NetDoc once bubbled...
This is how I see it at this point...
A few of us contend...
that a OW diver at 75 ft. has no need to learn to breathe off of a BC. Gas management skills are a far better choice and breathing the BC only adds additional task loading in a crisis situation. There is plenty of air in your lungs and tank to ascend without having to resort to a "caver" thing.
Problems can and will occur while diving. These do not neccesarily lead to accidents and in fact they shouldn't. Divers should be trained in how to deal with problems before they hit the suds.
So, I further contend that there is no reason for a person to need to do an ESA other than gross incompetence or error. All of the problems listed by various posters are easily overcome with the proper equipment and training (including buddy skills) without the need for an ESA. An ESA indicates multiple failures in any diver. There is no way I could accept such a diver as having good diving skills. There is no way that I could even accept that attitude in a buddy or a student. I would call the dive and/or class. If that angers you, then so be it.
But my words are being twisted to the point that none of my students ever have a problem, and that I would not help a paniced diver if they found themselves in such a predicament. When I point out how words were twisted for yet another poster (and here I thought is was just me) then I am accused of being a bad moderator and exercising poor judgement.
Counterpoint
If an ESA should ever occur, for whatever reason, you may want a breath of air.
There's one in your wing, by jiminy! Whodathunk?
Learning how to get it is easy and free!
You can probably make it on your lungs, too. Probably. Almost always.
How, or why, or who, or when one does an ESA is -totally irrelevent- to the scenario, -especially- -while- you're doing an ESA.
No choice is being made between gas managment skills and contingency drills, both are swell.
No need to choose one or the other, or feel that for some reason they are mutually exclusive of each other.
I'm living proof that you -can- check you SPG -and- practice OOA drills -simultaneously-.
Some people seem to think prevention planning is the sign of poor diving.
If you would rather buddy with someone that feels that their excellent training negates the need to consider rescue contingencies, as opposed to someone who is well trained -and- continues his learning of unconventional contingencies, that's within your, er, aegis.
