Doc Intrepid:
* When responding to emergencies, yours or someone else's, having an option is better than having no option.
Yes but what's the rule that describes the exponential increase in reaction time for every additional response option there is? What emergency are we worried about that we haven't learned a response for?
* Skills improvement and carrying a redundant air source are not mutually exclusive responses.
True, but we're not just talking about redundant air sources we're talking specifically about a pony bottle.
* Emergencies are not always the result of negligence or oversight. Sometimes they happen to divers who are diving a reasonably good plan.
* Planning to rely on your buddy for all solutions is good. Executing a dive with your buddy solidly beside you at all times is good. Executing the dive relying on your buddy to be solidly beside you at all times and provide all solutions to all your potential problems may not always work out the way you plan. Being able to independently resolve some of your problems AND having your buddy with you covers more bases.
There are many experienced divers on this board who may be able to recall one instance or more where, despite a dive plan to stick with their buddy, some environmental condition or circumstance caused them to become separated.
Its good to make a dive plan to stick with and rely on your buddy. But its also good to have a second plan for when that dive plan may get turned on its ear.
FWIW. YMMV.
Lost gas and lost buddy are addressed individually and together in every OW class that I know of. None of the solutions taught call for a pony bottle.
How many simultanious problems do we need before a pony becomes the only way out on a recreational dive? I think the pony is more likely to cause problems by being there than it is to fix a problem.
I really think that the extra reg, hose, tank and procedures needed to make use of all of it is approaching the point of deminishing returns in most cases.
But this is why I've asked what kind of situation he's concerned about. Did she already practice the solution?
Low on air?...call dive and end normally.
Out of air?...share with buddy
Buddy gone or too far?...controlled emergency swimming ascent.
Are we too deep for these solutions or what?
How did we get out of air? I think we need to look at specifics.
Out of air and buddy's lost? How when you're trained to have a plan for dealing with a lost buddy and often that plan is to surface. I would think that buddy seperation would reduce the chances of running out of air since you're headed up in a minute.