On Thursday, August 22, 2002 6:17 PM, Huw Porter wrote:

(snip)
> Despite all our hindsight, the one thing that would really have made a
> difference was him pulling open a seal to deflate his drysuit - which
> he thought of too late, and shows he needs more experience in the suit.

G'Day, Mate!  Exhaust valves on dry-suits - just like purge valves in some
face masks - are (comparatively!) recent innovations.  They're a convenience
and no substitute for mastering the basics!  Which - in the case of a
dry-suit - means knowing the 'proper' way to vent excess gas from the suit
so that it becomes second-nature when the need arises! :-))

'Course, having said that, it is becoming more common for folks to wear
dry-gloves that make the wrist seal impossible to use; and close fitting
hoods that pass over the neck seal making that option a little bit
redundant!!  :-)

(snip)

> But he was down the pub last night, somewhat shaken but not stirred,
> and three cheers for the rescue services, without their prompt response
> it might not have been resolved so well!

It sounds as though you've got an excellent response and recovery system in
your part of the world.  As a matter of interest, how is it funded and
operated?

And instead of going to cold, old Scotland, (sorry, Carol!<bwg>) when are
you going to visit Oz again?  :-)))

Strike