On Thu, 5 Feb 2004 18:04:19 +1100, David Strike <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

Good Day Mate!!  I am wearing my Australian Polo shirt (cuz I forgot
to bring any of my 200 dive T-shirts) waiting for the start of our
2-tank dive, at the internet terminal at the Bahia hotel.  :-)

There were at least 125 unread messages since I looked here 31 Jan.
I don't have time to read except one or two that SOUNDED scuba
related or interesting, and this was one of those two.  <BG>
Will have to wait till we get home three days from now to see what
gems I missed.


>(snip)
>> So now you are working on them for DEMA right?  ;-)
>
>I've ben paying my DEMA dues for donkey's years, and have yet to visit and
>take advantage of all of the benefits of membership.

DEMA (Diving Excuses-Manufacturing Association)?

It certainly gave YOU good excuses to go to the DEMA and write off your
recreational expenses that *I* can't do as a non-professional --
although I am considering declaring myself a "tournament bridge pro"
which has NO certification of any kind, or qualification criteria, and
no DUES.  :-))  Nearly all of my former bridge partners are now
bridge PROS, and many of them are ranked in the top 100 of all ACBL
(American Contract Bridge League) members.  :´))


I don't have much words of wisdom on whinging, other than it takes
skills to make good whinges.  :-)


As for Dive Police, because of the short time at the Grand Cayman port,
I broke down and booked our dives with the cruiseship tour at the
outrageous price of $96 for the same they charge non-cert divers for
resort dives.

After the briefing about going back on the back when the air is 1000 psi
OR this OR that ... I asked the inevitable question of how long is the
first dive for those who don't breathe the tank empty, and I got the
reply, "30 minutes."  When I questoned why, the Scuba Cop cited, "80
feet, 30 minutes" as the excuse (which is wrong in the first place),
but ignoring that the 30 minutes included descent and ascent time,
AND safety stop, none of which would be at the supposed 80 fsw max
for the dive.

Instead of arguing with the pedant bozo/buzo, I just went in and did
my dive and found that only Sue and I sent to the wall part of the
"Eagle's Nest" site on the West Side of GCM.  The vis was poor and
I did only 150 fsw of the fairly interesting wall.

The DM didn't have the slightest idea where we went or how deep we
went but made the consession that we could be the first to go in and
the last one to surface on the 2nd shallow dive (of 50 fsw max).

Time to go DIVING.

Adio.

-- Bob.