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Thanks for the reply.


>> I said......
>>Not sure why Jim feels that this has anything to do with the way I dive,
>>and you validate my point that less is more. Hmm... lesson here is not
>>to let go of the friggin line in a current and expect to live long and
>>prosper.


>you said.......
>You are correct again , I do believe the point that Jim is after is that in
>one of your post you said:

> >A boat wreck diver can very likely stand a lot more, especially if his
>>diving is based on excavation of a small area of a sand-filled wreck. He
really only
>>swims the length of the boat to the anchor line, descends, makes his way
to
>>a site where he might spend an hour not moving more than two feet and
>>then  <snip>



>As the diver in question was geared as you described in one post , Jim I
>think had hoped to point out the danger.

There is a difference between sessile excavation diving (my speciality)
and blue water wreck diving on wrecks with high relief like the Doria.
The guy was carrying two WKPP type sidemounts as well as all of
the other junk that he had bought and probably not properly tested
in oceanic conditions (this is pure conjecture, but I'll be surprised
if I'm wrong). I have to say that the only drag compromise I ever
suggested is that it 'might' be OK to carry a manila reel if you
planned off anchor deco. Carrying WKPP sidemounts to the Doria
for an inexperienced diver is just asking for trouble. Talk about
drag and mass. So he wasn't really geared as I would have suggested.
Personally, in Doria current conditions, I might lose the sidemounts
in favor of a shorter dive, or reliance on regaining the anchor line for
a hung-hose deco since you can keep orientation to the anchor
line with ease. Sidemounts are appropriate when you are uncertain
of regaining the line and want to be completely autonomous. But
for high current oceanic conditions I'm not convinced. Cave diving
in high flows yer cool. It's different place. You yourself in your story
told
about difficulty climbing the ladder after your mask problem due to your
side bottles. Maybe it's time to rethink this too. I've seen many a deep
blue water wreck dive done with twin overpumped 80's and a 40 cube
poney with 02 in it. Think about it: Less drag for sure than side mounts
and adequate gas for bottom and deeper stops and 02 for the shallower
hang. But poneys suck 100% says the guru(s) from the South. I better
not get off on that subject either... ;-)

I'm not the sidemount expert so I'll keep my yap shut from here. But
it'll take some convincing to get me on board the idea that they are
always appropriate in high current blue water diving.


Dave Sutton

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