In Reply to: some personal thoughts on diving and keeping things simple posted by Mike on September 21, 2006 at 12:51:48:

How we tackle the issues of survival while following our underwater passions seem to mirror how we tackle our issues of importance above water - at least to some degree.

I find that at this point in my life, I embrace the simple. I know my gear. I know the way that it should feel. I know the sounds that it should, and shouldn't make. I know my weight distribution. I know the way that I should feel underwater. Etc. etc. etc.

When I detect anything that is "different" I can clue in on it pretty quickly and start and immediate evaluation as to weather or not it is indicating a probelm. Each time I make even a simple change to my gear - a different pair of gloves, a new hat, a new pair of fins it has the potiential to spin off new problems that I didn't forsee. I try to consider any change, even extremely small ones, very carefully. I think that I know where you are coming from. The things that I take with me on a dive are things that I trust, know how to deal with, and have experience underwater problem solving with.

Nobody knows this, but I guess they do now, but when I did my rebreather classes, I took them all twice. The first locally where I got my cards. The second, an immediate follow-up overseas, not for another card, but as an audit/reinforcement of everything that I'd learned the first time. I learned the basics during the first class, I felt like I knew the basics after the second class. I stuck with the drastic change only for a short while because I decided that for most of what I do (%99) it was a lot more than I needed. My interests returned to perfecting my knowledge and diving skills with what I already had - the basics.