What is the recommended duration for a safety stop?

The recommended duration for a safety stop is typically 3-5 minutes. This practice is essential in recreational diving, especially after deeper dives, as it allows divers to off-gas excess nitrogen that has accumulated in their bodies during the descent and duration underwater.

The rationale behind the 3-5 minute timeframe stems from physiological considerations, particularly in relation to bubble formation in tissues and the bloodstream. When a diver ascends rapidly without a safety stop, there is an increased risk that nitrogen bubbles can form, leading to decompression sickness. The safety stop provides a buffer for nitrogen levels to decrease, minimizing the chances of such complications.

This duration strikes a balance in providing effective off-gassing time without undue delay in the overall dive operation. While shorter periods, such as 1-2 minutes, may not provide sufficient time for adequate off-gassing, longer durations such as 5-10 minutes may extend the dive unnecessarily and can be impractical for divers aiming for efficiency after their dive profiles.