A dive table helps you to insert the correct decompression stops while diving. When diving at great depths you have to adhere to these, in order to get your body used to the changing pressure conditions. By doing so you avoid decompression sickness, which results from the formation of gas bubbles. Insofar this aid can be a life saver!
What kind of dive tables are there?
There are different types of tables, which originate from the average saturation of your body tissue depending on the diving depth. In addition, they take into account the average time which the tissue needs for the elimination of the gases freed in it. However, the values of differ from table to table. This is why these can only be valid as rule of thumb.
The most well-known dive tables are the following:
Please note: For altitude diving you need a special table, since the ambient pressure is different there! It is much lower than at sea level. This is why you need more and longer decompression stops when diving in mountain lakes.
How do I use a dive table?
When you dive with such a table, you take it with you on the dive, sealed in plastic wrap. However, nowadays there is a more comfortable and reliable way to do this: Diving computers take over the computing work for you. In case that there are problems with your computer, it is advisable to have a spare ready. The diving computer of the buddy can only help you further in a limited manner, because it does not exhibit exactly the same diving profile as yours.
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