On Thursday, September 05, 2002 10:42 PM, Don Ward wrote:

> >Mate!  It's not the number dives that you've done - and where it wasn't
> >necessary - that matters!  It's the next one that you will do - and where
it
> >might matter - that counts!  :-)))

> I guess that my point is that I can see the need in cave diving.

It also lends itself well to any sort of OOA situation - especially when the
donor has  a need to take control of a stressed, near panicking diver and
wants to avoid the in-your-face hassles of a shorter hose.  :-)

>.For my
> type of diving, in an OOA situation, I would donate my primary and reach
> down and pick up my air mike and breath away.

That's no different to what I do.  My primary just happens to be somewhat
longer than a 'standard' hose length and my back-up reg is within reach of
my mouth should both hands be occupied.  :-)

> problem solved.  In
> recreational diving, the elaborate planning for this situation with the
> long hose wrapped around one's neck and necklace for the back-up seems a
> bit silly .

Planning for any, "it'll never happen to me!" situation, often seems silly -
until you have a need to use it.  My decision to switch to a long hose was
made quites some years ago and was based on the fact that it did actually
give me a little more peace of mind - and better control over an emergency
situation - when acting as a dive guide.

> Like I said, a solution in search of a problem.

Mate!  Have you dived the system - and given it a fair go?  Or are your
comments based on observation alone?  :-)

Strike