George

You are completely missing the point of what Trey and everyone else on 
this list is saying about dive teams: no one is telling you to buddy up 
with the least experienced diver. That's the usual (very weak) 
rationalization for solo diving and that gets even experienced divers 
killed.

We're saying -- to EVERYONE in the technical diving community -- whether 
they're DIR or not -that the easiest, best, cheapest, and most sensible 
way to reduce the inherent risks of technical diving is to dive with a 
team of one or more divers with the same objectives, training, and 
ability that you have. That way when the rare SERIOUS problem happens -- 
catastrophic equipment failure, entanglement, tox, hypercapnia, 
unrecoverable RB failure, there is another diver there to help get your 
ass to the surface. 

DIR is not about equipment -- it's about using your head to minimize 
risk.  If you throw out every other DIR tenet and piece of gear, but 
still dive with a strong team member, you've vastly increased your 
chances of coming through a problem alive.  It's that simple and that's 
why it's Rule #1 

There should be no argument here when it's plain to everyone that the 
vast majority of tech and cave deaths over the past decade have been solo 
divers.  We have this same discussion each and every time someone dies. I 
don't know why you still don't get it.  THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CREDIBLE 
REASON FOR NOT DIVING AS PART OF A TEAM -- certainly none that would give 
any comfort to Eric Reichardt's family now.  Think about that next time 
it's too much trouble for you to find someone to dive with.

If you and Mike Pizzio are telling the list that you can't find another 
skilled diver who will dive with you -- and I don't think you are -- then 
the first thing you need to do is figure out why no one else is willing 
to trust you. Otherwise -- and I can't make this any clearer -- there are 
no excuses for doing a solo tech dive.  

Best regards -

Bill Wolk


>Hi George:
>After experiencing lots of diving down here as a divemaster doing
>recreational charters, I know where Mike is coming from. I got so that I
>found diving more relaxing and safer diving solo than with a buddy picked at
>random from the dive boat. A lot of times I would end up diving with the
>least skilled of the bunch. I would get to repeatedly save their butt, do to
>things like not being weighted properly, losing a tank, not watching their
>air supply, or a host of other barn yard stupid things that can be expected
>if one dives a couple times a year. These kind of people/tourists are the
>bread & butter of  most dive boats in S. Florida. In my mind one is safer
>diving alone and one has more of a worry free dive when you don't have to
>worry about your buddy attacking you to get at your air supply or rushing to
>the surface in a state of panic after seeing a nurse shark.
>    I saw Mike dive with people like this repeatedly and I can say that this
>sort of thing gets old. It starts to take the fun out of diving. Your nerves
>start to frazzle and you wonder how people can take such risks with their
>and your life, and you wonder who the hell trained this guy or girl. It can
>get pretty frustrating as there seems to be an endless supply of these twice
>a year, poorly trained divers out there.
>    I found that if I dive as a divemaster solo, I can make the rounds and
>save more barnyard stupid new divers from themselves.
>    It is a great thing to always have a good buddy to dive with, but
>someone needs to look out for the newbies of diving or the death toll &
>insurance rates will sky rocket. Due to these continual experiences I find
>diving much more relaxing solo too. I have jumped countless wrecks solo. I
>will admit that it is not the safest act in the world, but it gets the job
>done. No one wants to go for a sand dive. Most buddies can not keep up with
>me going down. If your buddy stops because he can't clear his ears, that is
>the end of the dive, maybe for the whole boat. Grappling is a good idea as
>long as you do not grapple debris off the side of the wreck somewhere, or
>the grapple does not unhook. Remember recreational divers don't carry lift
>bags. If they did it would be a nightmare. I guess I'm done ramblin' on for
>the moment.
> This is the reactive mentality that both I and Mike became used to. George,
>I would bet that you have been in our shoes at one time. You know, where it
>is safer to dive by yourself than with the people on the boat? Have a great
>day &
>Good Diving,
>Bye,
>George
>
>
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Best regards --

Bill

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