I have been diving with Aldora since just after they started (guess most of
you know this) and had my computer diving education with them. It all
started in November 1995 with Memo (Guillermo), a lot of you should know
him. That was the first time ever I tried a computer when diving as this
was compulsory when diving with Aldora and still is. I would just like to
add that I have been "in and out of the water" since I was a student, but
the training I received from the Aldora staff (initially Memo), but later
with the rest of them has taught me quite a few things. I think I have been
diving with most of their DMs, including Dave who sometimes had to step in
and been SWIMMING with him (as he has been accused of). I know most
consider Cozumel a place for drift diving, but what Dave has shown me when
"swimming like mad" is also a part of Cozumel and if you cannot swim when
you are diving, then I would say you have a problem: What would you do if
you are caught in a heavy downstream? Just sink?

Enough for initial comments that is actually not part of the current
discussion, just to give some of my background in Cozumel. I have also
known Sue for a long time and know that she has not been accessing the
rec.scuba although a well known person claims so. That same person has on
several occasions claimed that a lot of divers post under different
identities and has promised to "publish" a list of his findings. That was a
long time ago and nothing has happened. I have published under 2 identities
(the regular one from Norway and through DEJA.COM when out of Norway). But
with both "identities", I have never tried to hide my identity. Nor have I
ever tried to delete any of my messages or instructed any to do it on my
behalf. I know that when posting through DEJA.COM, you get an identity for
your posting in case you want to delete it. I have always wondered why you
should need that and I still don't know.

On my last visit to Cozumel, Sue said after having the doubtful pleasure
sitting next to Bob that she "just had to get to the newsgroups to see what
this was all about". I know Sue now is using DEJA.COM to access the NG now,
but have never done so before, unless she is extremely good at hiding things
for me, which I in this case would say she is not (sorry Sue).

Although Bob does not know me (I met him on several occasions in Cozumel
earlier this month), he keeps telling starnger about me. I do not know
whether to take this as a compliment or not, but I feel it to be an honour
by the person introducing himself to Sue as the "Aldora basher"

What all of this has got to do with diving? NOTHING, it just has become
part of the discussion. Now for dive-related stuff:

After my first "computer experience", I bought a Solution Alpha that I was
very satisfied with. On my first visit to Cozumel after I bought it, I used
both that and the one that is Aldora's favourite and compared them and as
anyone might guess, they give you different nos. for no deco, so which one
should I believe? The Solution Alpha showed e.g.. 3 min. stop while that of
Aldora's computer showed 5 minutes no deco, yet when at the safety stop, my
computer was clear to surface while the other one showed "knots" in the
yellow. I of course had to rely on my computer as I on other occasions
would have only that to rely on when not diving with Aldora.

Later on, I bought an Oceanic Data Plus to use when using Nitrox and I now
carry both when diving in case I change to Nitrox. On my last trip to
Cozumel a couple of weeks ago, I used three computers (I am not a maniac,
one would do) and compared them. On occasions, my Solution plus the 3-5
minutes extra safety time I add, had passed while my Nitrox computer (set
for air) had one in the yellow and the Aldora computer had three in the
yellow. When surfacing (my Nitrox was in the green), the Aldora computer
was still in 1 yellow, but based on my experience with the places I had been
and the fact that I was determined to only use my own computers as guidance,
I had no problems in making the decision to surface. You could of course
argue that I should obey the computer supplied by Aldora, but in my mind,
that one was not switched on. I know that this can be used against me and
anyone else using an Aldora computer, of course, if that had been the only
computer I had on that dive, I would have obeyed it and let the DM know that
I had to stay longer when the DM asked if it was OK to surface.

I very much doubt that an Aldora DM was using his computer as reference for
the rest of the group to surface, this must a misunderstanding by Bob when
he was diving with Jorge. Why don't you send him an e-mail asking about
this? Try jorge@aldora.com.

As for policies of keeping the group together, I would say this is a very
good policy. Why were some divers lost earlier on in Cozumel? Because they
were separated from the rest of the group while the DM stayed on with the
main party. I have been diving with Aldora on a couple of occasions when
someone had to abort the dive at an early stage. What did the DM do? He
appointed one in the remainder of the group that he trusted to stay down and
keep everyone together while he himself went to the surface with the
diver(s) that had to abort, saw them safely to the boat and then joined us
again. The group staying down had of course tried to remain in one place so
it would make it easy for the DM to join us again.

Of course a good diver can dive long with a 80 ALU, but would it not be nice
to dive as a team and try to help each other out? I have been in a group
when one of the divers blew an o-ring so that his air had to be turned off.
Still we could have a one hour long dive by that diver sharing air with 2 of
the other divers. I doubt that would be possible with 80 ALU (I am not
talking about none-breathing divers, just the average to too heavy
drinking/heavy smoking/not too heavy diver). I have been told that I don't
breath that much and have lots of air when surfacing, but should I use a
smaller tank? Considering only myself, I could, but I like to have
something left in case other needs it. And by others, I mean ANYONE that
was out of air.

As for depth, what is so exciting at large depth? Of course it is good to
have been a little deeper than the policy says if you are fit for it and are
a good diver. I believe it is good to try it out so you know what it is
like if you are drawn down by a heavy (unexpected) current. I prefer to
have gone below 40 meters (130 fsw) under controlled conditions so I know
what to expect in case it happens out of control. It took a long time
before I went to 170 fsw (NOT with Aldora). I very well understand why Dave
sets this restriction as you have very hard laws in the US in case you have
to pay compensation if an accident occurs. It can of course be difficult
for a DM if one or two divers suddenly swim deeper than planned initially
and I have seen their reactions afterwards.

Any views in this postings are mine and not that of Aldora or arguments
"dictated" by them. If this posting should disappear from the archives of
DEJA.COM. I will not be blamed for having removed it myself. If Bob means I
have an account at DEJA.COM that others can use and remove my messages, then
maybe it is Bob himself? Why should I, I am just saying what are my
personal view and belief.

Arne (in Norway)