Nitrox, the shortened name for Enriched Air Nitrox, or EAN, has gained so much popularity since it's introduction to the recreational diving community by Dick Rutkowski in 1985 that it has become as main-stream as using regular air for diving. What exactly IS Nitrox? It is any mixture of breathing gas in a scuba cylinder that has an oxygen concentration above 21 percent, the normal nitrogen content found in air. 32 percent oxygen is the most common Nitrox mix. Like everything in the world, there are pros and cons to diving with Nitrox; however, using it within the recreational limits of scuba diving is super safe and can greatly enhance your dive. We love diving Nitrox and have compiled our list of top reasons why you should love it too!
Our top 5 reasons why you should dive Nitrox:
Reason #1: Extend your bottom time!
As everyone learns in their Open Water Diver course, it is the build-up of dissolved nitrogen in the tissues that make you have to ascend from every dive so you do not go into decompression mode. If too much nitrogen accumulates in the tissues, as you ascend the gas comes out of your tissues as bubbles, which can cause Decompression Sickness. By breathing Enriched Air, less nitrogen builds up during the dive, therefore, allowing you to stay longer at depth. For example, if you are diving at 105 feet on 36 percent Nitrox, the nitrogen would be absorbed into your tissues at the same rate as would breathing air at 80 feet. This means that your ordinary bottom time extends from 20 minutes at depth to 40 minutes! You just doubled your time underwater....and that's ALWAYS a good thing, right?!?
Reason #2: Less tired after diving!
Let's face it, diving is a demanding sport and many times leaves divers feeling pretty drained. Many nitrox divers claim that diving on nitrox leaves them feeling less fatigued than when they dive using regular air. While this theory has not been scientifically proven, if it may help us feel less tired after diving we're all for trying!
Reason #3: Shorter surface intervals!
When you're enjoying an amazing dive site the worst thing is having to get out and then waiting at least an hour to get back in while your body off-gasses. With Nitrox, since your body is absorbing less nitrogen during your dive, it will have less nitrogen to get rid of to allow you to get back in the water. Theoretically, this should greatly reduce your necessary surface interval time; however, please always refer to your dive computer or dive tables as the most accurate way to track your needed surface interval time.
Reason #4: Longer repetitive dives!
Dive vacations are full of diving. Depending on what type of diving vacation you are on you could be diving up to 4-5 times per day! That's a lot of diving, which also means a lot of off-gassing and if you're diving on normal air, those dives are going to just get shorter and shorter as the day goes on. By using Nitrox, again, the nitrogen build up will be greatly reduced, not only minimizing the amount of nitrogen built up in your tissues after a dive but also allowing it to dissolve out quicker since there is less built up. The benefit to this is that those repetitive dives throughout the day will be much longer than someone diving on air.
Reason #5: Nitrox is everywhere!
When it was first introduced to the world, Nitrox was relatively hard to find. Only certain dive stores in certain locations would carry it. Now, Nitrox is SO popular and readily available you'll see it offered at the most remote locations on the planet. There really is no excuse not to use it now. You can find Nitrox everywhere.
Even though Nitrox is super popular and found all around the globe, due to its high Oxygen content and extra safety precautions, you do need to be certified as a Nitrox Diver to use it. If you haven't gotten Nitrox certified yet our experts here at Underseas Scuba Center are waiting to sign you up for our next Nitrox Diver Course. You can start today with our eLearning Center. Just click here and choose the Nitrox Diver Course. Happy diving!
