Ascent Rate Guidelines and Why You Should Follow Them

As a scuba diving instructor, I have developed an almost preternatural sense of hearing. I notice the pfffffffftttt sound of a diver holding down the power inflate button on his buoyancy compensator (BC) every time he adds air to his BC. When I am diving with new or inexperienced divers, this noise strikes terror into my heart. I worry that the diver has added too much air to his BC, or that he is using the inflate button to ascend. My fear is that he will send himself into an uncontrolled ascent, which is one of the worst things a diver can do underwater. Doing so increases a diver's risk of decompression illness. Scuba diving ascents should always be slow and controlled. What is the maximum safe ascent rate?

_{More dive safety articles:}

• What If You Exceed a No-Decompression Limit?
• What Is a No-Decompression Limit?
• Why Make Safety Stops on Every Dive?

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