one for the SCUBA/Freediving crowd...

[LaJollaFreedvr]

alright heres a question for those of us who both SCUBA and freedive. say i make a dive or two, and my computer or dive table gives me a certain neccessary surface interval for my nitrogen load. would it be safe to freedive during the surface interval or not? my guess is no because freedivers can and do get bent occasionally so there obviously has to be some effect but does anyone at DB know anything about this?

[narked]

Personally I wouldn't do both on the same day. When freediving the things that happen during scuba still happen, but to a lesser extent as your only using the one breath. But remember, in scuba you can get a hit even if you follow the tables/computer.

[Iyadiver]

Freediver do get bends too. What I read is that no matter where the air u suck at, being at the higher ATM is what caused DSC. This is documented. Suunto has a freediving computer which is also a scuba computer but I forgot which, maybe Mosquito or something. I also do not know if it can carry the scuba nitrogen loading to add to freedive loading..............someone here should know cause many own Suunto.

Computer dive tables are more of "ideal" situation. I once got mild bends even when the computer said I am OK and I even added extra 5 minutes of deco.

DIVE SAFE

[Ward2]

Hello LaJollaFreedvr,

The purpose of a surface interval is to out gas excess nitrogen, so if you're constantly re-pressurizing yourself while holding your breathe you may cause an unforeseeable problem in bubble formation - not to mention that holding your breath defeats the purpose of the surface interval.

Hope that helps,

Ward

[jvoets]

DON'T FREEDIVE AFTER SCUBA!!

If you want to do both free and scuba dives, do them in that order. Freedive first, than have your scuba dives.
That way you'll be safe. If you did scuba dive, wait for at least 12 hours before you go freediving (or 24 if you went really deep / worked hard / cold water)

The problem is the fast ascent rates when freediving (60 - 90 meters per minute) and the recompression at depth.
When you make your slow way back to the surface at the end of scuba dive, you let the micro Nitrogen bubbles safely escape from your body. If you freedive, the bubbles can get compressed again and go into parts of your body where they will just fit. During your rocket ascend to the surface these bubbles will expand at such a rate that they can not be safely removed from your tissue and might block something, causing DCS.

So always wait 12 hours before freediving after scuba. Just like flying after scuba.