This sounds like a dubious solution to an improbable scenario when what
should have been addressed were fundamental problems.

Judgement:  You must know when not to push a bad situation.  If you have
the wrong gear or amount of gas, don't go through the restriction.

Gear configuaration:  This describes a scenario that should only be
encountered when side mounting, otherwise,  bad judgement has been shown.

Gas Management: While the rule of thirds is better than no rule at all, the
rule of coming out with 2k on your back is much better and is what needs to
be taught.  Take stages if you need more gas.  Place safties before and/or
after restictions. 

Too much valuable class time appears to be being wasted on "what if's" that
could be eliminated with proper basics.

Jess


----------
> From: Tom Mount <TOM.MOUNT@wo*.at*.ne*>
> To: Richard Pyle <deepreef@bi*.or*>; kirvine@sa*.ne*
> Cc: cavers@ca*.co*; Randylabel@ao*.co*; rebreather@nw*.co*;
techdiver@aquanaut.com
> Subject: gas sharing and restrictions in caves
> Date: Tuesday, November 10, 1998 11:11 AM
> 
> George
> First under all circumstances possible divers are to remain intact
sharing
> gas, through restrictions etc. In fact when I and I imagine other cave
> instructors teach gas sharing we have students share gas through
> restrictions. One of my favorites is the half hitch in Madison. Another
one
> is the restriction in the Gonzalla room tunnel and a third is the
> restriction coming out of devils eye. In all these normal gas sharing is
> performed right through the restrictions I usually do a few restriceion
gas
> sharing drills with the divers sharing gas at all times.
> 
> 
> SECOND IN THE EVENT THERE IS SUCH A MAJOR And Complex RESTRICTION
> ENCOUNTERED THAT THE DIVERS CANNOT GET THROUGH IT WHILE SHARING GAS, a
> situation exist that they must separate in order to get to a point where
it
> is possible to share gas again, the procedure of having the donor allow
the
> out of air diver to get several deep slow breaths and become as calm as
> possible before the temporary interruption of the act of gas sharing due
to
> the nature of the MAJOR restriction (remember this is a worse case
scenario
> not the average restriction, this is a very major restriction event,
making
> it virtually impossible to continue sharing gas and still be able to exit
> the cave.) it was felt that if one diver had to lead through such a
> restriction the donor should, as the out of air diver could relax and see
> that the air supply was infront of him/her not behind,
> The donor will at the earliest point where it is possible to get the
second
> stage /long hose to the diver signals the out of air diver to come and
get
> the gas the diver then swims towards the air supply and gets it.
> 
> Hopefully most divers will not be in areas that have such major complex
> restrictions, but the process was developed so that there would be a
> predetermined plan of action on how to handle such a drastic situation
> should it occur. The other choice would be that in such a situation the
> diver out of air goes first which means he begins to exert, then exit the
> restriction and have to turn facing back into the restriction to get air,
> that is more difficult and stressful than the first option.
> 
> A third approach of course is do not teach anything for this worse case
> scenario and if it happens to a dive team let them figure it out on their
> own, under stress without having the benefit of a dry rehearsal or
thoughts
> as to how to address such a possibility.
> 
> What prompted the development of this drill was from early blue hole
> explorations where we did have restrictions that made it virtually
> impossible to share gas through so this drill was introduced for a worse
> case scenario, not a routine gas sharing exercise for all restrictions.
> 
> Now for those of you who mistakenly assumed that this was a procedure for
> any restriction hopefully you now know better. Maybe you would like to
> comment then on
> 1. Should this remote what if situation be taught
> 2. Should this type situation not be addressed and just let the divers
who
> may face this situation someday figure it out under a real situation
instead
> of a simple training exercise for a worse case scenario, which is how it
is
> descried. And practiced.
> 
> To summarize all students are taught to remain actively sharing gas (in
an
> out of air situation) under any condition where it is possible to do so.
> They are then exposed to a worse case scenario where a restriction is so
> major and complex that it is impossible to go through it in a gas sharing
> mode thus this is a alternative that will work.  Students are also taught
if
> possible that gas sharing should start with a little gas left in the
> cylinders in event of such a situation, but again the most serious
situation
> we can imagine must also be at least introduced to the student.
> 
> 
> 
> Respectfully yours,
> Tom Mount
> CEO IANTD World HQ
> http://www.iantd.com
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Pyle <deepreef@bi*.or*>
> To: kirvine@sa*.ne* <kirvine@sa*.ne*>
> Cc: cavers@ca*.co* <cavers@ca*.co*>; Randylabel@ao*.co*
> <Randylabel@ao*.co*>; rebreather@nw*.co* <rebreather@nw*.co*>
> Date: Tuesday, November 10, 1998 8:12 AM
> 
> >
> >
> >
--
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