That's like saying you can't have a healthy marriage unless you are never
apart. You can paddle together without actually being physically joined.

No, that's not what I'm trying to say at all. A tandem sport is a
completely different animal from its solo counterpart. The tandem
aspect introduces its own set of challenges and rewards. That one
couple chooses a tandem sport in no way dinigrates those who choose to
participate solo.

.... and I don't believe that I ever even mentioned the health of a
marriage.

I recall that tandem bicycles were once a common part of a wedding.
One doesn't see that done so much anymore. ("Daisy, Daisy... give me
your answer, do.") I suppose that enough wedding nights were spent in
emergency rooms to where people finally got the idea that this was a
poor idea.

Jones