David Strike wrote:

> Why the hell would anyone dive without:
> a) Being able to monitor their gas supply?  Or:
> b) Having even a small back-up reserve to warn them that time was limited?

We wouldn't today.  One might just as well ask why would someone take the
chance of breathing off a gas regulator meant for something entirely
different or breathe from a bag of pure oxygen just waiting to kill you for
ascending to depths many would free dive to.  Because we had not yet learned
the danger in what we were doing or we knew the danger but did not yet know
a better way to do what we felt we wanted or needed to do.

Why would anyone dive in waters where fish that are so well camouflaged you
can't see them, small clear jellyfish and very pretty small octopuses can
all kill you?

Lee