Posted by Max Bottomtime on September 07, 2000 at 16:07:57:
In Reply to: Re: check the archives posted by MHK on September 07, 2000 at 11:08:53:
"The only irrefutable facts that I know ( since the solo diving victms are not alive to give us the facts ) are that 7 went in solo and 7 are dead what more do you want/need????"
Actually some of these divers went in the water as part of a buddy team. As I'm sure you have witnessed many times, even good buddy teams can get seperated under water. All of these deaths, except the "heart attack" could have been prevented by safer diving practices, such as using and being familiar with well maintained gear and avoiding entanglements. These safe practices can still be performed by solo divers. The deaths may have been prevented by having an attentive buddy there, but the causes of the deaths would have been the same for a diver in an "optimal three-man team".(Thanks, JW)
Whether diving with a buddy or solo, we need to think about what we're doing down there and avoid possible accidents. A buddy might be able to help you, but being self-reliant and having an emergency plan for each dive can also stop more accidents from happening.