| WHAT A WAY TO GO Wheeler never threw anything away, it was always cached away in the event it could be used later. On one occasion we diving off Palos Verdes and he had mistakenly brought an old wet suit top (you couldn’t tell old from new) that was too small. He had difficulty getting it on and at the days end we could not get it off him. After I had pulled, tugged and dragged him about the cockpit of the boat he decided that it if he got back in the water it might come off easier. He’s in the water, grabs the bottom of his top and pulls it upward, like taking off a T shirt. It stops at his upper chest. I reach over the side to give him a hand, grab the bottom of the suit top a pull upward. It stops under his arm, I pull harder and now I’m just lifting him and the retained water that has been scooped up. Wheeler has both arms straight in the air encased in this neoprene rubber tube with just enough water to cover his nose, leaving only eyes above the water. I now begin to really thrash him up and down try to shake him loose. His eyes are getting bigger, I thrash, his eyes are getting bigger and now he’s making bubbles! I finally give up, lift him up over the gunwhale and pour the water out of the tube. I now have a gasping coughing Wheeler head down and feet in the air. We were able to finally evaginate him from the wet suit, and we chuckled about how I might have had to fill out the Caltech "accident form". Chuck Mitchell
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