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> These aren't anecdotes; they amount to experience. 

What's the diff?  How many anecdotes do you need before you can call it 
"experience". The fact of the matter is, there is no fundamental 
difference between data gleaned from scientific experiments than there is 
from anecdotal experience.  There is only a difference in degree 
regarding how many variables you have numbers for.

 > Also the "risk" of
> adding the deep stops (2 mins every 30 fsw until the first stop "required"
> by the tables/model) extends the dive only a small amount beyond the
> original plan without deep stops, as you, Chris and others have shown with
> Abyss, Decom etc. It's intuitive, even if no one thought of it before you.

It's only intuitive in the contect of compartment models, which as you 
know, have no basis in physiological reality.

> But, sharks are ubiquitous. Forgoing the use of a scooter has
> consequences. George says he will do a 24,000 m swim with an 80 tank and
> no gauge. But does he really want to *have* to do it that way every time?
> Would he give up scootering through caves if there was a charcharadon
> round a few of the tight bits? I doubt it. So if we accept that sharks are
> curious and that a scooter makes vibrations/emf/yummy
> yellow/wugga-wugga/whatever, how *much* of an attractant is it? Talk to
> the Brits about riding their bikes down country roads. Every farm you pass
> has a mongrel with flashing teeth whose job it is to take lumps out of
> passing tourists. Does that mean we never go bicycling again?

If you go back to my original comment on this issue, I said "I am 
convinced that sharks are attracted to Tekna scooters." (or words to that 
effect).  This remains true.

> After the anecdote comes the "collective experience". You've given it us
> for deep stops; how about sharks 'n scooters? Or is this an overblown
> shark myth that keeps us superstitious rather than tech?

I won't even go into the efforts I have undertaken to break popular myths 
about sharks - don't get me started.  I expressed an opinion.  People can 
have faith in that opinion, or not - their call.

> > Would I be cautions about using scooters in areas with potential shark
> > problems?  Hell yes!
> 
> Well, I agree I'll pass on roaring through the crowd of hammerheads in the
> Cocos doing 3 mph on my Tekna. But how about Monterey/Kona/etc?

Well, that's a decision you will have to make.  At least now, you have 
one more tidbit (a diving Ichthyologist's opinion) to help you make that 
decision.

Rich

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