On  Sunday, January 06, 2002 7:59 PM, Christian Gerzner wrote:

> Steven Catron wrote:
> > >     Buddy Alert
> > What's this?  If you wanna alert your buddy to something, bang the
pommel of
> > your knife on the tank to get your buddy's attention, and save yourself
some
> > money.

> The other day I was trying to attract Roger's attention to show him
> the beautifully marked Fiddler Ray (Trygonorhina fasciata) that I'd
> come across. He just wouldn't look in my direction.

> I waited until he'd stopped exhaling and yelled "Roger" into my reg.
> He heard me no trouble at all. It works for some people, certainly for
> Roger and myself, it doesn't work for others. No, I'm not saying that
> we can carry on conversations underwater.

The problem with yelling underwater - and bear in mind that I tend to sing
songs that are usually heard by those diving with me, (something that's
necessitated  cleaning up the words!) - is that it uses up gas and energy.
I know that a lot of folks are opposed to them - and a lot of units on the
market do little more than blow raspberries that can't be heard further away
than 3-metres - but I've found the Mini-Hammerhead to be a superb device;
particularly when there's a need to attract attention quickly as in, "Don't
touch that!  You'll die 'orribly and painfully!".

By the time you release a knife - even assuming that it's one with a metal
pommel suitable for tank banging - the person in question has grabbed a
lionfish with both hands!  :-)

Strike