Equipment for Solo Diving

[drrich2]

Camera records what I see. Computer records the dive profile - depths, average depth, etc... I'm an air hog, so air remaining (PSI), not NDL, is my limiting factor, and either way, the computer (AI) can tell me about it. I mainly shore dive Bonaire with AL80's or follow dive guards on charter boat dives (e.g. Cozumel, Grand Cayman, etc...) so I'm not keeping up with way points - a Bonaire dive plan might be swim out to drop off, head north at around 30 - 40 feet (going deeper momentarily if I see something interesting), turn around at about 1800 PSI, amble back around 20 - 30 feet deep, do safety stop on the way, pop my head out of the water & see which way to head back in, drop down a bit, swim back, tool around in the shallows till the PSI gets to around 400 - 500, then walk out (assuming warm, tropical water with excellent viz. & minimal current where exit is pretty easy).

There is no 'alternate plan.'

Now, if I were planning a dive of the Oriskany (which I've never dove), was diving a 130 HP steel tank with 28% nitrox, and knew the advanced depths I'd be down at, that could be different. I might break out the air consumption rate formula from the SDI Solo manual, calculate out my estimated air consumption rate at the depths I'd be at, consider NDL time limits on the nitrox mix, and would be looking for specific landmarks on the wreck since there'd be a specific agenda.

Compare to a shallow to moderate Bonaire reef dive were the plan is 'swim at 30 - 40 feet unless you see something pretty, don't get over 110 feet on your EAN 32, come up slow, do your safety stop & watch your SPG/computer closely.'

Haven't needed a slate for underwater use on Bonaire.

Richard.

 

[ozzydamo]

Just got my SDI Solo card and ready to start Solo diving. I know what the book says you should bring but what do you bring with you when you solo?
Of coarse I two independent tanks (sidemount), fins, mask and etc.

I have a surface maker with flag that can be towed.

Since I'm doing a lake with max depth of less than 25 feet I'm going to skip the extra mask since my mast are prescription mask and expensive and I have no problem swimming without mask on. I'm carrying three cutting devices - knife on the waist, scissors in the pocket and line cutter on the shoulder. I have two reels - one 50 foot in my pocket and 100 foot on my d-ring and lot times carry a 200 foot to practice laying cave line. I'm carrying a large DAN SMB in the pocket. Two lights but my dives are during the daylight hours, if doing night I would carry 3 lights. A set of dive tables, not really needed since this area of the lake is max depth of 30 feet. Compass on my wrist and small slate with compass in my pocket.

Is there anything else you would recommend for shallow day time lake dives?

Yeah, an ice box with a six pack of beer, a banana lounge and a beach umbrella.....

 

[Bob DBF]

I started to Solo in the dark ages to extend my freediving range. At the time there was no SPG, no BC, no octo, and a 72 was a big tank. Did carry a knife and, occationally, a light when I could borrow one. Now I take more crap with me, but try outfit for the dive plan, although I do like cutting devices. I don't double and tripple on "safety" devices unless I am planning on something exceptionally stupid or training for a specific dive.

Dive within NDL, keep your exit to the surface open, and don't dive with anything you won't s**tcan. The surface is the only unlimited air supply, no matter how much you bring down with you.



Bob

 

[Ghetto Diver]

Only addition when I roll solo - slung bail-out, regardless of planned depth. I am big on the muscle memory thing.
I have added a spare mask to my setup for all dives after some thought. It has it's obvious +'s for solo and when diving with my built in dive buddy (daughter) who wears contacts, it could be useful for both of us. I keep everything in same location on my person (muscle memory thing again), and practice at times with eyes closed reaching and deploying.

 

[Seaduced]

I mostly take the same gear solo or buddy diving, that includes an extra mask. But it isn't prescription and has a very small frame, so it fits nicely into a pocket. Can I see as good with it, no... but I can see good enough to recover my mask or return to the entry point. I actually had a mask strap break once, but it was on a giant stride so not much of a challenge there. On a solo dive of more than about 40 fsw, I sling a small tank.

One of the changes I make is splitting my weight between a belt and my integrated pouches, so the BC and I am close to neutral buoyancy. It makes it easier to clear an entanglement from the gear if you don't have to keep a death grip on an 'anchor' or 'lift bag', depending on where your weight is. If I ever have to doff my BC in a couple mils of wetsuit, I'm a hand slip and reg jerked from the mouth away from a rocket ride to the surface. On one of my latest dives, I let my camera get away from me and the lanyard got entangled on my primary reg. I would have had to doff the BC to clear it if I wasn't already surfacing on that dive.

My BC has large pockets, so all of my 'extra' gear stows away, out of sight and harm's way.

 

[Kharon]

Wow, thanks for the signal mirror idea. I don't think that's something I would have ever thought of.

Why not just roll face up, hold your breath and look? As some others have said, nothing non-essential.

---------- Post Merged at 11:41 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 11:24 AM ----------

I will do any dive solo that I'd do with a buddy including deco and penetrations.

Seriously? Penetration & deco dives solo? The only one of the SDI Solo Divers certification "don't do" dives that you haven't cited is pinnacle (never done that before) dive.

I sure hope anyone who is looking to dive solo won't go by your bravado and will at least get and study the SDI Solo Divers manual. It's very clear on the skills, equipment, mindset, preparation, diving situations to avoid etc. that are required for SAFE solo diving. Sorry, solo penetration, deco, and to a great extent pinnacle dives are a funeral waiting to happen. I'd expand that to include no vis diving except in the shallowest depths, and even then ... Overconfidence doesn't hurt - till it kills you.

 

[rx7diver]

Why not just roll face up, hold your breath and look? As some others have said, nothing non-essential.

---------- Post Merged at 11:41 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 11:24 AM ----------



Seriously? Penetration & deco dives solo? The only one of the SDI Solo Divers certification "don't do" dives that you haven't cited is pinnacle (never done that before) dive.

I sure hope anyone who is looking to dive solo won't go by your bravado and will at least get and study the SDI Solo Divers manual. It's very clear on the skills, equipment, mindset, preparation, diving situations to avoid etc. that are required for SAFE solo diving. Sorry, solo penetration, deco, and to a great extent pinnacle dives are a funeral waiting to happen. I'd expand that to include no vis diving except in the shallowest depths, and even then ... Overconfidence doesn't hurt - till it kills you.

Kharon,

A lot of solo divers on this sub-forum have many years of experience solo diving (were solo diving years before the relatively recent solo certifications became available), and some of these solo divers became solo-certified only so that they could dive off some dive boats which require the card. Some of these divers have been diving beyond the solo limits recommended by a given training agency, for quite some time.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

P.S. Welcome to this solo diving sub-forum.

 

[Ghetto Diver]

Why not just roll face up, hold your breath and look? As some others have said, nothing non-essential.

---------- Post Merged at 11:41 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 11:24 AM ----------



Seriously? Penetration & deco dives solo? The only one of the SDI Solo Divers certification "don't do" dives that you haven't cited is pinnacle (never done that before) dive.

I sure hope anyone who is looking to dive solo won't go by your bravado and will at least get and study the SDI Solo Divers manual. It's very clear on the skills, equipment, mindset, preparation, diving situations to avoid etc. that are required for SAFE solo diving. Sorry, solo penetration, deco, and to a great extent pinnacle dives are a funeral waiting to happen. I'd expand that to include no vis diving except in the shallowest depths, and even then ... Overconfidence doesn't hurt - till it kills you.

no viz diving with a buddy is solo diving.

 

[DevonDiver]

Why not just roll face up, hold your breath and look? As some others have said, nothing non-essential.

Because:

1) You don't hold your breath.
2) On descent, you'll still be giving off bubbles from your BCD cover, out of your exposure suit etc..and a formal 'bubble check' is completed shortly after initiating descent.
3) A small leak from the 1st stage/cylinder valve might be no more than a 'fizz' which you won't spot without more detailed inspection.

I don't see that identifying a loss of air, or potential 'failure-waiting-to-happen' is "non-essential". If you solo dive, you need to replace the functions normally carried out by a buddy. A buddy would be responsible for noticing any equipment issues and notifying you - therefore you need to replace that capability entirely.

There's a whole bunch of equipment related issues that can be identified/resolved using a mirror (not just air leaks). Rolling around and craning your neck isn't likely to help you in those instances.

Also, the signal mirror is invaluable if you get entangled... a situation where rolling around is invariably a dumb-ass thing to do.

Seriously? Penetration & deco dives solo? The only one of the SDI Solo Divers certification "don't do" dives that you haven't cited is pinnacle (never done that before) dive.

Penetration (beyond cavern/wreck limits for recreational divers) and decompression are 'technical diving' pursuits - the training for which is way..way...way beyond that provided by a 'solo diver' course. In fact, the materials/syllabus used for most 'solo diver' courses are just tid-bits that are 'borrowed' from more extensive technical diving courses.

Solo technical diving has a 'place' for many of the scuba agencies and, whilst open for informed, debate - is irrelevant in the context of the commonly available 'solo diver' courses and training they provide.

Most scuba courses come with a bunch of "don't do" recommendations - that is useful as a tool for defining the limits and goal of that specific training. OF COURSE the SDI Solo course doesn't recommend overhead environment or decompression diving when solo - IT DOESN'T TRAIN DIVERS AT THAT LEVEL.

I sure hope anyone who is looking to dive solo won't go by your bravado and will at least get and study the SDI Solo Divers manual. It's very clear on the skills, equipment, mindset, preparation, diving situations to avoid etc. that are required for SAFE solo diving.

If Open Water (buddy) diving is chapter one, then a solo diving course is chapter two. That's where you are. It's probably best not to formalize your opinion until you've read the rest of the available chapters

Sorry, solo penetration, deco, and to a great extent pinnacle dives are a funeral waiting to happen. I'd expand that to include no vis diving except in the shallowest depths, and even then ... Overconfidence doesn't hurt - till it kills you.

You seem to have the confidence to make categorical claims about activities, and training levels, that you've not experienced. I'd say THAT was a form of over-confidence.

---------- Post Merged at 01:42 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 01:40 AM ----------

no viz diving with a buddy is solo diving.

No, it isn't.

If feels like that, then it's a weak excuse for poor skill and awareness.

 

[Ghetto Diver]

^ no feeling or emotions involved here…
IMO if one breaks contact with buddy..diving in no viz conditions is de facto solo / self-reliant diving.
Personally, my dive plan in these conditions is don’t do it at all, or call it when these conditions prevail.