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 (EAN) 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: dive operators you will not allow you to obtain nitrox unless you can
show them an EAN Certification card.
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 $90, 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 $56.10.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 the instructor for 4 to 5 hours to complete the course. There are 2 scheduling options for this course:- Meet for 2 evening sessions from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m
- Meet for 1 day, either weekday or weekend, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Next class will be on: TBD
Upon successful completion of the final exam, you will receive a
certification card from PADI which will enable you to obtain enriched air nitrox.
(There are no dives required to complete this course.)
We also 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!
E-LEARNING OPTION
PADI now offers an E-Learning option so you can read all the material on your own. For E-Learners, if you choose Aquarius Dive Shop when you register for the PADI E-Learning, we charge only $39 to show you how to analyze nitrox tanks, order your certification card, and complete your certification. Sound interesting? Click here to sign up
After Certification...
We bank 32% nitrox at Aquarius Dive Shop and can provide nitrox fills almost as quickly as we can provide air fills. Nitrox cylinders are available for rent in the same way we offer air cylinders for rent. The extra cost for nitrox is negligible, and it allows you to spend more time doing what brought you into diving in the first place: spend more time on the bottom!We can also provide custom nitrox fills, between 32% and 50%. However,
this type of fill takes longer and is slightly more expensive than a 32% fill
from our banks.
