Which of the following is a recommendation for using the Recreational Dive Planner (RDP)?

Using the Recreational Dive Planner (RDP) is essential for safe diving practices, particularly in managing exposure to nitrogen and the risk of decompression sickness. The recommendation to make deeper dives before shallow dives aligns with the principle of diving safety known as the "no-decompression limit." When divers undertake deeper dives first, they can better manage their nitrogen loading, as the RDP is designed to account for this progressive exposure.

Starting with deeper dives allows divers to off-gas nitrogen more effectively during shallower subsequent dives. The nitrogen that has been absorbed in the body during the deep dive needs to be released as divers ascend and conduct shallower dives afterward. This sequencing helps mitigate the risk of accidental decompression stops, especially for divers planning multiple dives in a day.

While the other options suggest practices that contradict safe diving protocols — such as diving at maximum allowable times without consideration of other factors and skipping safety stops — this choice emphasizes a sequence that respects the physiological implications of nitrogen absorption and elimination during diving activities.