And I thought sharing a good pee in wetsuits was the ultimate way to say........well, anyway. What about the lds gang. Typically, thay have "fun dives" and the organizers can hook you up with more experienced divers in the crowd. They should also be able to clue you into who are the "hitters" so you can prep yourself. My next suggestion would mirror a previous response. Carry a big knife. Hell, carry 3 or 4 just to make `em nervious. Pony bottles. A lot of controversey depending on who you talk to. Personally, I have a 30cf. I like a COMPLETELY SEPERATE back-up system.