Effective Gas Management Tips

Posted: Sep 30 in Latest News tagged Specialty Diving by Jan

One of the most important aspects of diving, whether you are sport diving or technical diving, are effective gas management skills. Once you descend, running out of gas is not a viable option! This is especially true for technical divers who frequently put themselves into more complicated underwater situations that make a direct return to the surface exceedingly difficult. This is why it is so important to have a solid understanding of gas management skills prior to setting out for the water.

The fundamental basics of gas management revolve around a few simple concepts:

• Understanding the average amount of gas that you and your buddy(ies) consume over a given period of time.  Gas is a shared resource-the goal is to make sure every one conserves enough gas to get  the team back safely even if someone runs out of gas and needs to share.
• Understanding the way in which your consumption rate is affected and varies based upon a number of factors, including variations in depth and your mental and physical state. For example, your consumption rate will be higher the deeper you dive or if you become stressed or anxious while underwater.
• Understanding the best way to efficiently use the gas that you have available, and knowing when it is time to return to the surface based on your tank pressure.
• Once underwater, follow whatever plan you and your team mates have agreed upon.  Simply put: Pay attention to your and your team mates gas supply throughout the dive!

A simple, but useful plan for managing your gas on easy, relatively shallow recreational dives, is the rule of thirds.  (On deeper recreational dives or technical dives, a more conservative gas management plan might be advised)  With the rule of thirds, you plan your dive so that you use no more than one-third of your allotted gas for your descent and swim away from your entry point, another third of your gas supply is dedicated to the return trip, and the remaining third is reserved for contingencies. By following this simple rule you will greatly enhance your odds of  having enough gas to return safely to the surface, with plenty to spare, in case of an emergency.