Do's and Don'ts of Solo Diving

[dumpsterDiver]

The Y- valves I have use the exact same dip tube as a normal valve.

 

[MichiganScott]

DO: Pay attention to your gut feelings and therefore...
DON'T: Do something you feel "odd" about.

 

[jridg]

DO what you are comfortable doing.
DON'T do anything you aren't comfortable doing.
Just because you are comfortable with it, does not make it smart or safe.
TRY to keep it safe, your friends and family really would like to see you again, at least once....

Any questions?

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Thanks for the input so far. A very good list of "Do's and Don'ts" has been generated.

If any are still reading this thread, I'd like to kick the discussion slightly sideways with another question:

For the solo diving you do, what do you consider the most dangerous aspect of the dive?

In my case, the biggest risk is entry/exit from the water. This is because I primarily shore dive from a lava coastline on the windward side of the Big Island. Once clear of the shoreline, the dives I do are quite mellow.... but getting in and out, especially solo, presents risk of injury due to wave action and surge.

What are the main risks or considerations for the enviroments you dive in?

Thanks.

Best wishes.

 

[DCBC]

For the solo diving you do, what do you consider the most dangerous aspect of the dive?

Honestly, the time I'm underwater.

There's not any part of the dive more dangerous than another. If I felt this were true, it would lead to complacency. I cannot afford to be complacent when diving, let alone when diving alone.

 

[kanonfodr]

Honestly, the time I'm underwater.

There's not any part of the dive more dangerous than another. If I felt this were true, it would lead to complacency. I cannot afford to be complacent when diving, let alone when diving alone.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Bingo.
We only have a finite time underwater, limited by either deco obligation, air supply, or our own endurance. In that time we as divers, solo or buddied, must manage all three correctly to emerge safely from the water.

As an aside, I really fear the boats running me over as I'm topside on my way to/from my dive sites. That's one thing that is truly beyond my control, IMO.

Peace,
Greg

 

[shugar]

true on the dangers of being in the water... all it takes is for you to forget where you are and you belly up...

my greatest fear is that i get into trouble... whether it's current, or air, or pulled down, or computer conks or anything... fear of "oh s**t... what did i get myself into"

as such i find myself constantly self-checking if it's time to push the "abort" button...

Jag

 

[Rhone Man]

Exit is my most dangerous time. My dives are usually shallow and in warm clear water, and I carry plenty of redundancy. But coming up and getting back onto the boat alone, sometimes in rough seas, sometimes with a bag full of dinner... statistically that has to be the most likely time something bad is going to happen.

Once I came up and it had blown up pretty damn hard, and I was really really worried that the boat was going to kick awardly against the mooring line suddenly, and the outboard engine would smack me upside the head.

Reminds me of another rule:
DON'T tire yourself out physically.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Thanks for the input so far. A very good list of "Do's and Don'ts" has been generated.

If any are still reading this thread, I'd like to kick the discussion slightly sideways with another question:

For the solo diving you do, what do you consider the most dangerous aspect of the dive?

Honestly, the most dangerous aspects of a solo dive is driving to and from the dive site or the boat, boating, showering before or after diving, and doing all the normal activities people do each day. The most dangerous sport, statistically, is fishing if MANswers is correct. We find ourselves more likely to be injured in and around our homes. We spend more time around our homes and haunts and are more complacent about safety. For example, I nearly slipped several times in my girlfriend's shower before going to teach diving or after a dive. Eventually, I mentioned we'll have to put a non-slip surface in there.

For those who dive often, our home waters, caves, wrecks and haunts become our second homes. We do become complacent to some degree when diving is "the same old, same old." It's natural. There was a recent article in a cave diving magazine discussing the complacency that comes from "home caves."

For well-trained, experienced and fit divers, diving - even solo diving - is a fairly safe activity. For such divers, dangers faced in the water are usually environmental. Having a buddy doesn't necessarily mean that one is safer. If facing an environmental threat when diving with a weaker buddy or newer diver, a diver may not only need to manage the environmental threat, but may also be placed in the position to be a rescuer.

An experienced diver facing an aggressive shark will know to stay cool, stay on the bottom and move slowly and deliberately. An inexperienced buddy could swim erratically and escalate the shark's aggression.

An experienced diver caught in a current will know to stay calm and determine the type of current and whether to swim to get out or relax and signal for assistance from passing boats. A weaker buddy may become a liability.

Entry, exit and the point of lowest gas at maximum depth are the most dangerous times during normal dives for both solo and buddy divers. Entering without all of one's gear or with air turned off can be problematic. Losing gas at max depth and max distance from safety poses significant risk if errors were made in reserve gas calculations. Exiting the water after a long dive, even if you aren't tired, can find you a bit ungainly and unbalanced when returning to being a land mammal. After a long day's freediving, I often have trouble standing up without waiting for my knee to compensate for the three torn ligaments I currently have - ACL, MCL & PCL!

Boat ladders, as have been mentioned, need the greatest respect. On a dead calm night off the coast of Florida, there wasn't a ripple. I was hanging on the swim platform talking to the boat captain I crewed for as my night diving student climbed the ladder. A small wave picked the boat up and slammed it into my chest stripping my back up lights from my harness and breaking the bolt snap of my long hose. I dove to recover my lights. I was lucky not to have been hurt seriously.

Ultimately, risk is a personal thing. Some of us want to live to a ripe old age. Some of us don't. Some people are in excellent health and look forward to continued joys as they age. Others are facing health issues as they age that an accidental death would make merciful. Some people are defined by how they live. Others are defined by how they die. Society tends to arrogantly thumb their noses at those who place themselves at higher levels of risk and defines such people as somehow being less evolved, mature, or intelligent. Solo divers are often thrown into such a category. However, I personally respect those who know what they risk, why they risk it and own their consequences.

While hiking the other day, I was thinking about the ways I'd like to die and at what point I'd be okay with checking out. I was thinking about how safety-obsessed we've become as a society. Too many cubicle-dwellers, bean counters, and attorneys and not enough Point Breakers. By the way, John Philbin (Mr. Carter) from the film is a great surf coach if anyone wants to surf or improve their surfing. I realized that there were never any surf conditions from RI to Va Beach that I didn't try to paddle out into no matter how big, nasty or closeout. A lot of surfing I did alone at night. Good times!

Philosophically, I think the most dangerous aspect of a solo dive is the fact that few people understand the human spirit that drives divers to dive alone.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

There is a lot to agree with in Trace's post!

Not all solo dives are the same for me, so each kind has different more dangerous parts. Can't say that I feel normal shore dive site solo dives are dangerous, even with lava entry/exit. When I work/ed for resort operators, my typical solo dive was/will be with one of the scooters. Until I get my own scooter(s) that is not an option unless I work for someone with scooters.

The typical plan with a scooter is to go to far off unique photo op locations, unless an interesting photo critter of some sort allows an extended interaction hijack. Occasionally, the plan is just to go straight out for ~half an hour and see if whales end up near enough to take pics of. It has not happened yet, but I now know the deep reef off the Wailea coast better than any other diver I have heard of. With either plan, the two serious problems would be gear malfunction; loss of air or scooter dies. Surfacing a quarter to half mile off shore is less a problem if air is the problem, because scootering on the surface is not that hard; boat traffic could be an issue. Dead scooter that far off shore is going to be a real bummer, but my plan would be to slowly bring all the gear back, surfacing when necessary.

Kayak dives are my other risk solo diving. I am looking at a couple 2-tank trips I would like to make. Having the kayaks not be there when I surface would be a real bummer, or no paddle. Being too tired to handle inclement conditions is a concern as local weather aberrations happen even when balmy weather is forecast. That said, a Molokini Kayak for Shark Ledges drift (~120') one kayak attached and then Reef's End (~80') both moored would be quite the 6 hour adventure. The other plan is La Perouse Bay to Ahihi Bay 2-tank drift, both attached, which would be less out to sea but more unpredictable with regards to wind.

Kind of looks like my worst enemy is riding the edge of my envelope; if the winds change a battle it will be!