Anyone ever have a close call going solo?

[slackercruster]

I did have an OOA because my tank was turned almost to off as I strode off the boat. The pressure closed the door on my 1st stage at about 65-70 ft, and I was very surprised. One reason I was solo that day, was I wanted someone to stay topside on the boat. So, I surfaced and it was no big deal other than it rattled my cage. I don't solo much deeper than that.

What I learned was I needed to get my SS inflator fixed because you don't always have enough air in your lungs to blow it up, easily, on the surface, when you need it, you need it. Also, I learned to be aware of how people are "helping" you.

Thanks.

Yes, I also limit my depth as well when solo.

I never new about leaving someone in the boat until I heard a few stories about divers / or unattended boats drifting away with currents.

Another story came from a famous book (can't remember which one) where the boat diver forgot to tun on their air, had tons of tanks, drysuit and gear on for a tech wreck dive and sank to the bottom after entry and died.

BTW, your photos are outstanding Catherine. Thanks for sharing them with us.

 

[slackercruster]

Can't say that I have. First couple hundred dives were shore based. I was broke and couldn't get enough diving. Worked all day and then drove out somewhere (South Florida) where I had direct water access. Would suit up next to my car, shlep everything down to the water and surface swim out to the reef (they were healthier then and easier to spot from the surface).

About the worst thing that ever happened was that I once got caught in some steady currents that I misjudged. When I surfaced after about an hour of diving I noticed that I was over a mile south of where I had parked along the beach. Pulled the CO2 cartridge on my horse collar, rolled over on my back and kicked my way to shore.

That was one HELL of a long walk back up the beach to my car with all that gear !!

Thanks.

Yea, know what you mean about budget diving. I dive and travel on a budget in a little trailer. Didn't have much luck in S. Fl with shore dives. S. Fl is too built up to get close enough with my trailer to lug all my gear.

Also have not had much experience with strong currents. Guess I've been lucky so far.

A coupe years ago was my first strong currents experience. Was wreck diving at USVI (was not soloing that day) and could not progress more than a few feet with all my effort when I headed into the current. Had to stay near the deck or be blown away if I ventured too far from the rails of the wreck.

I guess the best 'current training' is to practice swimming agaisnt the flow of the grated 'blow hole' at Ginnie Spring's ballroom.

 

[slackercruster]

I was diving at a fairly popular, shallow shore dive site in Maui, but knew that I was completely alone -- I can hear other scuba divers coming well before I can see them. I was really intent on watching an eel that was hunting in cooperation with an Peacock Grouper and was edging up slowly on the normally skittish grouper that was patiently waiting for the eel at an exit from the coral head. I really don't like getting up close to eels, and so was keeping an eye out to make sure he wouldn't come flying out of the hole to swim over to the next coral head.

Suddenly something grabbed my leg, squeezed it and shook it! I just about died of the shock until I whipped around and saw the freediver pointing out the manta swimming a few feet above our heads.


Moral of the story -- solo diving can be a very meditative, zen-like state, but it's a real shock to the system to come back out of that reverie suddenly.

Wow, just reading your story put me into that state and I felt the shock of interruption as well at the end of your story.

Many activities can also produce a Zen like relaxation of the mind.

I find such sates while skating, skiboarding, riding a carveboard, doing laps in the pool, etc. A scientist acquaintance told me he finds it in dancing.

Whatever the area of mind abuse - a sick mind that is constantly busy cannot heal itself without rest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zazen


http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/meditation.php

 

[Rick Murchison]

While I'd never admit to a "close call" solo myself, I have buried two friends who died solo.
What killed 'em?
Who knows... they were solo.
Rick

 

[Footslogger]

Thanks.

Yea, know what you mean about budget diving. I dive and travel on a budget in a little trailer. Didn't have much luck in S. Fl with shore dives. S. Fl is too built up to get close enough with my trailer to lug all my gear.

=====================================

This was in the early 70's. There were dozens of access points along the southern east coast from West Palm all the way to the Keys. I had an old VW van and kept all my gear inside. Always had at least one full tank of air. Most of my dives were single tanks and pretty close to shore. But down by Deefield Beach there were great places to park and even fresh water showers. That's where my little "solo" experience actually occured. Had dove there many times before but on this particular day the currents were running hard and pushed me darned near all the way to Pompano.

 

[Johnoly]

I solo every dive also.

Being solo does put you in a zen like state. You are so much more aware of breathing, equipment, and surroundings. If something does come "un-glued" you instantly slow down and begin to figure it out. Diving solo has really taught me that panic is the killer, not equipment failures. You also learn not to push it past your self imposed limits.

I think you'll know you've turned the corner of not panicing, when you get ticked off at yourself underwater because one of your backup systems needs refinement or adjustment.

One further characteristic I've noticed of solo divers with hundreds of dives, is that when choosing their equipment (even little stuff like tank valve night lights) the experienced solo diver doesn't even blink at the price tag, but rather gives 100% importance to form, function & quality.

 

[g2]

I was attacked by a squid on a night dive. Really.

No harm done except for a bruised ego (mine) and ink in the water (its).

Depth: 9ft. Squid size: 30cm. Last seen seen darting away at high speed after slamming into my calf muscle.

Lesson learned: squid get really pissed-off when you blind them with your light repeatedly.

 

[matjo1]

What do you tell the DM? Any problems refusing to match up?

Im an instructor for a local dive shop and the crews know me, so they understand the liability issues, even if I'm not on the clock. All you need is an incident and a overzealous ex wife that wants her child support payments :rtfm: It sucks, but I cant risk putting my family on the street.

 

[DeepBound]

Yes, on the way home from my second solo dive last winter, my car spun out in the snow on the three-lane highway, and I ended up pointing the wrong direction in the middle lane facing a tractor-trailer bearing down on me. It swerved slightly just in time to keep it from being a head-on collision, and scraped along the driver side of my car, leaving a big dent all the way down the side. Luckily I was ok.

I know, it wasn't technically a diving accident, but it was on the trip to/from the dive site, which they say is the most dangerous part.

The close calls I've had during the actual dive were on dives with buddies.

 

[cruiser]

I dive solo at our local scuba park.

Being newly certified last July, I wanted to work primarily on relaxing and getting comfortable in the water. Then I progressed to spending hours maintaining neutral buoyancy at different depths, hovering over plants to see what I could see with my dive light, adjusting my breathing and experiencing the effect it had on buoyancy, and acquiring almost a meditative state and connect with this scuba thing.

No way could I have concentrated and developed these skills while interacting with and looking out for a buddy. That's just how I learn best.