitrox) Diver or TDI Nitrox
Diver course with Pura Vida Divers on your next dive
charter.
Diving
with enriched air (nitrox)
requires additional training and knowledge development
from a certified Enriched Air
(Nitrox) Instructor.
Course
Information
With Pura Vida Divers' Instructional Team, you will
learn how to analyze your enriched
air (nitrox) tanks and properly plan your dive
profiles as well as gain an in-depth understanding
of the benefits and risks of enriched
air (nitrox).
Typically
completed in one day and offered daily on board Sirena,
your PADI
Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver course include
your two enriched air (nitrox)
dives, enriched air (nitrox)
tank rentals, soft weights, weight belt, training
materials, certification and instructor fees, and
photo. You
must be certified as an Open Water Diver to participate
in this course.
Bonus
Savings
- Now you can complete your PADI
Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver certification at
the same time as almost any Continuing Education course.
Pura
Vida Divers also offers the DSAT Gas Blender Course.
You will learn the proper methods and procedures for
blending enriched air (nitrox)
and oxygen cleaning equipment. For additional information
on courses and instruction, please visit Courses
and Instruction.
To
enroll in a PADI Enriched Air
(Nitrox) Diver, TDI Nitrox
Diver, or DSAT Gas Blender course, please Contact
Us.
