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Old 12-29-2006, 12:24   #11
mugwump
Area Commander
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,403
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peregrino
TS - FWIW, here's another data point for your surgeon: Undeserved DCS hits are rare. They're like plane crashes. Competent investigation usually reveals operator error. In diving it's most often carelessness (lack of SA/ATD) and or high risk behaviors (extra deep/extra long) coupled with about 17 known (? unknown) predisposing factors. Carelessness and HRBs are character traits.

<snip>
One man's high risk behavior is another man's "fun dive".

I've always thought of DCS as a statistical certainty if you dive long enough. I know that you know this, but most sport divers don't realize that tables and dive computers are designed to leave you un-bent "most of the time." A lot of people think that if their little dial doesn't turn red they can continually push the limits of their computer.

I believe many sport divers approach clinical DCS and don't realize it. I've heard many people complain about extreme fatigue after the second or third tropical dive of a day. I always logged "extreme fatigue" as borderline DCS and I took that into account when planning similar dives (i.e., added "conservative" weighting factors into my plans).
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