Repetitive Dive — What It Is and Why It Matters
A repetitive dive is any dive that begins before your body has completely off-gassed the residual nitrogen from a previous dive — which, practically speaking, is any dive conducted within 12 to 24 hours of a preceding dive. Because you start the second dive with elevated nitrogen levels, your no-decompression limits are shorter than they would be on a first dive of the day.
Dive computers handle repetitive dive planning automatically by tracking residual tissue loading through the surface interval. This is one of the major advantages of a dive computer over tables — the computer knows your exact tissue state, while tables require conservative group-letter calculations that often underestimate your available time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I do my deepest dive first or last?
The general guideline is to do your deepest dive first when your tissues have the lowest nitrogen loading. Subsequent dives should be progressively shallower. This maximizes your available NDL across the day.
How many repetitive dives can I do in one day?
There is no fixed limit, but each subsequent dive carries more residual nitrogen, shorter NDLs, and increased DCS risk. Most recreational divers do 2 to 4 dives per day with adequate surface intervals. Listen to your body, stay well-hydrated, and follow your computer's guidance.
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