London Hyperbaric Medicine ~ Dry Dive & Awareness

MD are planning another visit to LHM. If anyone from MD or other local dive clubs would like to join in please email me or add a comment (all non MD blog users comments are moderated, but don't let that stop all those people with odd names (!) adding a comments, they do bring a smile to the moderator!

Dry Divers Under Pressure

7 divers, 40m dive, all get narked, and not one of us got our wet hair... How is this possible I hear you cry. Well it was all possible thanks to London Hyperbaric Medicine and their hyperbaric chamber (guess the clue was in the name!).

7 divers made the trip to Whips Cross Hospital last Sunday the 9th Nov to take part in a re-compression chamber awareness course. We arrived at the hospital around ten and met up with our host and instructor Jane and our chamber attendant Wayne. Jane and Wayne then ran us through the safety procedures for the chamber and what we could or could not take in with us. Which was very little including our cloths and to my surprise you cant take explosives in either! So I packed the semtex back into my bag and we all change into very fetching cotton scrubs so as not to be combustible when sealed into a small metal tube fill with pure O2... We were then loaded into the chamber and Wayne (our guide for the dive ) firmly closed the door and ran us through what would happen next. Which was that we descended to 40m in 10 mins ears popping all the way. The one major difference was that apart from the obvious lack of rubber and equipment the chamber became very warm 32 degrees to be precise. If you have ever felt a cylinder just after having been filled you will know what i mean. By the time we cleared thirty metres most of us were feeling the effects of narcosis helped along by the fact that all our voices sounded like we had be breathing from a helium balloon. Very funny!! once at forty Wayne got us to do some simple tasks and arithmetic to demonstrate how the narcosis had effected us. We spent 10 minutes at forty metres before being slowly brought back to surface pressure. For the last nine minuets of the dive we were all put on 100% O2 to flush out any nitrogen that we had built up (Thanks Matt for pointing out that "the pure O2 we were breathing is expensive and that we should make the most of it by taking very deep breaths"!). Of course on the way back the chamber had the reverse affect to the decent and got very cold. Fortunately Wayne had brought some jumpers but only enough for the ladies (smooth bugger!). Having all safely arrived back at the surface and packed away our DSMBs... we were unloaded from the chamber. Jane then ran us through the affects of DI and how to avoid getting one and how they treat it if you do get one, after which Wayne finished our trip by showed us how the chamber works.

I think we would all like to say a big thank you to Chris for organizing the trip and to say if you haven't done one yet think about going on the next trip it a great day out and a very fun dive...

PS. sorry about the photo it was take on a mobile phone so not great quality.

Stop Press! Meridian Divers in the Chamber

As I write a party of Meridian Divers are in the 'pot' . No it's not that kind of party! They are all at London Hyperbaric Medicine for a recompression awareness course. I first organised divers training visits to the Chamber in 2005 and several trips since then has seen continued enthusiasm for this well regarded trip. It's also very gratifying to see that other diving groups have also appreciated the value of this training.

Full report on the visit in due course.

Recompression Chamber Visit ~ 9th November

'Joining Instructions' for all those taking part have been emailed out today. If you are on this trip and haven't received the details - add a comment or drop me an email!

Please read the instructions carefully - especially if you want the PADI Specialty Certification!

Recompression Chamber Visit (Latest) ~ 9th November

Here is the latest runners & riders list for the visist to London Hyperbaric Chamber on Sunday 9th November :-

1. Matt
2. Tina
3. Terry
4. Caroline
5. Sean
6. Steve
7. Nicky
8. Tony

Three Divers (Don't All) Suffer the Bends in Separate Incidents

Three divers were picked up on Saturday 11th October by the Lee-on-Solent based Coastguard helicopter in two separate incidents, when the divers began complaining of signs associated with decompression sickness.

Full story on the MCA website click HERE

Meridian Divers wish a speedy recovery to all those divers involved.

[Update - Good news, two of the three didn't get bent! False alarm -good intent!]

Recompression Chamber Visit Cheques ~ 9th November

Thank you to all of you who have sent me your cheques. I am still waiting for some cheques, it's now the cheques that I receive that will take the remaining places! The cost is £40 for the Dry Dive and Chamber Visit, or £58 with the PADI Recompression Chamber Awareness Specialty Certification. That's a very good value Certification!

Chamber Course Confirmed ~ Sunday 9th November

For the record ! The visit /course is now confirmed for Sunday 9th November. Click on the label below to view linked posts on the subject.

The posting of 11th July 2008 holds the 'official' expressions of interest list.

I will contact those on the list to confirm attendance by the usual MD means (cheques!) . Places will go to those on the list first, any remaining places will be first-come-first-served.

If there is more (new) demand a further date will be organised!

Recompression Chamber Specialty ~ 9th November

A provisonal date for the Chamber visit is Sunday 9th November . I am awaiting confirmation at present. Use the link label below to view previous postings on this subject. Those who have already given an expression of interest in the visit will have first refusal. Those who have expressed an interest please CONFIRM that you can attend on this date.

Recompression Chamber Visit ~ Green Light

Looks likes a GREEN light for this plan , subject to a date to be agreed. I have heard from the Chamber and they are welcoming (as ever).

The Chamber visit , dry dive, & awareness session is expected be £40 but an additional £18 if you want the PADI Specialty Certification . That's very good value. Jane Stevens (PADI IDC Staff Instructor) will take the course, she ran the last course I observed there a while ago.

The expressions of interest list will be maintained on the earlier 'linked' post. We are now into 'Reserves' but that is always handy as we have yet to agree a date.

Recompression Chamber Specialty

At the last MD meeting the option of a visit to a recompression chamber was discussed. Having organised many trips over the years I am happy to do so again if there is demand (a lot of MDers already have the PADI Specialty), of course any of our diving associates & buddies are more than welcome to come.

The visit is well worthwhile, particulary for those who want a far better appreciation of the effects of nitrogen narcosis, decompression illness and it's treatment. Add a comment / contact me if you are interested. Demand will determine whether or not we run another trip. No dates in mind yet but probably between November 2008 / March 2009.

Use the labels link below to research previous posts on Chamber visits! Or if you have access to SportDIVER July 2006 you'll see a full page report on one of the trips I organised.

Expressions of interest:-

1. Chris P
2. Steve L
3. Matt W
4. Sean G
5. Gary S
6. Tina W
7. Tony (bailing-out , work!)
8. Tad
Res 1. Terry
.......................................
Res 2. Max
Res 3. Trez
Res 4.

Recompression Chamber Aware Divers!

Eight divers spent the day with London Hyperbaric Medicine on 4th Feb undertaking their Recompression Chamber Awareness Course.

The course is always regarded as a success by those who participate and gives divers :-

a). A 'dry' dive to 40 metres (for a longer bottom time than the would normally be able to conduct as no-decompression divers)

b). A test to make bring home the effects of Nitrogen Narcosis ( the effects of narcosis are more apparent in a 'dry' dive).

c). An insight into DCI and recompression chamber treatment that should help reduce any anxiety if they or a dive buddy ever need treatment for real.

Recompression Chamber Awareness ~ 4th February

I am now getting a flow of names interested in this visit. To tease out the committed ones it is now a case of getting your cheques to me asap! The Awareness Course is £40 and if you want the PADI Certification Card it's a further £15.

I will add on this post the ORDER in which the cheques are received, that order will be the priority for a place. There are a maximum of eight places!

13th Jan - The Chamber have confirmed our booking for 4th February (gradually getting there !)

22nd Jan - List updated !

27th Jan - Trip FULL!

1. Chris P
2. Clinton N
3. Mandy G
4. Paul G
5. Simon T
6. John D
7. Paul R
8. Andy R
9.
10.

PADI Specialty ~ Recompression Chamber Awareness

This post reproduced from the T R Thompson Blog because I need to find more participants if this is to go ahead . I'll probably make a yes/no decision in a weeks time , or thereabouts!.


I have organised two previous trips to a recompression chamber in London for divers to undertake a 'dry' dive (or a ‘pot’ dive as some call it)!Everyone who has taken part has said they found it a good day out, and for those wanting an unusual PADI Specialty certification this is a super opportunity.I'm making preliminary enquiries about a trip on Sunday 4th February. If you are interested let me know / add a comment.

Recompression Chamber Visit ~ 4th February 2007

I have organised two previous trips to a recompression chamber in London for divers to undertake a 'dry' dive (or a ‘pot’ dive as some call it)!

Everyone who has taken part has said they found it a good day out, and for those wanting an unusual PADI Specialty certification this is a super opportunity.

I'm making preliminary enquiries about a trip on Sunday 4th February. If you are interested let me know / add a comment.