Posted by Kendall Raine on August 27, 2002 at 11:43:45:
In Reply to: Re: shore diving posted by Jason on August 27, 2002 at 00:01:46:
Jason;
If you had to ditch a full tank, it must have been before you went diving. That is, right after you got in the water. If conditions were so rough you had to ditch your tank at the time you entered the surf, why did you enter the surf in the first place? Planning starts before you get in the water, not after you're past the surf line.
Even after the dive, if the conditions changed and you needed to ditch your gear to make an exit, how are you going to go out and get your gear back? Wait for the sea to change? Hope it washed up on shore?
Seriously, the only reason you might have to do this is if you had to rescue yourself or someone else. In that case, by the time you deal with the emergency, the liklihood of finding your gear, particularly if it's rough, are pretty slim anyway.
Besides, you could always ditch the ballast.