-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Pyle <deepreef@bi*.or*>
To: Rebreather List <rebreather@nw*.co*>; Richard Pyle
<deepreef@bi*.or*>
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 1999 12:14 AM
Subject: Loss of a friend


>
>I just learned that Dr. Henry Kendall died in shallow water while using
>his MK-5 rebreather at Wakulla.  I have no doubt that more details of this
>will become widely known in the days to come. All I know right now is that
>he apparently had his gas block selected to offboard oxygen, but no
>offboard oxygen cylinder was used. I've also been informed that the
>project is now over, and they will begin packing tomorrow.
>
>I want everyone to know that Henry was not only a friend of mine, but also
>someone who I deeply respected as a diver and as a person. He built and
>dived his first rebreather more than sixty years ago, and has been an avid
>diver ever since. His loss is an extremely painful one for me, as he was
>one of only two people on this planet I regard as a personal hero. Right
>now, dive politics mean slightly less than zero to me, so you can count on
>my absence from the storm of wisdom that will undoubtedly flood the email
>lists over the next few days. I don't intend to read any of it, so if
>anyone wants to contact me, either call me or give me a clear subject line
>on email.
>
>I do, however, want to make one point absolutely crystal clear. We've
>heard it before, but too many incidents in recent years have demonstrated
>that the message is not being heard. The message is so obvious, but so
>incredibly important:  COMPLACENCY KILLS! It matters not how smart you
>are, or how experienced you are, or how "simple" the dive is.  In fact,
>look at the track record, and you'll see that the accidents aren't
>happening on the hard-core dives - they always happen on the "weenie"
>dives. The reason for this is obvious: when the risk seems low, it's so
>much easier to become complacent. What seems to be forgotten is that the
>risk is always there - no matter how shallow or simple the dive.  The
>magnitude of the risk is not measured by the depth - it is measured by the
>diver's attitude and mindset during the dive. Please, PLEASE try to
>understand this, and remind yourself of this the next time you put your
>face in the water.
>
>Aloha,
>Rich
>
>Richard Pyle
>Ichthyology, Bishop Museum                deepreef@bi*.or*
>1525 Bernice St.                          PH: (808) 848-4115
>Honolulu, HI 96817-2704                   FAX: (808) 847-8252
>
>

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