>Dave


>Its a sorry time when these people have never used any of this equipment
>and condemn it. Jersey upline and pony were a wreck diver staple equipment
>from the early 60 into the 90's and many divers still use this diving
>configuration. There may be different equipment used today but you must
dive
>with what you are comfortable with, and can handle.
>We build a ladder in 1992-3 that a diver wearing all he want to, can
>climb out with everything on. Some divers don't want to take any gear off
and
>that's there business. Ivied been operating a dive vessel since 1961 and
have
>never seen a back mounted pony bottle system fail. The equipment divers
wear
>is only as good as the practice they put into using the equipment.



Steve,

Thanks for your kind words. I must say that I was surprised at
the attitude of the list as a whole about the techniques that
have been tried and shown to be usefull for many years, and
about the fact that the new generation of divers has no respect
whatsoever for the guys that designed this gear as the best that
was available at any given moment. Safe techniques of 1 or
5 or 15 years ago are still safe. Not that there is not better, but
there is more than one safe way. I've been climbing ladders
on all sorts of boats (including yours) with fins on for years.
Happy with 3 finger mitts. Happy with Jersey reel since with
the mitts it's lots easier to use than a cave reel. Happy with a
mini aqua sun and not a canister light. So be it. I see guys
diving the Stolt Dagali with enough gear to dive the Britannic
and it's a joke. There are fully equipped 'technical divers'
out at the quarry every weekend that have never seen salt water.
I wonder how many of them are here expressing opinions on
topics they have never actually tested. There are some gems
here too. All in all a good group.

That's all. I apologize for allowing myself to be dragged down to
the level of shouting. All who know me recognize that this in not
my style, it is just so frustrating to see our good guys put down.
George sent an email to a friend of mine (without being asked)
after George saw a photo taken off of a EDBA friends boat
(AP on the SL) and essentially said that the diver depicted was unsafe.
Funny that the diver was Ricky J, who as you know first dove the Doria
in '75, and has been there at least 2 or 3 times a year ever since.
The email was one long obscentiy to a -woman- who had A: never
heard of george before, and B: Who's out diving the Choapa
regularly. So what's wrong with this picture? Sending obscene
emails to women who don't even know who you are?

Poney bottles failing? Never. They are still as usefull as can be.
They only came out of favor as cave divers needed more than the 24
cubes that we had using the old E bottles. But for a salt water diver
that's plenty to do his normal deco, and that's all that counts. As you
know, 90% of the wreck diving done in the NE has not needed more
than maybe 30 minutes of deco total, and that only on the Choapa
and Goulandris. Putting in the wrong reg given as an excuse?
What ever happened to two different types, and ho does this differ
from using travel-mix VS bottom mix, etc. If you cannot keep your
poney out of your mouth by accident, how can you use trimix?

 Drag? Give me a break. Hoffman, et al, were drag-free
when they dove the Doria back in '66 with wetsuits, 72's and
Royal Aqua Masters. Got 100% of the guys back too, every time.
Since then it's all gone downhill. Drag of a jersey reel and poney
cannot be more than a guy carrying all of that stuff that they pose
with when going to the Oregon and look likethey are diving the
Norness and the U-Who.



>Captain Steve Bielenda

A gent in anyones book. One of the few that remembers, since he was there.
Hoffman, Dudas, Roach, Littlejohn, Gimbell, DeCamp, and the rest.
EDA. Bill Hoodiman wrenching the hatch off of the Bass. Roach ID'ing the
Goulandris.
Giants among men. Names to remember. Steve knows it's true. He's
among them too. How many divers have you jumped off your boat, Capt?
Got most of them back, too. We (SL) have gotten back 100% in all of those
years, and dived some rugged stuff, eh skipper?

George Hoffman would roll over in his grave.


Regards to all, especially worthy debaters, both friends and non.
Makes no difference, all divers are brothers down deep.
Good shipmates make good friends.


Dave Sutton

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