viernes, 15 de agosto de 2014

El Legado de José Miguel de Barandiarán y Ataun

Muy buenas,
Hace poco estuve en el Gau Ibilaldi Magikoa (Caminata Mágica Nocturna) de Ataun y descubrí algunas cosas que no sabía sobre Joxemiel:
http://www.ataun.net/










Nota: Destacar, además, el Jentilen Etorrera (La Bajada de los Jentiles) y museo Barandiarán del pueblo:
http://www.ataunturismoa.net/eu/mitologia-ataunen/
http://blogak.com/felixurrutia/jentilen-etorrera-ataun-gipuzkoa
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/At%C3%A1un#La_bajada_de_los_Jentiles 
http://www.gipuzkoakomuseoak.net/museos/museo.php?id=es&Nmuseo=1261991725

Bueno, por dónde empezar a hablar de semejante "ilustrado"?
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Miguel_de_Barandiar%C3%A1n

José Miguel de Barandiarán y Ayerbe, llamado Joxemiel Barandiaran (1889 Atáun - 1991), fue un sacerdote, antropólogo, etnólogo y arqueólogo vasco.
Nacido en Atáun, Guipúzcoa (País Vasco), cariñosamente conocido como Geure Aita Barandiaran, fue autor de numerosas investigaciones, y considerado el «patriarca de la cultura vasca».
Importancia de su labor
Debido a la dictadura franquista, la importancia de su labor entre sus contemporáneos fue principalmente valorada en la esfera internacional, puesto que en España se silenciaba la existencia de, entre otras, la cultura vasca. Su trabajo se caracteriza por una visión de la cultura vasca alejada de las pasiones.

Relación de sus obras principales
    Paletnografía vasca (1921)
    Mitología vasca (1924)
    El hombre primitivo en el País Vasco (1934)
    Antropología de la población vasca (1947)
    Cultura vasca (1977)
    Historia general del País Vasco (1980)
    Brujería y brujas (1984)
    Mitos del Pueblo Vasco (1989)
Impresionante labor de investigación y conservación de la cultura vasca!

Actualización a 05/10/2016: Un video que me acabo de topar:


Actualización a 05/10/2016: Siguen con el tema!
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2017/10/i-mitoaldia-ataunen.html 

Actualización a 14/07/2019: Ayer estuve en el Ibilaldi Magikoa con temática de Patxi Errementari:

 
https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2017/10/i-mitoaldia-ataunen.html 
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2017/01/errementari-de-paul-urkijo-alijo.html 

P.D. Y volví a ver el museo y la serrería antes.

Actualización a 16/07/2019
https://www.diariovasco.com/tolosa-goierri/ibilaldi-mitologikoak-jendetza-20190716004126-ntvo.html 

Actualización a 23/06/2023: El abuelo de mi amigo Oihergi (Bernardo Estornés Lasa):

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernardo_Estorn%C3%A9s_Lasa 

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enciclopedia_Au%C3%B1amendi 

https://aunamendi.eusko-ikaskuntza.eus/es/ 

Actualización a 13/05/2024: Vaya!

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2020/10/dar-dar-de-paul-urkijo-alijo.html 

Actualización a 29/05/2024: Algo andan tramando:

Tengo que andar al loro para pillar un par de entradas.

P.D: Y coordinarlo con la visita al Museo Barandiaran:

https://www.ataunturismoa.eus/es/museos/museo-barandiaran/ 

Actualización a 12/06/2024: Ok, más info:


https://jentilbaratza.eus/gau-ibilaldi-mitologikoa-2024/ 

GAU IBILALDI MITOLOGIKOA 2024:

GAU IBILALDI MITOLOGIKOA
ATAUN 2024
“Gaua Gauezkoentzat”

IKUSKIZUN BERRIA
Uztailak 13, larunbata / 19:30

SARRERAK DOAN (Ekanaren 26an web honetan)

Ibilaldia Barandiaran Museotik, San Martingo plazara
3 km | 3 ordu inguru | 2 txanda

* GARRAIOA:
· 17:00etik aurrera autobus zerbitzua San Martindik San Gregoriora (doan).
· Txandek kopuru mugatua izango dute.
. Aurrez, Barandiaran Museoa, errota eta zerrategia zabalik.

Actualización a 25/06/2024: Bien, entradas mañana.

No recordaba los horarios de los turnos:


Nota: Info recuperada de un correo del 2019.

Actualización a 26/06/2024: Acabo de pillarlas:


Para el segundo turno (el que quería). Jooder con la peña! Esperando a la medianoche?!? :P

Edit: Agotadas:

Actualización a 12/07/2024: Mañana:


X. GAU IBILALDI MITOLOGIKOARAKO GOMENDIOAK

Gau Ibilaldi Mitologikoa, Ataungo herribide zaharrean egiten da. Bide zidorra,  Agauntza errekaren albotik doa eta asfaltatu gabe dago.

Txanda bakoitzean 600 lagun joango dira, bidea estua da eta bide erdia gauez egiten da.

Kontutan hartu beharreko gomendioak:

-Haur txikiak etortzen badira, motxila edo besoetan eraman. Bidea ez da egokia kotxesiletarako.

-Oinetako egokiak erabili. Bidean harriak eta zulotxoak aurkitu ditzakegu eta.

-Gaueko zatian, antortxak eta kandilak  banatuko dira. Antortxak helduek eramateko dira.

-Auto gidariei laguntzeko, antolakuntzako jendea egongo da, bere esanei kasu egin.

-Autobusak egongo dira San Martingo plazan abiapuntura eramateko. 17:30tatik aurrea.

-Ibilaldiaren erdi parean komunak egongo dira.

-Ibilaldiaren hasieran eta amaieran  antolakuntzak jana eta edana jarriko du.

-Linternaren bat edo mobila ondo kargatua eraman.

–SARRERARIK GABE ezingo da ibilaldia egin.


Actualización a 15/07/2024: A ver...

https://www.diariovasco.com/zabalik/1200-lagun-ataungo-gaurik-magikoenean-20240714194952-nt.html 

1.200 lagun Ataungo gaurik magikoenean
-Aurtengo Mitoaldiari amaiera ederra eman dio jendetza elkartu duen Gau Ibilaldi Mitologikoak
O. Sarriegi
Donostia
Domingo, 14 de julio 2024, 19:49



Aurtengo Mitoaldiari amaiera ezin hobea eman diote Ataunen, beste behin Goierriko txoko honetan jendetza bildu duen eta guztiak gustura utzi dituen Gau Ibilaldi Mitologikoarekin. Hamargarren edizioa zuen aurtengoa parte-hartzaileak garai bateko ipuin eta legenda harrigarrien mundura eramaten dituen jarduera berezi honek, eta osasuntsu jarraitzen duela agerian utzi du, 1.200 lagun elkartu baitzituen Ataungo bihotzean.

Barandiaran Museotik abiatu eta Agauntza ibaiaren ondotik San Martin auzorainoko herri bidean zihoazen ikusleek egunez, larunbat arratsaldean, hasitako ibilaldia ilunpean amaitu zuten. Aspaldiko euskal kondaira den hiru anaien kontu zaharra antzeztu zen herri bideak eskaintzen dituen txoko ederrak aprobetxatuz. Ibilbidean, izaki mitologikoak ere azaldu ziren, lamiak, Marimunduko eta sorgin taldea, Torto, jentilak eta herritarrak.

Joxemiel Barandiaranen bizitzako pasarte bat ere antzeztu zen bertan eta gauerdi inguruan, ikuskizun handi batekin amaiera ederra eman zitzaion beste behin ibilbideari, San Martingo plazan.

Ikusleak pozik geratu baziren, are gehiago antolatzaileak. Hala, Jentilbaratza Kultur Elkarteak eskerrak eman nahi dizkie bertaratutako ikusle guztiei, hala nola, Ataungo herritarrek eskainitako laguntza aparta ere aitortu.

Proiektu egonkorra:
Ekainaren erdialdera eman zioten hasiera Mitoaldiaren VII. edizioari Ataunen. Aurreko urteetako erantzuna ikusita, sendotuta eta handituta ekarri dute proiektua aurten antolatzaileek. Izan ere, Ataun Euskal Herriko mitologiaren erreferentzia nagusi izan dadin lan egiten du Jentilbaratza Kultur Elkarteak Barandiaren museoarekin elkarlanean eta horixe da ekimen honen xedea. Hala, Ataungo mitologia gune esanguratsuenetara hurbilduz, Agautz eta Leizadiko kobetara irteera, Patxi Zubizarreta eta Asisko Urmenetaren hitzaldiak, eta nola ez, Gau ibilaldi mitologikoa izan dira aurtengo zikloaren ardatzak.

Ekainaren 15ean, Herri Antzokian, Jon Maiak 'Kantu Berri Bat' kontzertua eskaini zuen. Ekainaren 19an, Barandiaran Museoan hitzaldi musikatua burutu zuten Patxi Zubizarreta eta Pello Ramirezek 'Urbanita jentilaren aurrean' izenpean. Hilaren 27an, Asisko Urmenetak 'Ni ez naiz sorgina!' hitzaldia eman zuen udaletxean. Uztailaren 6an, Agautz eta Leizadiko kobetara irteera burutu zen, Ion Fontenlak gidatua. Eta larunbat gauean, sarrera guztiak agortuz, 1.200 lagun bi bisitatan banatuta, Gau Ibilaldi Mitologiko arrakastatsuarekin eman zitzaion amaiera aurtengo jarduerari.

Mis fotos:








Actualización a 18/07/2024: Info:

https://www.ataunturismoa.eus/eu/ekitaldi-nagusiak/gau-ibilaldi-mitologikoa/ 

https://www.ataunturismoa.eus/es/eventos-principales/jentilen-etorrera-la-bajada-de-los-gentiles/ 

Actualización a 11/10/2024: El libro de Irati (Irati - Filmaren Artea - El Arte de la Película) ayer:

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2020/06/irati-paul-urkijo-alijo.html 

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2016/10/mariren-semeak-por-quentin-verdier.html

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2018/04/entrevistas-y-documental-sobre-grupos.html 



jueves, 14 de agosto de 2014

Deco for Divers - A Diver's Guide to Decompression Theory and Physiology by Mark Powell

Muy buenas,
Bueno, pues, finalmente, me he tirado a la piscina y, como no me lo puedo bajar en PDF, me lo he comprado:
http://www.dive-tech.co.uk/deco%20for%20divers.htm

Deco for Divers provides a comprehensive overview of the principles underlying decompression theory and physiology. Mark Powell has written a book that for the first time allows the average diver to fully understand the principles behind this fascinating and critical aspect of diving. As well as a thorough examination of air decompression the book also addresses decompression using nitrox and mixed gases. It is completely up-to-date and includes information on the latest developments including deep stops and advanced bubble models. Deco for Divers bridges the gap between introductory books and specialist scientific journals and is suitable for new as well as highly experienced divers.

This is a brand new technical guide which provides a comprehensive overview of the principles underlying decompression theory. Mark Powell has written a book that for the first time allows the average diver to fully understand the principles behind this fascinating aspect of diving. This book bridges the gap between introductory books and source scientific information.

"It explains decompression in a way that normal divers can understand".
"What I wanted was an intermediate overview that went into more detail but wasn't written for academics or researchers. When I became a technical diving instructor I started teaching other people about decompression theory.I tried to give an overview of decompression theory at this intermediate level to give my students a better understanding of what was happening during decompression dives. This was always very popular amongst divers who, like me, had always wanted to understand more about the concepts and models underlying decompression theory. I was always being asked if I could recommend a good book which covered this area but as before, there was no such text available. Over time I started giving out notes for the decompression theory portion of my courses and these notes started building. Initially they were just a few pages but the notes became more and more comprehensive and started to cover more and more areas. Eventually they grew into this book."
What the experts say
"This is a truly remarkable book which covers all the various theories of decompression and ascents for divers in a most readable and understanding manner. There is no other comprehensive book on decompression to my knowledge which is so easy to read and understand by the average recreational or technical diver."

Peter B. Bennett, Ph.D., D.Sc. Executive Director, UHMS. Emeritus Professor of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center. Founder & 1st President, DAN

"This is the most comprehensive and well-written text I've seen that attempts to explain decompression theory to divers."

Dr Richard Vann Assistant Research Professor in Anesthesiology, Safety Officer and Director of Applied Research at the Duke Hyperbaric Center, and Vice President for Research at DAN.

"This book is a "must read" for those who have ever wondered about decompression tables and how they are created. It is a straight forward book and devoid of technical jargon. It starts with the scientific giants who developed the physics of the gas laws and the physiology of diving and ends with M-values and tissue bubbles. For the curious diver – and all divers should be – it will be money well spent!"

Michael R. Powell, MS, PhD. NASA (retired), Medical Sciences Division, Johnson Space Center, Texas
Mi interés por el tema viene de aquí y por tratar de entender mejor lo que implica la descompresión:
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com.es/2013/10/velocidad-de-ascenso-lenta-vs-ideal.html 

Por desgracia, parece que no me va a llegar a tiempo para poder llevármelo de viaje y empezar a leerlo:
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com.es/2014/08/vacaciones-de-buceo-en-la-costa-azul-de.html
Ya iré comentando a medida que vaya descubriendo cosas interesantes!

P.D: Un pequeño extracto:
http://www.dive-tech.co.uk/resources/decofordivers.pdf

Actualización a 20/08/2014: Ok, lo acabo de recibir y ya me lo puedo llevar de vacaciones:




http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com.es/2014/08/vacaciones-de-buceo-en-la-costa-azul-de.html

Bien!

Actualización a 03/09/2014: Bueno, pues ya me lo estoy terminando! Voy por la página 206, capítulo 8 - Other Decompression Models.
Se me ha hecho MUY ameno, educativo y fácil de leer (excepto alguna sección algo técnica).
Iré comentando aquí varios conceptos e idea que me han ido llamando la atención. 

Actualización a 05/09/2014: Vale, en la página 158 (capítulo 6, Deep Stops and Bubble Models) habla de usar Ean50 (Nitrox a 50% de oxígeno) como gas de deco a 21 ms para, reduciendo el nivel de Nitrógeno que respiremos desde ahí a la superficie, acelerar la desaturación del Nitrógeno durante la deco.
Se me ha ocurrido que puedo salsear con el planificador de inmersiones del Suunto DM4 para hacerme una idea de lo que implica éso:
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com.es/2014/07/software-de-diario-y-planificador-de.html

Por ejemplo, puedo simular mis recientes inmersiones al Donator y al Grec para ver la diferencia que hubiese habido en la deco si yo también (como hacía el guía, Mickael) hubiese pasado a una mezcla rica en oxígeno:


Actualización a 11/09/2014: En el libro se mencionan las paradas profundas (deep stops) y veo que el planificador de inmersiones del Suunto DM4 también las usa (no como mi ordenador de buceo Suunto Vyper):
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com.es/2014/07/software-de-diario-y-planificador-de.html

Actualización a 18/09/2014: Bueno, más temas que me han interesado e iré comentando:
-Velocidad de Ascenso Óptima: Páginas 45, 46 y 47.
-Velocidad de Ascenso+ Deep Stops (10ms/min + Paradas a 15 y 6 ms): Página 143.
-Ean50 a 21 ms para deco: Página 158.
-Explicación del modelo RGBM: Página 168.
-Límites Operativos con Aire y Nitrox: Página 171.
-Uso de Gases Nobles: Página 172.
-Información sobre la empresa Comex: Página 173.
-Referentes del buceo en cuevas (Hal Wats, Sheck Exeley y Jochen Hasenmayer): Página 175.
-Uso de Heliox y Trimix: Página 176.
-Argón o Nitrox para inflado de traje: Página 190.
-ICB (Isobaric Counter Diffusion) e Inner Ear y Vestibular DCS: Página 197.
-Inmersiones Sucesivas: Página 204.
-NEDU (Navy Experimental Diving Unit) y Ed Thalmann: Página 205.
-Ordenadores de buceo Cochran Commander y Navy: Página 207.

Actualización a 14/10/2014: Ok, ando dudando de si apuntarme a un curso de técnico de SSI:
http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com.es/2014/10/technical-extended-range-de-ssi.html

Actualización a 28/06/2016: Empezamos a hacer paradas profundas con el HelO2 (http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2014/11/cambio-de-pila-ordenadores-de-buceo.html) y documento el tema de la velocidad de ascenso (http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2013/10/velocidad-de-ascenso-lenta-vs-ideal.html).

Actualización a 21/10/2019: Una entrada sobre el Foramen Oval Permeable - Patent foramen ovale (PFO) ya que no lo he llegado a comentar y Grec me dijo que se había hecho la prueba:
https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2019/10/buceo-y-foramen-oval-permeable-patent.html  

Actualización a 31/10/2019: Jooder.... Acaba de aparecer el libro!


Actualización a 17/05/2021: Más!

Sobre las deep stops:

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2013/10/velocidad-de-ascenso-lenta-vs-ideal.html 









Actualización a 07/05/2023: Lo vuelvo a necesitar ya que ando tramando cambio de ordenador de buceo.

Actualizacióna 15/05/2023: Efectivamente, lo necesito para volver a leer sobre el algoritmo y los gradient factors:

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2023/05/shearwater-teric-swift-smart-ai.html 

Actualización a 22/05/2023: Gradient Factors a cuento del nuevo ordenador (https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2023/05/shearwater-teric-swift-smart-ai.html):

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2019/04/jill-heinerth-into-planet.html 







Nota: El artículo (David Doolette - Gradient Factors in a Post-Deep Stops World):

https://gue.com/blog/gradient-factors-in-a-post-deep-stops-world/ 

With this information in mind, I set my GF low to roughly counteract the ZH-L16 “b” parameters (I have been using Shearwater dive computers with ZH-L16 GF in conjunction with my tried and true decompression tables for about three years). In ZH-L16, the average of “b” parameters is 0.83. I choose my GF low to be about 83% of the GF high, for instance GF 70/85. Although the algebra is not exact, this roughly counteracts the slope of the “b” values. This approach allows me to believe I have chosen my GF rationally, is not so large a GF low as I am unable to convince my buddies to use it, and satisfies my preference to follow a relatively shallow stops schedule.

Actualización a 01/10/2023: A ver...


Actualización a 05/10/2023: Bien. El video mola:

-Lleva un Teric y enseña pantallazos de un Shearwater:

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2023/05/shearwater-teric-swift-smart-ai.html 

-GFs:

-Deep Stops:

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2013/10/velocidad-de-ascenso-lenta-vs-ideal.html 

-Enseña Solo Diving:

http://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2014/05/bucear-solo.html 

-Reverse dive profiles

-Immersion Pulmonary Oedema (IPO or IPE):

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2023/05/full-faced-snorkeling-masks-immersion.html
 

Actualización a 15/11/2023: Entrevista:

Actualización a 11/12/2023: Otro:










Actualización a 07/01/2024: A ver...


Actualización a 23/05/2024: Estuvo bien ayer (https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2013/06/charlas-tematicas-en-buceo-donosti.html). Teoría sobre descompresión y algoritmos y terminamos comentando el rebreather de Mares:

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2019/10/inmersiones-con-descompresion.html 

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2014/10/technical-extended-range-de-ssi.html 

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2020/11/algoritmo-rgbm-reduced-gradient-bubble.html 

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2023/10/algoritmo-buhlmann-decompression.html

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2020/04/curso-ssi-science-of-diving.html 

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2014/07/software-de-diario-y-planificador-de.html

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2013/06/uso-de-rebreather-y-pecio-hms-victoria.html 

Menudo crack este hombre!

Actualización a 20/06/2024: Rebreathers:


Actualización a 01/01/2025: Y ha vuelto a aparecer. Lo andaba mi hermano y con el tema de la mudanza...

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2024/06/altzate-berri-urumea-berri-tu-nueva.html 

Actualización a 03/01/2025: Ok, página 144. Gradient Factors:

Values of GF(Lo) from 5% to 35% are used together with values for GF(Hi) ranging from 70% up to 150%.

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2023/10/algoritmo-buhlmann-decompression.html 

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2023/05/shearwater-teric-swift-smart-ai.html 

Frente a lo que personalicé yo:

OC Tec: De 30/70 a 58/70.
OC Rec: De 40/85 a 70/85.

Los GF(Lo)s del libro son bajos (5-35?) y los GF (Hi)s altos (70-150?). Aunque también es verdad que habla de hacer paradas más profundas y anticipadas para poder terminar las inmersiones de forma más agresiva.

Actualización a 02/06/2025: Tema edemas en altitud:

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2025/05/international-climbing-and.html 

Actualización a 25/09/2025: Sobre sacarles jugo a los ordenadores de Sheartware:

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2023/05/shearwater-teric-swift-smart-ai.html 

https://shearwater.com/blogs/community/evolution-of-dive-planning 

The @+5 option is particularly useful. It shows what the TTS will be in 5 minutes, assuming the diver stays at the same depth. This can be used for looking ahead. If you know your maximum TTS, then you can compare this against your current TTS to see if you have reached your limit, but the @+5 setting allows you to look ahead 5 minutes and see what your TTS will be in the future. You can use this to decide whether you have time to look at another piece of the wreck or whether you must turn around and head back to the shot-line. This is particularly important at deeper depths where the rate at which decompression is built up is much faster, and a large amount of deco can be incurred in a relatively short period of time.

The Δ +5 option shows the difference (the delta or Δ) between your TTS right now and what your TTS will be in 5 minutes. For example, if your TTS is 20 mins and your @+5 is 30 minutes then the Δ +5 would be 10 minutes (30 – 20 = 10). In other words, in 5 minutes time, you will have incurred an additional 10 minutes of deco more than you have right now. This could be done manually, but in some situations, it is nice to be able to see the delta without having to constantly make that calculation. The size and magnitude of this figure can also be used to tell the current state of your decompression. If the Δ +5 is positive, this means that you are on-gassing and will have more decompression in 5 minutes than you have right now. If Δ +5 is 0, then you are neither ongassing or offgassing and you will have the same amount of decompression in 5 minutes as you have right now. Finally, if the number is negative then you are offgassing and you will have less decompression in 5 minutes than you have right now. This is particularly useful for multi-level dives. Let’s assume you are on a deep reef and you notice that your TTS is approaching your maximum TTS. You ascend a few metres and you notice that your Δ +5 is now +1. This means that you are still incurring additional decompression, although at a much slower rate, and so your TTS will continue to increase. If you come up a few metres more, you can now see that your Δ +5 is zero. This means that you are neither ongassing or offgassing and you can stay at this depth without increasing your TTS. If you ascend slightly shallower and your Δ +5 changes to -1 then you can see that you are now offgassing and you can stay at this depth almost indefinitely as your TTS will slowly reduce.

The settings above can be used to proactively manage the dive and can be used on any dive. There are several other options that would primarily be used in an emergency to change some of the dive parameters on the fly.

The CEIL option shows the raw decompression ceiling. Once the diver goes into decompression, they can no longer ascend directly to the surface, and there is a depth at which the supersaturation would exceed the maximum allowed. The decompression ceiling is the exact depth at which this would occur. This is slightly different from the decompression stops shown on the computer as the deco stops are rounded to the nearest 3m increment below the actual decompression ceiling. The actual value of the ceiling will slowly get shallower during the decompression, but the decompression stops will stay at the 3m increment until the ceiling reaches the next 3m increment. At this point, the decompressions stop will jump up to the next 3m increment. By comparing the decompression stop and the CEIL value you can see how much margin for error you have at that stop or how close you are to the end of the decompression stop. If your computer shows a 9m stop and your CEIL is 8.9m then you can see that the ceiling is only slightly above the current decompression stop and so there is very little margin for error in your position in the water column, and you also know that you will be at 9m for some time to come. As the CEIL moves up and gets to 8m then 7m and then 6.5m you know that your decompression stop is coming to an end. This can be useful to know if, for example, you are decompressing on a line at 9m along with a number of other divers. If it is getting crowded on the line at the 9m stop, but you know your CEIL is showing 6.5m then you can move up to 8m or 7m without breaking your ceiling. Your computer will alert you that you are above your decompression stop, and if you stay at that depth, it will give you a MISSED DECO alarm but you know that despite this you are in fact below your decompression ceiling. 

The next setting that it is possible to select in the NDL space is the GF99 setting. This is useful information to know as it shows the current GF, in other words, how close you are to the M-Value which corresponds to a gradient factor of 99. Whether a diver selects his own gradient factor settings or makes the decision to use the default settings, the computer will display the ceiling, decompression stops, as well as the time to surface, based on these gradient factors. If the diver is using 30/80 gradient factors, then during the ascent up to the first stop the GF99 should be approaching 30, as the first stop is calculated as being at the point where the GF is at 30% of the M-Value. At the surface, the GF99 will be 80, as the high GF determines how close the diver is to the M-Value on surfacing so a GF Hi of 80 means the diver should be at 80% of the M-Value as they surface. For intermediate decompression stops, the GF99 will slowly increase from 30 on arrival at each subsequent stop. During each deco stop, the GF99 should slowly decrease as the tissues offgass and the ceiling increases. Once the stop clears and the diver moves up to the next stop, the GF99 will again increase. This allows the diver to “see” the offgassing taking place as it shows that as they offgass, the level of supersaturation is dropping, and they are moving further away from the M-Value.

If the GF99 is much lower than 30 on the initial part of the ascent or does not slowly increase on the ascent up to each subsequent stop, then the diver is ascending slower than intended. The TTS shown assumes the diver will be ascending at the prescribed ascent rate. If the diver is ascending slower than the correct ascent rate or stops below the decompression stops, then they are, in effect, lagging behind the calculated decompression schedule. The result of this is that the diver is not offgassing as quickly as the model has assumed, and so the diver will take longer to decompress. In extreme cases, the diver may still be ongassing in some tissues, and the slow ascent may actually increase the decompression requirement. As a result, the actual ascent time may be considerably longer than the calculated TTS. If the diver is using the calculated TTS to manage their dive as described above, this can cause a problem as the gas planning assumed that they would be following the calculated decompression schedule. By causing additional decompression time, they will end up requiring additional gas for this extra time.

If the diver ascends above the deco stop, the computer will give a warning. As we have already seen, you can ascend above this deco stop, but still, stay below your decompression ceiling as shown with the CEIL display. If you ascend even further beyond the CEIL depth, the GF99 can be used to provide some additional information. For example, if the diver has set a GF Lo of 30% and ascends above their initial deco ceiling, the computer will give a warning. The GF99 may still show that they are only at 40% GF which, although it is beyond both their deco stop and deco ceiling, is still well within the M-Value. Similarly, for the later stops, if the diver has set a conservative GF Hi of 70% and ascends above their deco stop, the computer will give a warning. The GF99 may still show that they are at 80% GF which is still well within the M-Value. However, if the GF99 shows more than 100%, the diver is now well over their M-value and is in a much riskier position.

The same goal can partly be achieved in the Dive Settings menu where it is possible to change the high gradient factor during the dive. By changing the high gradient factor from, say 70 to 80, you would reduce the rest of the remaining decompression. Although it is possible to change the high gradient factor in this way, it is not possible to change the low gradient factor, and so the initial stops would be unchanged.

This functionality is not intended to be used on a regular basis, and the diver should stay within the ceilings indicated. However, in an emergency, this functionality may be very helpful. For example, assume that a diver on a decompression dive is running low on gas. Their computer tells them that they have another 5 minutes of decompression to do before they can move up to the next decompression stop where there is more gas available. They could edge up from the current stop to the next stop while watching their GF99 setting. Even though they are breaking their decompression ceiling they can use the GF99 display to show them how close they are getting to their M-Value, and can then make an educated decision on what is the more important risk.

These last few options may seem worrying, or even dangerous, but remember that the stops are determined by the gradient factor settings. If you are using a GF of 70 then you may have a deco stop which would not be present if you had selected a GF of 80. So, missing a deco stop using a 70 GF, but still staying less than 80 on the GF99 display is equivalent to staying within the deco stops on a GF setting of 80%. In fact, you may have deco stops, while the underlying Buhlmann model, which is based on a maximum gradient factor of 99, may indicate that it is within the No Decompression Limit. This is completely normal for the first few minutes of going into deco. If you have your GF settings set to anything less than the maximum value of 99%, then a GF profile will always go into deco before the underlying Buhlmann NDL limit is reached.

The same approach could be adopted with ascending all the way to the surface. In a critical emergency, the diver could edge up towards the surface watching their GF99 display and making sure that they stay close to, but not exceeding, their M-Value. However, this case can be managed more effectively using the Surfacing GF display feature. This is a newer feature, and may not be available on your computer unless you have updated the software recently. The Surfacing GF displays the GF that you would get if you were to ascend directly to the surface right now, without doing any stops.

If the SurfGF display shows 50, this means that if you were to ascend to the surface directly, your maximum tissue saturation would be 50% of the M-Value. I.e. well within your M-Value limit with almost no chance of DCS. If your SurfGF shows 150%, this means that a direct ascent to the surface would put you at 150% of your limit, and well over the M-Value limit with a very high chance of DCS. Finally, if your SurfGF shows 99, then a direct ascent to the surface would put you right on your M-Value limit and is equivalent to the NDL limit of a straight Buhlmann model. Interestingly, you can be in deco but still have a SurfGF of less than 99. Remember that the deco stops are based on your selected GFs. If you have the default GF setting of 30/70, then you will start to get deco stops well before you reach the underlying NDL limit. So, if you have 5 minutes of deco shown on your computer but your SurfGF is 90 this means that you have 5 minutes of “GF Deco”, but you have not yet reached the NDL of the underlying Buhlmann model. This means that, in an emergency, you could still go straight to the surface without breaking the Buhlmann decompression schedule. This is very different from the situation where you have 15 minutes of deco and your SurfGF display shows 120. In this case, you have “GF Deco” as well as “Buhlmann Deco”. If you were to go straight to the surface, you would not only miss the deco stops indicated on the computer, but would also end up being over your M-Value on the surface and have a significant risk of DCI.

The SurfGF feature can be used at any point of the dive, not just at the start of the ascent. For example, you can track your SurfGF during your ascent and deco. Once your SurfGF drops below 99, you know that from that point onwards if there is an emergency, you could go to the surface and still be within the Buhlmann limits. Equally, you can use it the other way around. After your deco stops have cleared, you can monitor the SurfGF to see your updated SurfGF. One technique that can be used is to have a slightly more aggressive high GF such as 80 or 90 to reduce the mandatory decompression stops but then wait until the SurfGF has dropped to a lower level as a “safety stop”.

As the tools available to divers continue to change and improve, it is inevitable that the techniques used must also change to make the most of the available tools. This article is intended to show that, far from removing the need to plan a dive, the sophisticated dive computers available today can help to improve the planning process. They can be used to provide a more realistic and more flexible planning tool. They can also be used to adapt the plan when the situation changes. This is only possible if the diver understands the tools they have at their disposal and practices using them. After reading and digesting the information contained in this article, I would encourage you to make sure you know where to find the various display options on your computer. On your next dive look at the SurfGF value during the dive and watch the relationship between it and the NDL value. During the NDL ascent, look at the GF99 and SurfGF values. Then on a decompression dive, compare the CEIL and Stop Depth values as well as comparing the CEIL, GF99, and SurfGF values. It is essential that you understand all of the information in this article and practice it before using it to plan your dive or modify your dive plan. Like any tool, you must practice before using them for real. However, a bit of investment in time and practice will give you the ability to manage your ascent in a much more intelligent way than blindly following your computer or a fixed set of deco tables.

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Written by Mark Powell 

Yes:

https://viviendoapesardelacrisis.blogspot.com/2014/08/deco-for-divers-divers-guide-to.html