At 09:30 12/06/00 -0400, Bob replied Huw's questions.

A few notes:

>Huw:
>>But can you explain how you can discover YOUR limits safely
>>(and realistically) in:

That's a great question.
Before referring to Bob's reply let me say that there is an embeded
assumption in the question, which is not necessarily true:  Many divers who
try to discover their limits don't do it SAFELY.  I guess the only ultimate
proof that someone has been diving within his limits is that he is still
alive and well :-)  Now smiley's aside, the "WELL" is very important
because some of the live divers (or should I say ex-divers) are not well
and will never be well, so it means that they discovered their limit from
"the wrong side of the line".

Bob:
>Therefore, I am merely shifting the RESPONSIBILITY of SAFETY
>ISSUES back squarely on the Diver himself/herself, and basically tell the
Scuba Cops to mind their own business.

Which sums up Bob's rule.
The responsibility should always be the diver's.
Any diver who wants someone to set a rule of how deep he should dive,
should not exceed 3 fsw.  One can learn, watch, gather information, and
then decide.

>The keyword in extending one's "safety envelop", "comfort
>zone", and establish one limit SAFELY is 'GRADUALLY'.

That's Bob's way and I respect it.

BUT,

I think that this is a very dangerous path.  I think that anyone who
chooses this path should be aware of the risks.

>An individual's susceptibility to the DEGREE of judgemental
>impairment is a factor of HUNDREDS of variables, all
>different among individuals.

Exactly, and that is why it is so dangerous.  A depth that felt quite
comfortable yesterday, might pose a major impairment today, due to certain
factors.

Now, the problem is still there.  Nobody can decide which depth is the
ultimate and final limit of any diver.  So the diver himself should decide
AND BE PREPARED TO PAY THE PRICE!

I think that the agencies which teach scuba should draw an arbitrary line
and say that they recommend it as max depth line.  I think that scuba
students don't have enough knowledge and/or experience to decide for
themselves.  The agencies should also teach what is happening beyond that
line (truely, not the standard " ... the moster of the deep will get you
...").  This is good as long as no self appointed scuba cops will try to
enforce this line on others.  The line should be the RECOMMENDATION of the
agency!

>That's why my RULE is:
>
>        Know YOUR limits, and dive WITHIN them.

And I will add:
Be prepared to bear the consequences of your own decisions.


Regards,

                   Kuty