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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/scuba-safety-stop-15-feet

Where and how long is the standard safety stop at the end of a recreational dive?

15 feet (5 m) for 3 minutes.

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  1. 15 feet for 3 minutes ✔
  2. 33 feet for 10 minutes
  3. 5 feet for 30 seconds

Why: Pausing at 15 feet gives your body time to release nitrogen slowly before the final, biggest pressure change. Doppler studies found divers who make safety stops have fewer bubbles in their blood.

Huh, didn't know that: PADI first recommended safety stops in its 1984 Open Water Manual; now dive computers remind you to do them.

The dad joke
My safety stop is my favorite three minutes of the day. Even the fish stop to say hi.
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References

Answer: 15 feet for 3 minutes. Pausing at 15 feet gives your body time to release nitrogen slowly before the final, biggest pressure change. Doppler studies found divers who make safety stops have fewer bubbles in their blood.

  1. PADI: History of the Safety Stop blog.padi.com/history-of-the-safety-stop
    one should stop at 5 metres / 15 feet for three minutes to help off-gas the nitrogen absorbed while diving.
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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