MR>I just wanted to add to your comment about safety
MR>and planning a dive,
Always happy to share dive safety stories among our
readers.  We've all made some mistakes during our diving
careers, and hopefully the rest of us can learn from
those mistakes.
MR>... after we got home I went to a diving Doctor who
MR>told me that I had a "Hemotamponic-blood in the eardrum"
MR>-we did not plan the dive and I did what my ex-Husband
MR>wanted me too and not what I was comfortable with, he
MR>paniced-draining the air in his tank,
Sorry that you had a bad experience so early in your diving
career.  Your story is a commom one where one partner (generally
the "macho male"-type) attempts to coerce his female partner
into following him down into the depths.  All too often, one of
the divers gets hurt.
MR>So I have learned not do just dive but to plan the dive and
MR>dive the plan which is what PADI and I'm sure other well
MR>recognized certifying agencies teach.
Absolutely correct!  It's important that you learn to dive
within *YOUR* limits, and to stop when something doesn't
feel right.
MR>Since my husband and I are no longer together I have only
MR>gotten a chance to dive one other time and that was a trip
MR>to Hawaii that I won and me and my boyfriend went and he
MR>tried an Intro dive and everything went well, no problems
MR>in equalizing, no nose bleeds, everything went great.
Glad to hear that!
MR>I'm spoiled though, I'd like to try more warm water diving,
MR>But I'm involved with a Volunteer organization here in
MR>California-The Marine Mammal Center so we are getting a group
MR>together so I can get a chance to do the cold water diving
MR>so maybe I'll change my mind.
Tell us some more about the MMC.  I'll bet a lot of us
would be fascinated to hear what sort of work you're doing.
As for the warm water diving, I hear Florida has some nice
marine mammals hanging around off the coast.  :-)
--- Tanline inspector
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