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Lets face it. Scuba divers have just a little bit of a death-wish in all 
of us. It's the same death-wish shared by parachutists, free-climbers, 
hang-gliderists, extreme surfers, bungee-jumpers, white-water kayakers, 
and I could go on. I suppose in all of these sports there is an outside 
chance of a buddy saving your ass, but it is slim at best. I would lump 
Scuba in with these sports. When I jump over the side with a buddy, I 
don't even consider them in the equation as part of my life support 
system. Should they, by some stroke of luck, pull my cookies out of the 
fire without they themselves getting killed, well, I would consider that 
an extra added bonus, pure luck.

If two people train extensively to become buddies so that they act as a 
team I can see considerable advantages there. But if you jump in with 
someone you have never dove with before, perhaps even someone with a 
reputation for being a solo diver, are you not, in essence, solo diving? 
Should you not be prepared with the equipment and frame of mind to accept 
what comes will? Did the two divers in question train extensively in team 
operations like George and his guys? Doesn't sound like it. To use your 
line of thinking, the dive in question should never have taken place. 
They should have trained repeatedly as a team, never lost sight of each 
other and been prepared for every contingency. Saw a show on the tube 
which showed Swedish divers excavating a wreck in cold water and rotten 
vis. They were tied together wrist-to-wrist by about a 6' rope with a 
float in the middle. I have NEVER seen this or read about it being used 
in American diving, but by your logic this should be the norm. You have 
to admit it certainly would be an effective way to keep a buddy team 
together. Come to think of it, why not just have a rope to the surface, 
with your buddy up there, ready to haul your ass in when trouble strikes? 
I don't think too many would put up with it.

I was being facetious about my "last thoughts", I have no doubt I would 
be clawing and struggling (assuming I was conscious) with the best of 
them in a survival situation. 

In the anecdotal front, have you read the ADJ in the latest Scuba Times? 
Two stories about diving deaths where the buddies were almost killed 
trying to save their partners. In both cases having buddies did the 
deceased divers no good at all and almost made their deaths 2 for 1. 
Spooky stories to be sure.

   Jim
>I've no problems with solo diving- just with the concept that it is every 
>diver for themselves on extreme exposure dives. I promise you that your 
>last thoughts when you are about to die are not going to be about what 
>somebody is going to think- if you are "thinking" at all (most likely 
>you're going to be just reacting) you're thinking about saving your life. 
>The part about what others think comes after you regain conciousness on 
>the boat because another diver was around and made the decision to get 
>you to the surface. Rod 

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