PADI Enriched Air Diver
Background
What is enriched air nitrox?The normal air we breathe is 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% other trace gasses. In contrast, enriched air nitrox is air which has an oxygen content greater than 21%...which means the nitrogen content is less than that found in air.
Why dive with enriched air nitrox?
A diver breathing enriched air nitrox accumulates nitrogen in body tissues more slowly than if he were breathing ordinary air. That means the diver he has more time at depth before reaching the no decompression limit.Simply put, you get more bottom time by using nitrox than by using ordinary air.Exactly how much more bottom depends on a variety of factors, of course. But a general rule of thumb is that you get about 50% more bottom time on the first dive of the day and up to 100% more bottom time on repetitive dives--particularly when there are relatively short surface intervals involved. When you spend the money to travel to a dive resort and do multiple dives a day off a boat--which usually means short surface intervals--the extra cost to use nitrox and get double the bottom time will seem insignificant indeed! But be warned: you will not be able to obtain nitrox unless you are certified to use it.
What are the risks?
There are several considerations for using enriched air nitrox which are not of concern when using ordinary air. For this reason, no reputable dive operator will supply enriched air nitrox to a diver who has not had training in those special considerations. The purpose of the PADI Enriched Air Diver specialty course is to train you in the proper handling and use of enriched air nitrox so that you can dive safely using enriched air.
Cost
Cost of the course is $75, including use of all shop equipment needed for your training. In addition to the course tuition, you will need to purchase your personal copy of the PADI Enriched Air Diver training manual and a set of 3 waterproof slates. We have these training materials available at a package price of $50.87.Schedule
The course begins with self-study of the Enriched Air Diver manual. After you have read the manual and completed the knowledge reviews, you will meet with your instructor in the shop for two evenings from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Upon successful completion of the final exam, you will receive a certification card from PADI which will enable you to obtain enriched air nitrox.We can schedule this course at your convenience, since there are no longer any open water dives required. Please contact us and let us know your time constraints, and we will find a way to meet your schedule. And whatever you do...don't take off for a dive vacation at a resort or on a live-aboard boat without a Nitrox certification in your pocket!
Our next EAN course is scheduled for:
- Tuesday, March 11 and Thursday, March 13.
