Anyone ever have a close call going solo?

[Kevrumbo]

Catastrophic free-flow when the cracking adjustment knob on my 2nd stage blew-out at 20' deep in Cozumel last year, during a weight check. Simply switched over to my necklace bungied back-up reg and feathered/modulated the tank valve while ascending to the surface.

 

[tonka97]

I could feel myself losing consciousness, slipping away...and I had this sudden moment of calm clarity, and it seemed so funny all at once that I was about to bite it here in 15' feet of water about 4 blocks from my house with my wife in the car watching the flag. For some reason it seemed really funny, and I couldn't see anything and I didn't have any strength left so I just let the current bang me into the rock over and over...

And then the rope came free from the rock and I tumbled downstream. I'm guessing that I was only there a minute or two, but it seemed like forever.

I managed to get to shore, and my wife picked me up. ...

I could easily empathize with your adventure; well written, and glad you made it!

 

[tonka97]

"WWMND?" ( What would Mike Nelson do?)

That's a great signature and a useful cognitive tool!

As I watch my collection of Sea Hunt DVDs, it's easy to feel quite smug about our current diving knowledge/techniques, and to ridicule the many diving errors of the 1950's program.

But, Mike Nelson could THINK during his dive, and deal with whatever 'Murphy' would throw at him.

Mike's attitude, ability to problem solve, and love of the underwater realm will keep him in my Hall of Fame!

 

[Tom Winters]

On Oening Day of lobster season earlier this month, I was at 97' in a magic puka that I had scoped out in July. There were 5 lobster sitting there waving at me. While I was bagging the first one and took a breath, I got a mouthful of salt water.
I remember thinking, "This is not good...", but I also knew that I had lots of air left, which was good since I was too deep to blow-and-go.
I figured that I'd continue bagging the lobster since I already had it off the looper. If I drowned, at least people at my sendoff party would have something to eat and remember that for all my faults, I sure put out some good chow.
After the bagging, I found that I still had my mouthpiece in my mouth - just no regulator. No octo either - where you're solo, why bother? I couldn't get the mouthpiece to stay on the recovered 2nd stage which made grabbing the next four lobsters that much harder but not impossible. I couldn't bite on the reg housing and keep the reg in my mouth without holding it with one hand, so I just held my breath each time I snagged another bug.
Fixed it on the surface with a zip tie from the boat bag. No biggie.

 

[Rick Inman]

what is the viz there when that happened?

5-6'. It's quite the ride. I haven't done it in a couple of years.

 

[meesier42]

only underwater problems have been with buddies and those have been minor entanglement, dropped weight belt (only lost 2lbs before he caught it)

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

I just finished two weeks of solo diving on Bonaire . The rule is ... stay totally within your limits , do not tiptoe on the edge , stay inside your safety zone . I had a great time , builds character being alone on the reef . Enjoy

 

[Noboundaries]

Solo diving is in my future somewhere. I flew single seat jets in the Navy; rode motorcycles solo across the US three times; solo in cars about a dozen times; backpacked solo in the Sierras for 4 to 10 days at least a half dozen times, trekking up to 100 miles; been on more solo bicycle treks than I can count.

The one poster who talked about the Zen-like heightened awareness said it best. I call it being "in the zone." It is an amazing sensation of oneness that blends personal mastery, disciplined emotional control, and a 6th sense for your surroundings into each moment of time. I love that feeling! It will happen when my wife doesn't feel like diving...........and I do.

 

[DeepBound]

Anyone ever have a close call going solo?

If so, what did you learn from it?

Thanks

No, never. I always dive conservatively when I'm solo.

 

[Randy43068]

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.

Huh??