I am interested in compiling the various meanings and understandings of
the word 'decompression' as understood by many of us divers today. From
my experience and opinion, I understand the word to mean: de, as in
removing or taking away and compression to mean to add external force
to something to reduce it's size. In my experience, I consider every
dive in the ascending phase to be a decompression portion of the dive
and the descending portion to be the 'compression' phase of the dive.
Anytime a diver decreases their depth in the water, it becomes a
'decompression' activity. Is it appropriate for one to say generically
that every dive is a decompression dive as one is supposed to
eventually return to the surface?
Thanks.  Waterlog