On Tuesday, August 27, 2002 8:54 AM, Reef Fish wrote:

(snip)
> In my case, I had a bit of ear-wax blockage in one ear, and in the
> process of trying to pick it with cotton-swap sticks, hairpin, and the
> little rubber suction pumps, without success, my ear canal was getting
> a bit swollen and irritated.

G'Day, Bob!  That just goes to highlight the fact that you should never poke
anything in your ears that's smaller than your elbow!  :-)))

(snip)

> Then came the most common follow-up to the "Do you remember me"
> question.  In this case, Chico must not have heard the briefing when
> we last dived on the same boat, because he said he followed me down
> to about 190 ft when he suddenly realized he was between the group
> at 100 ft and me below.  :-)  When he said he could hardly see me
> below when he was at 190, I knew it must have been one of those times
> I was down there looking for my gold chain -- which I had established
> during this trip that it was lost forever!

> At Chico's request (to me and the DM) to be my "buddy" (BWHAHAHAHAH ...
> sorry Huw, Strike, et al), I told him I would go only to 199 fsw.

Mate!  There's no need to apologise to me.  My views on 'moral
responsibility' are my own - and I've already stated that, in the past, I've
often agreed to buddy with folks in situations where we've been nothing more
than solo divers in close proximity to one another.  :-)))

(snip)

> It may be Cairns before I get wet again.  ;-)

I think places like 'Steve's Bommie", "Pixie Pinnacles", and my particular
favourite, "The Temple Of Doom",  will more than make up for the lack of
marine life at Maracaibo!  :-)))

Strike