David Strike wrote:

A pretty good listing of potential problems which I left intact below.

I have no quick response for this one except to say that I do my best to
ensure that the boat will be there when I surface.  As you note, this is a
risk for any diving, but one that increases the further you are from shore.
This is the number one reason that the complexity of the dive is included in
my list of considerations.  There are some mitigating factors, but there's
still risk.  The same volume of boating traffic means that there are other
boats in the area.  By far the most likely action by someone surfacing to
find their boat missing is to signal someone else's.  Self rescue is all I
have discussed so far, but it's not the only, or even the most likely
solution.  Regarding other things you mention, you can exit anywhere in this
area.  We are a major resort area specificially because of our sandy
beaches.  Most, but not all of our beaches are served by life guards, who
have oxygen and other medical equipment.   There is nowhere in this
immediate area, that you can come ashore and not be within a couple hundred
yards of a building and phone and rescue services normally arrive within a
few minutes.  There are no deserted beaches here.

We may have covered this as well as we can.  I've acknowledge a difference
in risk from the start.  I believe the risks are very much a range that will
be judged differently by each diver and which may be suitable or not based
on conditions, environment, etc.  Your experience seems to be in different
conditions, perhaps conditions that I would agree do not allow dead boat
diving to be done safely enough to meet my risk limits.  I, and a lot of
others, can and often do practice it sucessfully here.

Lee

> I earlier responded to Lee's post - and his comment
>
> > > 4. Proximity to shore.  Locally, the dive sites, at least those with
> > little
> > >to no current and modest depths, are reasonably close to shore.  I, and
> all
> > >I dive with, are fully capable of making the swim to shore if
necessary.
>
> With:
> > And what of the boat?  Like I said, it seems to me to be "inconsistent
> with
> > good diving practice."
>
> In retrospect this was an incomplete answer on my part!  :-)
>
> I would have been happier to say something like:-
> You surface from a dive.  One diver is exhibiting symptoms of distress,
> (pick any one of a possible number of causes).  The boat has gone.  With
it
> your ability to summon help, (marine radio), or to warn the appropriate
> authorities that you are heading back to shore with an injured diver and
to
> have the appropriate services standing by.  Your first aid kit; O2, etc.
are
> also gone - with the boat!
>
> While the swim to shore may be no big deal in terms of distance, you will
> now be towing  a victim and - at the same time - attempting to administer
> what aid you can.  Are you and your companions capable of doing so?
> Assuming that the shore-line has suitable "beaching" conditions, will
there
> be anyone there to assist you?  Will there be nearby communications?  Is
O2
> and a first aid kit readily available?  How quickly can the victim be
> transported to an appropriate emergency care facility?  etc.
>
> Many of these questions, of course, apply to all forms of diving -
including
> shore dives!  But, to my way of thinking, there are far too many variables
> for the risks in 'dead boat' diving to be regarded as acceptable - and
hence
> commensurate with "good diving practice"!
>
> Strike