On Mon, 14 Oct 2002 02:17:39 -0400, Reef Fish
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>It's much easier to stay
>horizontal, without a buoyancy crutch.

How is it easier to drift horizontally if your buoyancy is off?

>I suspect most deco divers hang onto SOMETHING, and not just
>bobbing on neutral buoyancy.

Highly desirable if the "hang" is longer than a few minutes.

>But isn't that the same principle as the Lindenberg (sp?  or Lynda
>Byrd or whatever <G>) position (reclined) we learned in OW-I?

Huh? Trendelenburg (Ger. physician)? Not an in-water position.

> That is
>why I am often annoyed by DMs who keep swimming when leading a
>group and it's time to do a safety stop and surface, because they
>want to make it easier for the divers with POOR buoyancy controls
>to maintain the 15' depth without anything to hang onto.

They're (unknowingly?) doing the right thing. Moderate exercise is good for
off-gassing, as it increases blood flow - overall and through the lungs.

>In any event, I much prefer to stay in the vertical, motionless
>position, for my safety stop, to look around, just as I would hold
>that position standing on the street looking around, or in an
>upright position in a theatre, and not lie horizontal on the
>street or lie down horizontally on a thretre chair.  :-))

Somehow that reminds me of something that was once said in a movie starring
Nicholson and Dunaway. And the short little Polish guy.

M