I haven't been on deeperblue in years. Looking through posts, I remember many of you. New people are always present and it is to them, more than anyone else that this kind of information is important.
A very long time ago I met my first real life dive buddy, jsharbel71, right here on deeperblue. We both lived in Birmingham, and we both dove the same place. We had a lot more in common it turned out, and we soon made a weekly habit of diving together. We encouraged each other, and learned together and assisted each other in PB attempts. We helped each other through our first Sambas and LMC's.
Life came along, and soon neither one of us had time to dive any more.
We missed diving, and always spoke fondly of getting back in the water as soon as life stopped conspiring to keep us away from it.
A few months ago, my friend went diving alone because, although I wanted to go with him, I had obligations which I could not be rescheduled. It was his first dive of the season. He had a good day and dove for many hours and enjoyed himself. Then he went down to play at 20m by writing on something and blacked out during his ascent. Because he was alone, he drowned and died.
It is important to note that J had been much deeper for much longer under much more strenuous conditions. J didn't mean to die. J thought he was OK.
I will not say do not dive alone. If you are the kind of person who dives alone, it would only fall on deaf ears. Please, who ever you are, where ever you dive, no matter what your skill level is, realize this:
If you dive alone, you are gambling with your life. Please think about the people who love you, the things you haven't yet accomplished and the tragedy that you would inflict on those around you by accidentally dying. Please realize that if you dive alone, in water of any depth, you are gambling with your life. Some of us are lucky, and some of us aren't.
No one, NOT EVEN YOU, is lucky all the time.
A very long time ago I met my first real life dive buddy, jsharbel71, right here on deeperblue. We both lived in Birmingham, and we both dove the same place. We had a lot more in common it turned out, and we soon made a weekly habit of diving together. We encouraged each other, and learned together and assisted each other in PB attempts. We helped each other through our first Sambas and LMC's.
Life came along, and soon neither one of us had time to dive any more.
We missed diving, and always spoke fondly of getting back in the water as soon as life stopped conspiring to keep us away from it.
A few months ago, my friend went diving alone because, although I wanted to go with him, I had obligations which I could not be rescheduled. It was his first dive of the season. He had a good day and dove for many hours and enjoyed himself. Then he went down to play at 20m by writing on something and blacked out during his ascent. Because he was alone, he drowned and died.
It is important to note that J had been much deeper for much longer under much more strenuous conditions. J didn't mean to die. J thought he was OK.
I will not say do not dive alone. If you are the kind of person who dives alone, it would only fall on deaf ears. Please, who ever you are, where ever you dive, no matter what your skill level is, realize this:
If you dive alone, you are gambling with your life. Please think about the people who love you, the things you haven't yet accomplished and the tragedy that you would inflict on those around you by accidentally dying. Please realize that if you dive alone, in water of any depth, you are gambling with your life. Some of us are lucky, and some of us aren't.
No one, NOT EVEN YOU, is lucky all the time.
