Recreationall TRIMIX

[FreediveWI]

Working on a charter boat on Lake Michigan I can tell you that a large portion of the divers are using nitrox. I would say that almost everyone who comes up from the Chicago area uses it, and a growing number of Wisconsin divers are using it. Now we have a growing number who are using triox and trimix. THis can make a big difference on dives to the Milwaukee and the Wisconsin.

When I have dove in warm water nitrox is everywhere. Most resorts even have eals where you get unlimited nitrox fills for an extra $100 a week. It makes a big difference when your doing 5 hour and a half long dives a day. Many of the liveaboards have it because it makes their divers safer- and they are often far away from any chamber if their's a problem.

There are also a bunch of divers around here that have made their own blending systems and mix it themselves. Some add the 02 at home and go to their local shop for an air top-off, which is not the best idea and the shop owner has the right to know if you are doing this.

I have been able to get nitrox fills most everywhere I have gone- Seattle, Idaho, Tobemorey, Cabo, Utila, Bonaire, Roatan, Curacou, Florida, San Diego, Wazze,blah, blah, blah. In Milwaukee I think every shop now offers it. The Lender even has a system right by the boat for divers to get their mixes- which makes it easy for the other dive boats down there to get nitrox as well.

Up at Wazze keith is even pumping trimix, as well as 3,00 psi argon fills. Ntirox goes without saying.

That being said, most dives shops, if they have a clean compressor, should be able to put together a blending station for less than $500, and I know of a couple people who did it for less than $300 by search out the OEM's of the valves and digital guage.

As far as the rest of the state goes, I didn't even know the Fox vallley had a dive shop?

I do know of one local shop that is in the process of putting together a mobile blending station for classes and trips. This station will be able to pump anything you want to at least 3500 psi.

I have another firend who already has one and uses it for all of his classes. His is actually large enough to be able to change into your drysuit in it if it happens to snow while your getting ready.

How is your blending station coming along?

Jon