Firstly, a good point of EANx is basically to reduce the risk of Decompression sickness (DCS).
In my opinion, that’s the best part and the most important thing. However, it can be hard for you to actually feel it. Therefore, I am going to tell you the big advantage for understanding this easily.
Let’s say, EANx helps us to look for the hammerhead sharks with stable current at suitable depth, and makes it possible to have more time for shooting or observing the hammers.
Diving in Mikomoto is all drift style which means it can not be easy for everyone.
It also depends on which course we take, but seeking the hammers safely in stable current or observing them while landing at the bottom are most likely to be deeper than 20m.
From my experience, the reality is usually to see the hammers in 20-30m and to meet an amazing group of them in more than 30m in Mikomoto except the area limited period to see the hammers.
So, example of following situations:
• Avoiding complicated and unstable current to find the hammers, then only 5 min of NDL left when we finally found them.
• Looking for the hammers while controlling depth in order to avoid the nitrogen, then it’s so hard to approach them even if we found them because of too strong current.
(Theoretically, NDL might be no problem but in reality we properly breathe nitrogen when we are at that depth.)
This means, looking for the hammers at proper depth with stable current around the area where the high probability to see them has been such a hard mission because of the nitrogen.
This is why, using the EANx which has additional oxygen and less nitrogen, helps us “to look for the hammerhead sharks with stable current at suitable depth, and makes it possible to have more time for shooting or observing the hammers” as I said above!
We encountered a magnificent group at 32m depth. From there, we tried the approach that allowed us to increase the depth a bit and held on until we had 3 mins of NDL left.
Even though we wanted to stay longer so much, we had to start ascending with the pressure gauge still over 100 bar.
We were using Air at this time, and another team was using EANx so they enjoyed the time for watching the amazing group of hammers after we ascended.
After that, they told us that they had over 10 min of NDL left at the time we ascended.
I truly felt OH EANx WOULD BE BETTER!!
Furthermore, there are other advantages about EANx too.
Examples:
Feeling less tired when you swim fast. (I especially feel this adbantage in Mikomoto)
Feeling less exhaustion after the diving (so it makes us feel no hassle driving back!)
BUT, there are also disadvantages for using EANx, like everything else in our life.
This is not applied only in Mikomoto. It will be totally the same using EANx in any other dive sites.
It is not gonna be a big deal as long as you keep these disadvantages and precautions in your mind.
So, this is the announcement that we can offer EANx if you would like to use it in Mikomoto by understanding above all.
As a side note, the oxygen proportions of EANx tanks in Mikomoto are set 27-28% unlike usual 32-36% by considering avoiding oxygen exposure just in case.
Also, we’ve changed to all steel tanks no matter whether Air or EANx from this season.
Please let us know what your suitable weight is with the steel tanks when you book with us.
Note:
It’s required to have a Nitrox (EANx) Diving Certification if you wish to use EANx. Please make sure to obtain it before your dive.
Please set your dive computer by yourself in advance.
EANx is ¥2,200 each (*If your purpose of using EANx is “To stay longer at deep point”, we will ask you to cover the cost of EANx tanks for a guide and an assistant by sharing with your group members).
12L tanks are only Air tanks, no EANx (*Additional fee of 12L tanks is ¥880 per tank and the advance reservation is required).
Lastly, I am sorry this information has become so long now…
Anyways! What I do is simply “put in all efforts for your best and safe dive”. It doesn’t matter if you choose Air or EANx.
You can also choose Air for the first dive and EANx for the second dive or the third dive. we’re totally flexible👌
Please note, It does NOT mean you need to use EANx in Mokomoto, please do not worry about it.
If you have any questions or need any help, we would be happy to help you so please let us know.
