From: spindler@rcf.rsmas.miami.edu
Subject: Re: Article in Current _SCUBA Times_
Reply-To: spindler@rcf.rsmas.miami.edu
Organization: RSMAS
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 20:11:33 GMT

In article <1992Aug21.224524.528@odin.corp.sgi.com>, 
mango@nova.esd.sgi.com (Eric Manghise) writes:

>	These situations you refer to are rare. Usually these kind of accidents
>	are because of some gross neglect of protocol. How many buddies have you
>	dove with that posed more of a threat to you that if you were diving solo.

The point of my discussion is not that your buddy will pose a threat to you,
but that they can halp extricate you from some unforseen circumstances that
threaten your safety.  

>	Yes, it is true that even the most experienced and professional of divers
>	can encounter a situation they cannot handle, but hey, whoever said diving
>	was a totally safe sport. There is an inherent element of risk involved,
>	as a very good friend of mine who is a cave instructor once told me, when
>	you dive you need to be aware that death is sitting on your shoulders all
>	the time. Not that you should worry about it, but that you need to be aware
>	of your environment and be responsible about the choices you make while
>	diving.

Again, I stress that my viewpoint on the buddy system is that it constitutes
another level of safety for you, in addition to your redundant breathing
systems, and personal safety equipment.  

>	Hey, nowhere did I ever mention that solo diving was a goal to aspire to.
>	Solo diving is not for everyone, as well it should be. There are always
>	those people who are a little more adventurous and willing to take a 
>	calculated risk. What is the one less level of defense that you refer to, I
>	am not sure I understand. In a crisis situation with someone else not
>	only do I need to worry about getting them out of there, but I also
>	need to worry about my self. 

I like to think about getting US out of there as a team.  The extra level of
defense is just that an extra pair of hands can really help in a tough
situation.  

A simple example is diving in thick kelp.  The stuff can easily wrap around the
first stage of the reg, and leave you nearly helplessly entangled.  While this
is not a dangerous situation, it does generally stress the diver a bit, and
having someone to help pull and/or cut you out of the kelp can be a great
relief.  Of course, you can do it on your own, but if you factor in a few other
circumstances, like wave surge, low visibility, loss of a mask, and so on, each
of these adds to the stress level.  Eventually, the diver will begin to
experience the first twinges of panic.  When this happens, and if you don't
have a buddy to help you maintain your calm, then mistakes are far more likely
to be made.  

>    The term buddy is deceptive and I think
>	it should be changed to partner. Buddy refers to someone you can count on, 
>	and I think this can give people a false sense of security. Have you heard
>	the term "same buddy same ocean". 

I won't dive with a person with this attitude.  When he/she has this attitude,
I may not be close enough to help them, and they probably cannot help me.  It
really pays to pick your buddy carefully.

>    Diving is a solo activity in a sense that
>	you share with your "partner". You should make every dive safe in your mind
>	that you can handle any situation that arrives. You cannot and should not
>	rely on the fact that your buddy/partner will be there to help you. Your
>	saftey is ultimately in your hands.

Agreed, your safety begins at your hands, but there have been times when I've
been happy to accept the help of a responsible buddy.  I am not dependent on a
buddy, and I do not want to dive with someone who is dependent on me.  I want a
self-sufficent buddy to share my dive with, who can be of assistance in the
event of an emergency.

I want to stress that I am not dead-set against solo diving.  As you maintain,
it is an advanced technique for well-trained and well-equipped divers.  I do
appreciate your insights and caution about participating in it, and I do not
wish to sound too strong in disagreement.  This is a fascinating area of
discussion, and I have enjoyed sharing my viewpoints on it.

----
Todd Spindler                                  
TSpindler@rsmas.miami.edu                 RSMAS/MPO  University of Miami

Newsgroups: rec.scuba