Nitrox Diving in Costa Rica

by Tristan Paylado · Published November 7, 2016 · Updated November 7, 2016

nitrox-min When we go diving and use our conventional scuba tanks, we are just like breathing air but in a compressed form. Comprising 78% of nitrogen, the air that we breath from our tanks is accumulated in our body’s system that can possibly reach to a tipping point and has a negative effect termed as nitrogen narcosis. The accumulation of nitrogen in our body is accelerated especially if we do deep diving or an extended underwater time. Contrary to this scenario, most of the divers have performed a deep dive for reasons that some or most of the interesting dive sites are found deep. Although standards in recreational diving allows you to go as deep as 140 feet, deep diving should always be managed in terms of time allowed in certain depths. Meaning, the deeper you go, the less time you are allowed to stay with the mandatory performance of a safety stop at 15 feet for 3 minutes before surfacing up.

Dive professionals have found a way to decrease the level of nitrogen in a compressed air by adding and increasing the percentage of oxygen in the air mixture and the absolute deletion of other gases which comprises 1% from a natural gas composition. This is made possible using cautious calculations done during airfill where a canister of pure oxygen is attached to the intake pipe of a scuba compressor. What is left in the gas mixture are nitrogen and oxygen, thus the name Nitrox.

200807_training_nitrox Also called as Oxygen Enriched Air, there are several gas mixtures made for the entire scuba diving industry. The most popular nitrox mix for recreational diving offered in dive shops is Nitrox32. This means that the oxygen level is increased to 32% from 28%. In effect, you can stay longer underwater without suffering from the effects of nitrogen narcosis. On the other hand, oxygen can become toxic at greater depths. In most cases, common Nitrox mix allows you to go diving with an extended bottom time but not exceeding 100 feet deep. For precise time in minutes for a particular depth, please refer to the Enriched Air Nitrox Diving Table which shows the adjusted no decompression limits. Take note that the nitrox table is totally different from the Recreational Dive Planner and should not be used when diving in this type of profile.

nitrox_19 Since you will be exposed to a different mix of gas, diving using nitrox requires a separate certification. The Nitrox Diver is being offered a Specialty certification course where you will be taught on the knowledge and principle behind air composition, gas blending and its effect to our body. Being a certified Open Water Scuba Diver is a pre-requisite before you can enroll in the nitrox course. Please refer to your dive shop or dive instructor for further details.

Places that Offer Nitrox Diver Certification Course in Costa Rica

Buzos de Aventura

Location: Playa Hermosa
Certification Type: PADI
Price: $270
Website: http://www.badivers.cr

Deep Blue Diving

Location: Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Certification Type: PADI
Price:
Website: http://www.deepblue-diving.com/en/index.html