This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_00A2_01C24DDB.06CEADE0
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

It sounds like have learned one good lesson, but completely overlooked =
some other possibilities.

In one email you speak of how you believe in DIR "which I strongly =
believe is the correct way of diving in this new era" and at the same =
time talk of your recent solo penetration wreck dive to 40m. =20

You also point out that it is difficult to just buy all new gear to be =
DIR if that's what you're after.  This is true. =20

But solo diving is not DIR and it doesn't cost extra to have a buddy.

I don't want to shoot you dead, but I do want to point out an apparent =
inconsistency in your analysis of your incident.  I'm sure many people =
will want to argue whether or not a buddy would have made a difference.  =
I don't particularly care.  If you truly believe that DIR is the way to =
dive then you don't dive without a buddy.  If you don't really believe =
that DIR is the way, then maybe having a buddy isn't that important to =
you.  But you can't have it both ways.  You can't say you strongly =
believe in DIR in one sentence and then talk about doing solo dives in =
the next.

Perhaps sometimes we're so close to our situation that it is difficult =
to step back and take a look at it objectively.

Dive safe,

Kevin Metcalfe
nslckevin@ya*.co*
Pleasant Hill, CA

  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: De La Mare=20
  To: Techdiver@Aquanaut.Com=20
  Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2002 9:18 AM
  Subject: Dive forum


  I first subscribed to this technical forum because I believed it was a =
place I could learn from others who have been diving  a lot longer than =
I have.
  However, in the few months I have been on it I have realized that it =
is a place where no one dares to talk freely about their own equipment =
use or of the problems they have encountered during dives.

  Surely we are all in the same boat, we want to learn more from each =
others successes and failures during dives. No one should be afraid to =
talk about anything concerning technical diving. If during you dive last =
weekend you encountered a problem this surely should be the place to =
talk about it and share it with others, so maybe we can learn from each =
others mistakes.

  Clearly this is not the case at all because we are all afraid of that =
word stroke !!
  We all started from the beginning, strokes maybe. I myself cannot =
possibly afford to buy all the correct diving equipment recommended by =
the DIR philosophy which I strongly believe is the correct way of diving =
in this new era. I have a none diving wife and two young children and =
diving is simply a hobby to me. If I went out and bought all the =
equipment I believe is best for my dives I would be a single man paying =
child support. So for now I must contend to dive with some of my =
equipment being substandard until I can afford the  parts I want.

  Should I stop diving until I have every piece of equipment that is DIR =
approved. I think Mr. Irvine might say yes, but I say no.
  I will continue to dive but there are dives I simply cannot do until I =
am happy that I have the correct equipment to make my dives as safe as =
possible.

  What is really lacking  in this forum is people talking about diving. =
Any one who has made over 300 dives must surely have had near misses =
underwater. Surely its not a perfect science. I for one want to be able =
to read about it, so please lets stop being afraid of the Big Guns =
around here who are ready to shoot us dead as soon as we admit to =
failure.
  Two weeks ago I was diving on a wreck I have made over 200 dives on =
and believe I know so well and feel so at home on, but I made a =
fundamental mistake and broke  two rules. I have no excuses for it and I =
should no better.
  I share it with you guys now and hope others may be less afraid to =
admit their errors here.
  I went solo diving  and entered a wreck at 40m and made my way to the =
engine room. I have been their at least 10 times and know the route =
well. It also has a fixed line leading you there and back and is not too =
difficult. During my dive there were about 40 other divers on the wreck =
all tourists  being led by dive schools in the area.
  While I was in the engine room a group of divers entered one of the =
small rooms that I had to pass through on my return to the exit. While =
they were in there they completely destroyed the vis and when I came =
back into that room I became completely disorientated and for 3 minutes =
I was lost and could not find the exit door out even though   there was =
a fixed line. I held on to the line and repeated to myself over and over =
not to panic, I know this room well and I know the exit is there. I did =
find it and I survived but had I panicked I may not be here now.
  Even though there is a permanent line fixed leading from the lower car =
 deck to the engine room I still should have deployed my own line.=20
  I have learnt my lesson perhaps the hard way, and now I share it with =
you. Perhaps I may make others like myself who think that being totally =
familiar with a wreck doesn't mean you can break the fundamental rules =
of penetration.

  I want to thank all those who answered my request for information on =
the VR3. I found what I wanted to know. However thanks to some of you =
guys I have come to the conclusion I have no need of this computer. My =
dives are square dives, I need only the planner and a slate and a =
reasonable back up computer. I will save my money and buy the HID 18 =
watt which I have long coveted but never been able to afford.

  Andre De La Mare (Cyprus)

------=_NextPart_000_00A2_01C24DDB.06CEADE0
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.50.4912.300" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>It sounds like have learned one good =
lesson, but=20
completely overlooked some other possibilities.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In one email you speak of how =
you believe=20
in DIR "which I strongly believe is the correct way of diving in this =
new era"=20
and at the same time talk of your recent solo penetration wreck =
dive to=20
40m.  </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>You also point out that it is difficult =
to just buy=20
all new gear to be DIR if that's what you're after.  This is =
true. =20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>But solo diving is not DIR and it =
doesn't cost=20
extra to have a buddy.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I don't want to shoot you dead, but I =
do want to=20
point out an apparent inconsistency in your analysis of your =
incident.  I'm=20
sure many people will want to argue whether or not a buddy would have =
made a=20
difference.  I don't particularly care.  If you truly believe =
that DIR=20
is the way to dive then you don't dive without a buddy.  If you =
don't=20
really believe that DIR is the way, then maybe having a buddy isn't that =

important to you.  But you can't have it both ways.  You can't =
say you=20
strongly believe in DIR in one sentence and then talk about doing solo =
dives in=20
the next.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Perhaps sometimes we're so close to our =
situation=20
that it is difficult to step back and take a look at it=20
objectively.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Dive safe,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Kevin Metcalfe<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:nslckevin@ya*.co*">nslckevin@yahoo.com</A><BR>Pleasant =
Hill,=20
CA</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Ddelamare@sp*.co*.cy* =
href=3D"mailto:delamare@sp*.co*.cy*">De=20
  La Mare</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dtechdiver@aquanaut.com=20
  href=3D"mailto:Techdiver@Aquanaut.Com">Techdiver@Aquanaut.Com</A> =
</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, August 27,
2002 =
9:18=20
  AM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Dive forum</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I first subscribed to this technical =
forum=20
  because I believed it was a place I could learn from others who have =
been=20
  diving  a lot longer than I have.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>However, in the few months I have =
been on it I=20
  have realized that it is a place where no one dares to talk freely =
about their=20
  own equipment use or of the problems they have encountered during=20
  dives.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV> </DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Surely we are all in the same boat, =
we want to=20
  learn more from each others successes and failures during dives. No =
one should=20
  be afraid to talk about anything concerning technical diving. If =
during you=20
  dive last weekend you encountered a problem this surely should be the =
place to=20
  talk about it and share it with others, so maybe we can learn from =
each others=20
  mistakes.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV> </DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Clearly this is not the case at all =
because we=20
  are all afraid of that word stroke !!</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>We all started from the beginning, =
strokes maybe.=20
  I myself cannot possibly afford to buy all the correct diving =
equipment=20
  recommended by the DIR philosophy which I strongly believe is the =
correct way=20
  of diving in this new era. I have a none diving wife and two young =
children=20
  and diving is simply a hobby to me. If I went out and bought all the =
equipment=20
  I believe is best for my dives I would be a single man paying child =
support.=20
  So for now I must contend to dive with some of my equipment being =
substandard=20
  until I can afford the  parts I want.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV> </DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Should I stop diving until I have =
every piece of=20
  equipment that is DIR approved. I think Mr. Irvine might say yes, but =
I say=20
  no.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I will continue to dive but there are =
dives I=20
  simply cannot do until I am happy that I have the correct equipment to =
make my=20
  dives as safe as possible.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV> </DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>What is really lacking  in this =
forum is=20
  people talking about diving. Any one who has made over 300 dives must =
surely=20
  have had near misses underwater. Surely its not a perfect science. I =
for one=20
  want to be able to read about it, so please lets stop being afraid of =
the Big=20
  Guns around here who are ready to shoot us dead as soon as we admit to =

  failure.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Two weeks ago I was diving on a wreck =
I have made=20
  over 200 dives on and believe I know so well and feel so at home on, =
but I=20
  made a fundamental mistake and broke  two rules. I have no =
excuses for it=20
  and I should no better.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I share it with you guys now and hope =
others may=20
  be less afraid to admit their errors here.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I went solo diving  and entered =
a wreck at=20
  40m and made my way to the engine room. I have been their at least 10 =
times=20
  and know the route well. It also has a fixed line leading you =
there and=20
  back and is not too difficult. During my dive there were about 40 =
other divers=20
  on the wreck all tourists  being led by dive schools in the=20
  area.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>While I was in the engine room a =
group of divers=20
  entered one of the small rooms that I had to pass through on my return =
to the=20
  exit. While they were in there they completely destroyed the vis and =
when I=20
  came back into that room I became completely disorientated and for 3 =
minutes I=20
  was lost and could not find the exit door out even though   =
there=20
  was a fixed line. I held on to the line and repeated to myself over =
and over=20
  not to panic, I know this room well and I know the exit is there. I =
did find=20
  it and I survived but had I panicked I may not be here =
now.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Even though there is a permanent line =
fixed=20
  leading from the lower car  deck to the engine room I still =
should have=20
  deployed my own line. </FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have learnt my lesson perhaps the =
hard way, and=20
  now I share it with you. Perhaps I may make others like myself who =
think that=20
  being totally familiar with a wreck doesn't mean you can break the =
fundamental=20
  rules of penetration.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV> </DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I want to thank all those who =
answered my request=20
  for information on the VR3. I found what I wanted to know. However =
thanks to=20
  some of you guys I have come to the conclusion I have no need of this=20
  computer. My dives are square dives, I need only the planner and a =
slate and a=20
  reasonable back up computer. I will save my money and buy the HID 18 =
watt=20
  which I have long coveted but never been able to afford.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV> </DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Andre De La Mare=20
(Cyprus)</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_00A2_01C24DDB.06CEADE0--

--
Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.

Navigate by Author: [Previous] [Next] [Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject: [Previous] [Next] [Subject Search Index]

[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]

[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]