Suunto Cobra3 [25/60] Safety stops

5.10. Safety Stops

Safety Stops are widely considered good diving practice for recreational diving, and are

an integral part of most dive tables. The reasons for performing a Safety Stop include:

reducing sub-clinical DCI, microbubble reduction, ascent control, and orientation before

surfacing.

The Suunto Cobra3 displays two different types of Safety Stops: Recommended Safety

Stop and Mandatory Safety Stop.

5.10.1. Recommended Safety Stops

With every dive over 10 meters, there is a three minute countdown for the Recommended

Safety Stop, to be taken in the 6 - 3 m/10 ft - 20 ft range. This is shown with the STOP

sign and a three-minute countdown in the center window instead of the no-decompression

time.

WHEN STOP IS DISPLAYED,

MAKE A RECOMMENDED SAFETY

STOP FOR 3 MINUTES.

NOTE

The Recommended Safety Stop, as the name implies, is

recommended. If it is ignored, there is no penalty applied to the

following surface intervals and dives.

5.10.2. Mandatory Safety Stops

When the ascent rate exceeds 10 m/33 ft per minute continuously for more than 5 seconds,

the microbubble build-up is predicted to be more than is allowed for in the decompression

model. The Suunto RGBM calculation model responds to this by adding a Mandatory

Safety Stop to the dive. The time of this Mandatory Safety Stop depends on the severity

of the ascent rate excess.

The STOP sign appears in the display and when you reach the depth zone between 6 m

and 3 m/20 ft and 10 ft, the CEILING label, ceiling depth, and the calculated Safety Stop

time also appear in the display. You should wait until the Mandatory Safety Stop warning

disappears. The total length of the Mandatory Safety Stop time depends on the seriousness

of the ascent rate violation.

WHEN CEILING AND STOP ARE

DISPLAYED, MAKE A ONE MINUTE

MANDATORY SAFETY STOP IN THE

DEPTH ZONE BETWEEN 6 M AND 3 M.

You must not ascend shallower than 3 m/10 ft with the Mandatory Safety Stop warning

on. If you ascend above the Mandatory Safety Stop ceiling, a downward pointing arrow

will appear and a continuous beeping starts. You should immediately descend to, or below,

the Mandatory Safety Stop ceiling depth. If you correct this situation at any time during

the dive, there are no effects on the decompression calculations for future dives.