Posted by Kendall Raine on November 16, 2000 at 19:41:40:
In Reply to: I can't go with that posted by seahunt on November 15, 2000 at 22:32:31:
Seahunt, I agree with part of what you've said. Simply put, the deeper you go, the less the margin of error. Equipment, training and experience help counter some of the added risk, but on a relative basis, any diver is simply more at risk, by any measure, deeper than shallow. Period.
As for MHK "promoting" deep diving by discussing the matter and his own adventures, that's pretty weak, however, in light of all he's done to bring the risks to light. Suggesting that organizing these trips is promoting deep diving is over reaching, as well. Mike sets up the trips to go where he and his friends want to dive. He sets up safety guidelines which make sense. He invites people he believes are capable of executing those dives within a range of acceptable risk. Taken as a whole, that's a pretty benign form of "promotion." Mike makes no money on these things.
The alternative is to go out on someone's private boat with little regard to the safety procedures he uses. The fellow who died on the Matterhorn in 1995 was diving with a local guy whom I've dived with and will never dive with again. He'll go to the Matterhorn anytime.
The point is, by discussing the right way to do things, Mike is trying to make the process of doing what people are doing anyway safer. Mike's experience in doing deep dives actually gives his advice on safety added weight, not less.