At 03:41 PM 2/7/03 -0500, you wrote:
>At 05:11 AM 2/7/2003 -0500, Lee wrote:
>>Christian Gerzner wrote:
>>
>> > True, providing (as I qualified) you have a point in the distance to
>> > guide you. Otherwise, no matter how well you might think you
>> > compensate for the "twist", there is nothing there to advise you as to
>> > whether you are over - or under - compensating.
>>
>>The same is true for any swimming underwater.  Unless you have a reference,
>>you don't know if you're swimming in a straight line or not.  A stronger
>>leg, a slightly asymetrical set of fins, a fin that's on your foot just a
>>bit differently on one side than the other, are all things that happen all
>>the time, all things that will result in something other than balanced
>>thrust and all things that we all adjust for on every dive.
>
>Here's a trick for keeping your boat going in a straight line when in
>limited visibility and without a compass.  Drag a lengthy rope off the
>stern and you'll be able to tell if you're going straight by the lay of the
>rope.  Comes in handy on fog covered lakes, especially at night, when your
>objective is to find the shore (any shore).  Can't imagine any circumstance
>when such a trick would be of use under water though, sorry.
>
>-Mark B.
>
Thanks Mark,

Now you tell us this little jewel after I bought Rita a hand held GPS for
Christmas. Could have bought her twice as many presents. :-)

Wayne and Rita McKenzie
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
mailto:[log in to unmask]