pittyyofool
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- I'm a Fish!
I have racked my brain for months trying to answer that question. "Is safe second (octo) really needed for open water diving?" I see and know the necessity for a long hose primary and a short secondary in wreck, cave or technical diving (when i wreck dive I use a proper set up). So this question is strictly regarding recreational open water dives within the NDL. In my 14 years of diving I have never been in nor been able to think of a situation where buddy breathing would not suffice, but a "octo" could. To me it seems the only thing an "octo" is good for is beating reefs and a kelp anchor, because those "octo keepers" don't work worth a damn. With this in mind my (very experienced) buddy and I removed our "octos" about 8 months ago. Since then we get dirty "unsafe" looks from people and DM's, once in a while some one says "we are dangerous and need an octo so we can share air." To that we have replied "Why is that? Isn't that is why they invented Buddy Breathing". To date no diver nor DM has been able to come up with a better answer than "It is easier', or because PADI said so bla bla bla. And I have even received a "Hell Yeah, stick it to him" from an old timer. As of now I personally think an "octo' is a security blanket for the inexperienced or under trained diver.
So here is the true question can anyone give me a valid reason why I should carry a "octo" on open water dives? And further more a situation where buddy breathing would not work, but an "octo" would. Please justify your reasoning and back it up with a story if possible. Or if you agree, leave a "Hell Yeah".
PS: don't tell me to get a BC air source, they are annoying and hinder effective manual inflation of the air cell.
So here is the true question can anyone give me a valid reason why I should carry a "octo" on open water dives? And further more a situation where buddy breathing would not work, but an "octo" would. Please justify your reasoning and back it up with a story if possible. Or if you agree, leave a "Hell Yeah".
PS: don't tell me to get a BC air source, they are annoying and hinder effective manual inflation of the air cell.