Posted by Walt on May 11, 2005 at 15:35:31:
In Reply to: Out of Air Situations - Here's my experience, what's yours? posted by Anonymous on May 11, 2005 at 11:32:39:
1. What are folks' thoughts on Air IIs?
a: I prefer an octo; my wife prefers the Air II (for less clutter). Our plan if I'm out of air is that she goes to the Air II and hands me her reg - not enough hose for me to use the air 2. If she has a reg failure, she'd go to the air 2 first, then to me if her 1st or tank had failed.
2. How often have you had to donate air? What are your personal ratios, 1 out of 50 dives, one out of 100, one out of 200? What's the deal here.
a: Just in training and periodic practices with my dive buddy (this is important - practice with each new buddy at least once a quarter or more often).
3. Do people think running out of air/having to share air is a serious situation? This buddy was fairly nonchalant about the whole deal, even claiming that it was a "great dive". I said it was the "worst f#$%in dive ever" for me because of what happened. The most aggravating part for me is that it was totally avoidable and not due to equipment failure.
a: Its serious, but don't make a big deal out of it. Your buddy was probably embarressed inside. You saved him/her - that's what counts. Plus at 20 feet, why didn't they just slowly swim to the surface while exhaling(assuming you've been at that depth for a few minutes)? That's a good skill to practice as well....remember 30 feet a minute or less, follow your smallest bubble.