Skydiving + Scuba Diving..

[StevePhelps 0]

I made two dives in Cozumel (long dives 90 minutes) then skydived 22 hours later at Playa. 24 hours is a SAFE precaution. Obviously you can go less. Nothing magical happens after 23 hrs and 59 minutes. BUt remember ... you break the RULES at YOUR OWN risk.

[Chrisky 0]

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I'm sure the NITROX made a big difference. Exercising after diving cleans the compressed nitrogen out of your system faster.

Just did my open water license and have a little understanding problem with this claim. If I understood correctly, the nitrogen (when using just compressed air, not NITROX) gets absorbed by the body but is not part of the metabolism. If that is true, speeding up the metabolism (working out) does not affect nitrogen re-solution. Opposite to carbon dioxide, which is part of the metabolism. I was actually wondering about that very thing with my dive buddy (at Philippines Boogie with no planes - diving was the thing to do!).

The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...

[skyrider 0]

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As far as not flying after scubadiving is concerned, all jumps are high altitude. If it counts for normal passenger airlines which are pressurised to (I think) somewhere around 8000 feet. Then it definately matters on non-pressurised jump aircraft going to 10,000 feet and above.

Personally I wouldnt risk a hop'n'pop within 24 hours of scuba diving. I've had a friend suffer the bends after doing an intro dive and then flying home from her hols. She's still suffering, years later.


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It is 4500...(I kept my alti. wiht me several tiims, back when we were allowed to carry such things on flights!

[grimmie 173]

The Philippines boogie didn't have an airplane?

[JohnMitchell 14]

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As far as not flying after scubadiving is concerned, all jumps are high altitude. If it counts for normal passenger airlines which are pressurised to (I think) somewhere around 8000 feet.

It is 4500...(I kept my alti. wiht me several tiims, back when we were allowed to carry such things on flights!

I've taken mine on several flights, as recently as this October. Altimeters aren't really banned. I just wouldn't wave it around too much.

The crew can vary the cabin altitude from the cockpit. I think the FAA maximum allowable is 8000'. I've seen anywhere from 4K to 6K. I think I remember it being 8K flying from DEN to SLC one time, but I'm not sure.

[airtwardo 6]

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As far as not flying after scubadiving is concerned, all jumps are high altitude. If it counts for normal passenger airlines which are pressurised to (I think) somewhere around 8000 feet.

It is 4500...(I kept my alti. wiht me several tiims, back when we were allowed to carry such things on flights!

I've taken mine on several flights, as recently as this October. Altimeters aren't really banned. I just wouldn't wave it around too much.

The crew can vary the cabin altitude from the cockpit. I think the FAA maximum allowable is 8000'. I've seen anywhere from 4K to 6K. I think I remember it being 8K flying from DEN to SLC one time, but I'm not sure.

Some years back I was on an overseas flight that was near 10,000...I joked the flight crew was tryin' get the passengers to go to sleep!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Martini 0]

Here are the current recommendations from DAN (Divers Alert Network):

Revised Flying After Diving Guidelines for Recreational Diving - May 2002

The following guidelines are the consensus of attendees at the 2002 Flying After Diving Workshop. They apply to air dives followed by flights at cabin altitudes of 2,000 to 8,000 feet (610 to 2,438 meters) for divers who do not have symptoms of decompression sickness (DCS). The recommended preflight surface intervals do not guarantee avoidance of DCS. Longer surface intervals will reduce DCS risk further.

•For a single no-decompression dive, a minimum preflight surface interval of 12 hours is suggested.
•For multiple dives per day or multiple days of diving, a minimum preflight surface interval of 18 hours is suggested.
•For dives requiring decompression stops, there is little evidence on which to base a recommendation and a preflight surface interval substantially longer than 18 hours appears prudent.

DAN has done more research than anyone on this subject, the Navy stuff isn't current nor is it particularly useful.

Personally I've done many skydives after SCUBA, haven't had a problem but kept the dives and jumps conservative. If you do this you're a guinea pig and you could die. Or not.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[JohnMitchell 14]

Non-diver here, so I certainly am no expert, but if you spend some time breathing pure oxygen after a dive, does that purge the nitrogen from your system faster? I know halo jumpers prebreathe for about an hour before doing jumps from 25k or higher.

[Martini 0]

John, I have no experience using oxygen to aid in reducing excess nitrogen from a diver's system but O2 is standard first aid for decompression sickness.

If anyone wants to try deco diving followed by O2 treatment so they can do some wingsuit jumps please let me know how that works out.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[Bolas 5]

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Non-diver here, so I certainly am no expert, but if you spend some time breathing pure oxygen after a dive, does that purge the nitrogen from your system faster? I know halo jumpers prebreathe for about an hour before doing jumps from 25k or higher.

When I did a HALO jump in June from 30 there was no prebreathing. We just started once we were on board the plane. Maybe got 5 minutes on the ground if that.

Edited to add:At the boogie in Belize the rule is no jumping for 24 hours after scuba. You could take a plane to the mainland as they flew 1500 feet or lower.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[Beerlight 0]

This is from an Air Force instruction, 11-403 that I use for work.

Personnel must delay altitude chamber and aerial flight exposures for at least 24 hours following compressed air diving. This includes SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving, surface supplied diving, or hyperbaric chamber exposure. If the dive requires a decompression stop, recommend 48 hours elapse prior to aerial flight or altitude chamber exposure. EXCEPTION: Pararescue and Combat Control personnel assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command Special Tactics Units will follow guidelines per US Navy Diving Manual, Volumes I and II, on flying after diving restrictions. Specifically, these divers should not fly for 12 hours after sur- facing from a decompression dive or for two hours following a no decompression dive. If aircraft cabin pressure is maintained below 2,300 feet altitude, then flying is permitted immediately after any breathing mixture dive. Flying is permitted immediately after 100-percent oxygen diving.

[erdnarob 1]

I agree with you. I did already both (skydiving and scuba diving) the same day but always doing skydiving first.

Doing scuba makes a scuba diver getting pressurized air dissolved in the blood stream to compensate the outside water pressure. When coming back toward the surface, stops have to be done at certain level (depth) and during a certain time depending on how deep and how long you have dived and this to allow the blood stream to get rid of the expanded air (less depth therefore more air volume then possibility of air bubbles in the blood stream just like when you open a bottle of Coca cola or beer). Going skydiving after scuba diving will expose you a lot more to get those bubble in the blood stream because of the altitude and low air pressure. The 24 hours waiting allows all air micro bubbles of your blood stream to dissolve again back to the normal.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[headoverheels 291]

DAN is tied in with promoting the SCUBA industry (not as bad as PADI, but still...), so they will recommend pushing it, since that is what sells more SCUBA vacations.

MUCH worse to be skydiving, at 13k, than riding in a commercial pressurized aircraft (unless it depressurizes).

[Martini 0]

You do know that you replied to Eric (Tonto) who died over three years ago?

Your SCUBA theory is close but not too accurate, most diving is done with no stops except for a general "safety stop" at around 15-20 feet. Also dissolved gasses affect more than just blood, other tissues act in different ways. Waiting 24 hours, or any other time, allows excess dissolved gasses to exit the body not "dissolve again back to normal". The entire mechanism is quite complex and depends on many factors including gas mixture, depths, time at depth, ascention rate, stops, temperature, physical exertion, altitude etc. Not to mention personal sensitivity and the somewhat unpredictible nature of DCS.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[airtwardo 6]

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I agree with you. I did already both (skydiving and scuba diving) the same day but always doing skydiving first.

Doing scuba makes a scuba diver getting pressurized air dissolved in the blood stream to compensate the outside water pressure. When coming back toward the surface, stops have to be done at certain level (depth) and during a certain time depending on how deep and how long you have dived and this to allow the blood stream to get rid of the expanded air (less depth therefore more air volume then possibility of air bubbles in the blood stream just like when you open a bottle of Coca cola or beer). Going skydiving after scuba diving will expose you a lot more to get those bubble in the blood stream because of the altitude and low air pressure. The 24 hours waiting allows all air micro bubbles of your blood stream to dissolve again back to the normal.

...I wait even longer before flying.

Did some relatively deep stuff off Truk a few years back and got pretty uncomfortable flying to Hawaii a day later.

Significant joint pain and a minor headache that lasted the whole flight. . .would NOT have wanted to try to make it to the mainland feeling like that.

I try to use a 48 hour 'rule' just to be safe...but I'm old & and don't really have 'blood'.

IIRC...didn't they almost kill 'Porpoise head' in a decompression chamber last year?

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Martini 0]

DAN is tied in with promoting the SCUBA industry (not as bad as PADI, but still...), so they will recommend pushing it, since that is what sells more SCUBA vacations.

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A little cynical about DAN? I completely disagree, they base their recommendations on research, what do you base your opinion on?

***MUCH worse to be skydiving, at 13k, than riding in a commercial pressurized aircraft (unless it depressurizes).

True that but who says you have to jump at 13k?

To be conservative about the whole concept of skydiving after SCUBA you have to assume starting out with a N2 saturated diver and skydives to 15k. Unfortunately no research has been done, nor would I expect that it will ever be done, on modified diving and jumping. A big difference exists between a 1 1/2 hour dive to 130' followed by a 13k wingsuit jump compared to a 1 hour dive to 40' followed by a few hop & pops. Not to mention that what works for me may very well kill you.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[JohnMitchell 14]

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Flying is permitted immediately after 100-percent oxygen diving.

No nitrogen, no nitrogen bubbles. Makes total sense. Of course, you can poison yourself with too much O2, too.

Anyone know if decompressing with O2 or post breathing with O2 helps?

[Martini 0]

Oxygen enriched breathing gas mixtures are often used in decompression stop cylinders, staged or carried.

Incidentally diving deeper than what is called "recreational limits" of about 130 feet salt water is called tech diving for a reason. Understanding and implementing the relationships of time, depth, gas mix etc is very technical and requires serious training and study. I'm not a tech diver, don't dive enough to justify the time and expense, but I am interested. BTW, check out on land what 130 feet looks like, it's not very far at all but underwater the physics are significant.

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[grimmie 173]

We probably have the most skydiving/SCUBA integration at the Belize boogie. After 6 events we have had one person get DCS, even after waiting 24 hours to fly.
Martini makes great point about each individual's physiology, height, depths etc.
So at a boogie that mixes both sports, skydive, SCUBA, get drunk at the nightly party, rehab at the pool all day long the next day and be back in the air the next!

[Beerlight 0]

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Flying is permitted immediately after 100-percent oxygen diving.

No nitrogen, no nitrogen bubbles. Makes total sense. Of course, you can poison yourself with too much O2, too.

Anyone know if decompressing with O2 or post breathing with O2 helps?

I know our NASA crews routinely post-breathe with 100% O2 after a pool run. Sometimes they need to fly out in a T-38 for the Cape. I can't remember the exact schedule. I believe there's still a 12 hour surface interval though.. Thats after a dive on NiTrox.

[DiverMike 5]

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Anyone know if decompressing with O2 or post breathing with O2 helps?

It helps tremendously assuming you are doing it after the last or only dive of the day and aren't doing it between dives. Oxygen toxicity is very dangerous at depth, so prebreathing O2 is usually frowned upon.

I have been on many deep wreck penetration dives where we do our final deco stop on pure oxygen.

For the same reason I jump off a perfectly good diving board.

[vicryder 0]

DCS Decompression sickness

[Martini 0]

I'm sure Corne will appreciate your answer to his question.....seven years after he asked it

Sometimes you eat the bear..............

[erdnarob 1]

««allows excess dissolved gasses to exit the body not "dissolve again back to normal". »»

During the 24 hours after scuba diving, the normal breathing will do the job of getting your blood stream and tissues back to the normal. Thank you to bring more precision to my statement. I just wanted to stay as simple as possible. What causes the most troubles are the bubbles in the blood stream and tissues. Too many can kill you. Stopping and obviously breathing at those stops will eliminate partially the bubbles and will put your body more in equilibrium with the water pressure at that level. Agreed I should have added that the 24 hours not only dissolve the bubbles but get rid of them provided you continue to breath

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[vicryder 0]

Seven years, huh? Hope he's still alive