How To Do Scuba Dive Tables

Dive Tables are the ultimate guide to understanding how to use dive tables.

Understanding Scuba Dive Tables

Recreational Dive Planners: Dive Tables Explained

The recreational dive planner is the most typical scuba dive table used by recreational diving companies and enthusiasts.

The recreational dive planner was the first dive table developed exclusively for recreational ‘no-stop’ dives. It was developed using data collected by the US Navy and later Doppler Ultrasound Research.

Why do we use scuba dive tables?

Scuba Dives tables enable us to discover how long and deep we can dive safely within the no-decompression limits for one or multiple scuba dives.

They help us monitor the amount of nitrogen in our bodies during and after scuba diving.

As human beings, we are designed to breathe air under normal atmospheric pressure.

This air consists primarily of oxygen and nitrogen.

When we go scuba diving, we breathe air at increased pressures due to depth, and so our bodies absorb more oxygen and nitrogen.

Nitrogen is the body that does not use an inert gas.

When scuba diving, we can absorb too much nitrogen, so we calculate our dive tables to help us monitor and ensure we don’t take in too much.

It must be noted that dive tables can only give an educated estimate of the amount of nitrogen in our bodies.

As every person is different, everyone’s body will take in and release nitrogen at different rates.

This website explains that dive tables are only used when breathing healthy air.

Different gas mixtures are not discussed here.

Important: No scuba dive tables or dive computers can eliminate the risk of decompression sickness.

All scuba divers are advised to dive conservatively within their limits and adhere to all standards set by their dive supervisors and training agencies.

How do we take in nitrogen?

We breathe nitrogen in our lungs is diffused into our bloodstream and transported around the body. The amount of nitrogen we take in depends on two factors:

1)      DEPTH: The deeper we are underwater, the more nitrogen we breathe in, and the more nitrogen can be diffused into our bodies 2)      DURATION: The longer we breathe underwater, the more time nitrogen has to saturate different parts of our bodies

What are no-decompression limits?

Every scuba dive is a decompression dive (because we absorb nitrogen during the dive and release nitrogen as we ascend).

The term ‘no-decompression’ diving is just a shortened abbreviation of saying that we are always ‘no-decompression stop’ diving.

Recreational divers should always be ‘No-Decompression Stop’ diving.

Recreational divers should always be able to ascend to the surface at the appropriate speed without having to make mandatory decompression stops during one ascent.

Our dive tables allow us to calculate how deep and long we may dive before mandatory decompression stops are necessary. (Note, ‘decompression stops’ differ from ‘safety stops’.

Recreational divers should always practice safety stops at the end of every dive to add extra safety to their scuba dives).

What does the term Decompression Diving refer to, and how is it different from the recreational diving discussed here?

Decompression diving is when the amount of nitrogen taken into the body is considered too great to ascend directly to the surface. so decompression stops must be made at different levels upon the ascent to ‘off-gas’ nitrogen.

Decompression Stop Diving is considered technical diving and is outside the realm of what is discussed here.

(Safety stops are not the same as mandatory decompression stop diving, which is outside recreational diving and not discussed here).

What if a diver exceeds the table limits?

If you use dive tables to calculate your nitrogen intake and exceed the table limits, there is no reliable way of estimating how much nitrogen is residual in your body.

In this instance, you should not dive for at least 24 hours and should seek advice from a dive professional.

Scuba Divers should never exceed their depth and time limits.

Good divers always plan their dives and execute their plan, staying conservatively within limits.

What is the Difference Between SSI and PADI

At the recreation level, there is not much difference between the training offered by PADI and the training provided by SSI. Both are reputable scuba training institutions, and a qualification from either agency is recognised and accepted internationally.

It is also possible to take scuba courses through different agencies. As your Open Water Course with SSI and then your Advanced Course with PADI—in the same way, you may do a degree at one university and get your master’s at another. They are equally recognised and interchangeable.

What is the difference between PADI Dive Tables and SSI Dive Tables?

Where SSI use three dive tables, PADI uses just two tables by combining tables one and two.

SSI dive tables are much more conservative than PADI dive tables. PADI and SSI perform the same functions for the recreational scuba diver and are used similarly.

See our SSI Dive Table Example

Dive Tables Vs. Dive Computers

It should be noted that dive tables assume that the dive is at the maximum depth for the whole duration. This dive profile is known as a square dive.

Dive computers monitor your estimated nitrogen absorption at different depths throughout a dive and have many benefits over using dive tables. See your local dive centre for further information or enrol in a Scuba Diving Course.   Read more 

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