Enrich Air Nitrox (EANx) Feature
Greatly improves diving safety
What is Eniched Air Nitrox (EANx)?
The air we breathe is composed of 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen, but in order to prevent nitrogen from accumulating in the body during diving, air with a higher concentration of oxygen is called enriched air (nitrox).
It is sometimes abbreviated as “EANx”, where the x represents the oxygen concentration. For recreational diving, the most commonly used are “EAN32”, which indicated 32% oxygen, and “EAN36”, which indicates 36% oxygen. It is also referred to as Nitrox.
Why is it said to be so safe?
EANx has a higher oxygen concentration and a lower nitrogen concentration compared to air, which means less nitrogen accumulates in the body. Nitrogen can accumulate in the body and cause decompression sickness, so EANx reduces that risk and increases safety
What kind of people do you recomment it to?
- People who want to dive for longer
- People who dive multiple times a day
- Underwater photographers
- People with a high body fat percentage
- People who are prone to dehydration
- People with an early flight the next day
- Middle aged and elderly people
- Smokers
- People who are not very active
- People who have experienced decompression sickness
What exactly is decompression sickness?
This is a condition in which Nitrogen dissolved in the body during the dive turns into bubbles upon ascent, compressing nerves and blocking blood vessels, causing discomfort. The deeper you dive and the longer you stay underwater, the more nitrogen accumulates in the body, increasing the risk of decompression sickness. To prevent this, it is essential to follow a reasonable dive plan according to dive tables and dive computers, not exceed the ascent speed, and observe safety stops.
Main Symptoms of Decompression Sickness
- Muscle pain, headache, joint pain
- Fatigue, stiff shoulders
- Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
- Loss of consciousness
- Numbness in hands and or feet
- Itching, swelling, skin rash
Benefits of Enriched Air Nitrox
Because the nitrogen concentration is lower than normal air, when compared at the same depth and time, the amount of nitrogen that remains in the body is reduced. This reduces the risk of decompression sickness.
Benefits include easier breathing, clearer head, fewer headaches, less drowsiness, less fatigue, extended no-decompression limit, longer dive time, less nitrogen load on repeated dives.
* Diving deep and for longer with Nitrox still poses the same risks. Diving according to air dive tables and computers may reduce risks even further.
Benefit 1: Reduces the risk of decompresion sickness
If you use Nitrox, less nitrogen will dissolve into your body compared to if you dive with air. With less nitrogen, there is less chance of bubbles forming after surfacing. This is expected to reduce the risk of contracting decompression sickness. However it is important to plan your dive with a margin above your no-decompression limit and take sufficient surface intervals, just as you would with air.
Benefit 2: No-decompression limit is extended
The no-decompression limit indicates the time a person can stay at any given depth. With Nitrox, this time is extended compared to normal air. For example, when diving for a long time on a flat sandy area at a depth of 20m, the dive crew says they were able to film with plenty of time to spare with their no-decompression limit using Nitrox. The no-decompression limit at a depth of 21m with air is 37 minutes, with Nitrox, the no-decompression limit at 21m is 58 minutes. However, caution is advised as there are significant risks involved when using it to the very edge of the no-decompression limit.
Benefit 3: Low nitrogen load during repetitive dives
If you plan to do multile dives in one day, your no-decompression limit will inevitably be shorter. On days you do 4 – 5 dives, including early mornings and night dives, it becomes difficult to lower the depth. Using Nitrox is essential if you plan to do multiple dives in one day. The depth you can reach on the third and fourth dives is different from normal air, so the amount of time you can spend observing and photographing will also change. The benefit of being able to stay at the same depth for a long time is a welcomed one. Since you have come all the way to Ishigaki Island, using Nitrox is the best option to enjoy lots of diving.
Benefit 4: Less fatigue after diving
Diving can be quite tiring, but some Nitrox users report feeling less fatigue, headaches, and drowsiness after diving compared to when they dive with air. Because you are less tired you won’t feel sleepy while traveling after diving. You also won’t feel as sleepy while logging your dive, so you can enjoy your time after diving Ishigaki Island.
* The feeling from using nitrox varies from person to person, so try it out to see if it works for you.
Benefit 5: Peace of mind even the day before your flight
If you have done repetitive diving, you must wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving. Although following this rule does not eliminate the risk of decompression sickness at high altitudes, using Nitrox and following this rule will further reduce the risk.
If you have an early flight and plan to dive up until 18 hours before, we recommend using Nitrox for greater safety
Enriched Air Nitrox Training
The PADI Enriched Air Diver Specialty course is also attractive because it can be completed in one day
(Please contact us for more details)
Academic Course
Once your reservation is confirmed, we will send you the E-Learning code required for the course
Alternatively you can purchase this directly from PADI after creating an account and logging in
Prepare in advance, if you have not completed the preparation, you will not be able to be certified
Marine Training
We will conduct marine training using actual enriched air tanks
It’s easer to forget how to input oxygen concentration into our dive computer after the training, so remember it well. Enjoy your enriched air dive with a reasonable dive plan, pay attention to the maximum depth set on your dive computer
* Please be sure to bring the instruction manual with you
After the Course
If you obtain an Enriched Air Diver SP certification card, you can enjoy enriched air diving anywhere in the world. The number of diving areas where enriched air is available is rapidly expanding, and it is now available in most diving areas. If you would like to dive with Nitrox please contact the service you are using. Be sure to bring your Enriched Air Diver SP certification card with you, and if you have one, be sure to learn how to set up your dive computer.
Notes when using EANx
- EANx = Not 100% safe
- There is a depth limit
- Special diving equipment required
- You need to be trained to use it
*Although Nitrox has many advantages, it is not 100% safe
As you will learn in your academic training, high oxygen conentrations pose a risk of oxygen poisoning. The deeper you go, the denser the oxygen you breathe, and your maximum depth is more limited than with air, so you must keep these in mind when diving. When you set the oxygen concentration on your dive computer, it will display your maximum depth, so be sure to stick to that depth when diving. Don’t let your guard down just because the no-decompression limit has been extended. Air is consumed at the same rate as normal air so don’t make the mistake of thinking you dive longer.
The general guideline is that standard equipment can be used with Nitrox tanks with oxygen conentrations below 40%, but this may vary depending on the equipment manufacturer, so please follow the manufacturer’s recommended procedures. In order to rent a Nitrox tank, you must have completed a Nitrox course.
Also when diving with air divers, adjusting the depth and dive time to match those of the Nitrox divers increases the risk to the air divers, so it is a basic rule for the nitrox divers to adjust their instruments to air divers.
〒907-0011
