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> My question, and this is for real, is if I were a > new diver coming to this list, what would you think I > should be taught about deep diving on air, PPO2's, > etc. Let's hear from those who think I am wrong - not > about me, about the subject. I would tell you to ignore everyone who draws a line at some arbitrary depth and says "this is the limit for everyone in every circumstance", because anyone who says such things obviously doesn't have a lot of experience. I would tell you that you need to *honestly* explore your own abilities. I would tell you that you should always have at least one independant bailout plan in case you inadvertently exceed your abilities while exploring them. I would tell you that your confidence will almost certainly increase faster than your abilities, so you should ignore your confidence. I would tell you that if you are not exceedingly humble for the rest of your diving career, you will probably die underwater. I would tell you that a few extra minutes on the decompression line are not worth going with a PO2 higher than 1.2 atm, because oxygen toxicity is a tricky bastard that is a MASTER of ambush, so you should always keep a lot of distance from it. I would tell you not to bump your PO2 up to 1.6 on the decompression line, because a lot of people have convulsed on the decompression line. I would tell you that if you add some extra deep decompression stops to your profile, you'll probably be able to shave off those extra minutes of decompression time that your weenie compartment- based algorithm said you needed to do because of the lower PO2. I would tell you not to sue me if I'm wrong. I would tell you: "Do as I say, not as I do." and, "You can only do as I do if you do as many dives as I have done, have nearly died as many times as I have, and are as intelligent and graceful under pressure as I am." (which translates to "You'll never be able to do as I do, because you'll never be as intelligent as I am.") I would tell you that your body is an extraordinarily chaotic and unpredictable system, and that every formula about diving you've ever learned is essentially moot because physiological variation usually dwarfs any other variable. But above all, I would tell you: ******************************************************************* "WHATEVER happens to you when you willingly go underwater is COMPLETELY and ENTIRELY your own responsibility! If you cannot accept this responsibility, stay out of the water!" ******************************************************************* And then we'd go out for sushi (your treat; payment for my wisdom) and as we parted company that night, I would say... Aloha, Rich
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