What is the typical ascent rate recommended for divers?

The recommended ascent rate for divers is crucial for minimizing the risk of decompression sickness and ensuring overall safety during a dive operation. An ascent rate of no more than 30 feet (9 meters) per minute is widely acknowledged in diving practices as it allows divers to safely off-gas nitrogen that has accumulated in their tissues due to pressure changes during descent.

By maintaining this ascent rate, divers give their bodies the necessary time to adjust to the changing pressure, which helps prevent bubbles from forming in the bloodstream or tissues, a condition known as decompression sickness, commonly referred to as "the bends." This ascent rate provides a balance between efficiency and safety, ensuring that divers can complete their dives without compromising their health.

In practice, adherence to the 30 feet per minute guideline supports safe diving routines and is often supplemented with safety stops at varying depths as an additional precaution against decompression sickness. Therefore, this ascent rate is grounded not only in safety protocols but also in established diving physiology and practices.