Posted by geoa on September 05, 2001 at 07:07:33:
In Reply to: Proper OOA/comments posted by Ken Kurtis on September 04, 2001 at 23:12:33:
Ken, Great post, especially the part about the "proper way" to get to the surface is the one where you're alive.
I think the thread below went off in two directions, unfortunately. My focus was on self reliance through the buddy system and a self rescue. Whereas, some others focused on the rescue of an OOA buddy.
I agree with your post in that it's probably the best, most controlled way to rescue an OOA diver.
My method and skills practice as well as my mental rehearsal for a OOA emergency (self) is whats going to be implemented. Its not a question of right, wrong, better, worse--its what I'm using to get out of a jam.
The question of ditching weights: Most of uus that dive regularly from the beach and boats here in California as well as elsewhere will agree that most people dive horribly overweighted. I think its a given. The freefalling diver at Farnsworth last weekend may have been so. How else could he have been freefalling. Its the quick fix to not teaching people how to breathe. Just strap 40 pounds of lead on him and roll him off the boat. If we agree on that, why don't we agree that ditching the weights and getting (somewhat) positive is a priority. Did I totally misunderstand everything since I got my C-card in 1972?
Anyway, I'll be happy when we can stop speculating and recover the telemetry from the unfortunate diver as well as his weight belt. I think its still on him.