Dive Tables

Dive tables, also known as decompression tables are printed cards that let the diver determine the breathing gas, decompression stops that are required in order to avoid decompression sickness for a particular dive, and assists the diver in planning the dive and the surface intervals, it is meant to be a quick reference guide and a must for anyone who dives. In addition, they let the diver know how long they can stay under water safely at any depth during the first dive and any dives after. The basic dive table profile assumes a traditional dive that goes the one depth then stays there until returning to the surface. Dive tables on a more complex level are used for staged dives, decompression dives, and dives performed at altitude.

For the novice diver, short form dive tables are an entry level table specifically for new divers and are scary to consider using at first. It uses easy to follow tables that make the learning curve easier by eliminating repetitive groups, multiple lines, arrows and flow charts, taking only a few minutes to master the dive table. It is important to know that this short form is not to be used for decompression dives, multi-level dives or dives at altitude.

Among the more popular dive tables, the EAD dive table, when used in combination with an air table, allows the determination a dive schedule for any nitrox mixture without additional calculations.
Navy dive tables, while useful were not made to be used for sport diving, these tables were specifically made for the needs of the military alone.

The PADI and NAUI dive tables while serve the same purpose are slightly different in their approach and visual presentation of information. The PADI table holds thousands of number on both sides of a 5 x 7 plastic card, while the NAUI uses a different type of table with all information on one side of a card. This can be confusing as the information is the same, just acquired in a different way. The best choice is to learn and understand one set of tables and use that one specifically to avoid the possibility of making a mistake because something was not understood fully.

Even when using a table it is important to not push the limits given and dive to the extreme, instead it is best to cut the time by 15 minutes to allow enough time to ascend, enough and air and an overall safe dive.