Nitrox Requirement

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I don't think anything should be mandatory.  I used my initial training as an excellent foundation for my diving career.  However, I constantly violate the buddy rule.  I don't rely on a buddy. I regularly exceed the maximum depth recommendations for recreational SCUBA. I have dove with people who are fine at 125 feet and freak out at 131. Not because of Narcosis.

I sucked on the written portion of the test and excelled on the actual diving. I would much rather dive with somebody who has good buoyancy skills and a strong dose of common sense rather than somebody who has all the book answers and can do all the complicated formula's.

I would strongly recommend nitrox for divers who have already logged 30 to 50 dives, and want to dive more than two to three times a day.