Posted by John Walker on January 08, 2001 at 21:56:30:
In Reply to: DIR: two unanswered questions posted by AADIVER on January 08, 2001 at 10:53:36:
Hi Frank. Let me give it a shot. As for the Solo Diving question, use humans are not designed to live subaquaticly an when we try to several thing tend to tender our survival.
We enter an environment that can sufficate us. We wear a mask that cuts down on our perifural vision. We are wearing heavy cumbersome gear and can slow down, even inhibit movement. Our blood pressure elevates and our hart rate slows as well as our respirations. We breathe gases at high pressures in order to fill our lungs as we ascend. The blood is drawn from our periferals to the core of our body. Gases build in our bodies many tissues and this will soon activate the complement system by antibody's seeking out these bubbling gases and trying to eliminate them. Iflamation from these gases will soon activate more enzymes that will further complicate the many chemical changes we will experience. Carbon dioxide can build in excess from several routes. Our brain chemistry changes. Our motoring skills and finer cognative functions deminish. Our speeling will go to hell.
With all this and much more in mind, this sport appears to carry alittle more weight in potential dangers than some of the other sports that are often performed soley.
My buddy can assist me:
to the boat or shore if I'm,
Seasick
Nervous
Hyperventalating
Having gear problems
Twisted my ankle
Inhale a little water
My BC popped
Fin fell off
And much more
or even help me underwater if my,
Tank cam became loose
I got lost
Weights came loose
BC doesnt hold air
Mask got torn off
Leg cramped
Timer died
Depth guage died
Barfed though my regulator
And much more
In advanced diving we can incorporate a second set of eyes and a second brain to make sure we are making the right desisions such as:
Placing a marker in the
right direction. Pointing out!
Watch one anothers gas switches
Help if something fell on our buddy
Or one another got keyholed and stuck
Supply each other with breahting gas
Get one out of netting
Get one out of their own reel line-
fishing line or cable
Assist in an open water ascent
To evauluate critical decisions
And much more
A buddy is there to assist one another, what ever the situation may be. The key is to stack all the odds of survival in our favor. Live to dive another day! If it is a choice between what some consider a simple incovenience of having a buddy tag along to not having a budduy there when you really need them, maybe in order to survive, I'll opt for a buddy. Beside, the first time you see something really bitch'n like a great white, who's going to believe you if you don't have a buddy that saw the same thing?
As for #2 Frank. Just hang out and pay attention. You'll find plenty of other DIR divers.
Love, John