LCF wrote: Same thing in a cave; if my depth gauge fails, the dive is over and we are on our way out, but I should have a pretty good idea of how deep I've been and for how long when that happens.
Hi Lynne,
You'll probably laugh about this, but one of the "primary" reasons I always carry a spare computer/timer with me on cave dives is the same reason I always carry three backup lights. On numerous dives, while in the water doing our final bubble checks, etc., someone's backup light or computer/timer will fail before the dive even starts.
I just hand them my spare, and it keeps us from having to call a dive before it even starts. I also keeps me from having to crawl out of some hole in the ground with full tanks....
I do the same thing on week long live-aboard trips. One of my spare computers dives with me (in my pocket) all week. Without fail, someone's computer dies mid-week and borrows my old computer, which is pre-loaded with nitrogen for them. Not ideal, but better than starting over on an expensive overseas vaction.