Interesting question. I also solo and do tech dives. (by definition) I have just recieved my first tech cert and have no solo cert. I have no fear of the dark, deco or going deep. I exercize what i consider prudent caution when diving. i normally physically dive with a buddy (by definition) but realize that unless tied to the hip a buddy is not a life insurance policy. I thik all policies of that nature must be attached to me. so Whether i am alone or with a buddy my backup's are less than a few seconds and arms legnth away. If i cant meet that criteria, i dont get wet. so When physically solo i limit my self to say no overhead hard or soft, no unfamiliar water, no exploring, no current, no penitration. Depending on the situation diving solo is insane. expecially if not properly equiped. In short i solo in the recreational relm with additional limitations placed on my self. Possibly the only time i may mix tech and solo is if i had a deco requirement which is really unusual.
How many tech "solo" divers are on the solo forum?
- Thread starter CamG
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DevonDiver
N/A
Dives I am happy to do solo:
1) Wreck penetration, beyond 40m linear distance from surface, beyond the light zone, through restrictions and exceeding NDLs.
2) Open water dives, beyond 40m depth, involving pre-determined multi-stop decompression schedules and 2 or more decompression gases above 40% O2.
I don't quite understand the difficulties that some have with 'defining' technical dives. It's easy to determine a 'community consensus' based upon the common themes/guidelines provided by the overwhelming majority of certification agencies...
1) Wreck penetration, beyond 40m linear distance from surface, beyond the light zone, through restrictions and exceeding NDLs.
2) Open water dives, beyond 40m depth, involving pre-determined multi-stop decompression schedules and 2 or more decompression gases above 40% O2.
I don't quite understand the difficulties that some have with 'defining' technical dives. It's easy to determine a 'community consensus' based upon the common themes/guidelines provided by the overwhelming majority of certification agencies...
JamesK
Contributor
I do solo dive but not on tech dives anymore. I have done solo cave dives quite a bit, but limited penetrations. I do not do that anymore. I do not do any deco diving solo either. My solo diving is now limited to 30 foot clear water easy dives.
Most of my exploration cave dives are solo. I don't solo them for any reason other than there aren't many people around with the experience or qualifications around that I would trust to do those dives with me. Although some of the dives are safer solo simply due to the size of the passages I sometimes get into. I've also done penetration wreck dives solo.
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My last two solo dives were planned, staged deco dives ... although neither one was below recreational depths the average depth incurred several minutes of deco obligation, and I carried an O2 bottle with me for that purpose.
My last dive below recreational depths was solo ... but that was more than a year and a half ago, when I went to about 175 fsw looking for cold-water gorgonians (found 'em, too).
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
My last dive below recreational depths was solo ... but that was more than a year and a half ago, when I went to about 175 fsw looking for cold-water gorgonians (found 'em, too).
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
East West
Contributor
Solo diving has never been a choice for me , genetics and environment has shaped most of it . I have been going alone from my boat for 20 years with a very short list of friends . The most memorable times were with those old friends . I went yesterday before the swells and rain hit and wondered , you never fly a flag could a sheriff boat pull anchor and tow my boat away because nobody was on board ? Multiple solo deep air deco dives in the shipping lanes with three young children and wife at home was selfish. We should way the risk and the responsibility to self and others especially technical solo if you must !
JamesK
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CT-Rich
Contributor
I am not tech certified, but I do dive solo. An interesting thought by the uneducated (me). I look at deep deco/ penetration diving as defacto solo dives. It follows the old school adage "did you bring enough for everyone?" If you haven't got enough air with you to get you and your buddy safely to the surface, you should consider it a solo dive. I say this because you are making a descision that when the chips are down, you, your buddy or both of you are going to die. Plenty of divers have come out of caves sans a buddy or the whole group has been hauled out dead. I think for me this is what limits the attraction to certain types of dives, having to make a descission about whether I would leave a still living buddy in a situation where I know that he will not make it home or to stay with him and know that it is unlikely both of us would get out. Undortunately I am pretty sure I would do the wrong thing and stay...
Like I said, I have not gone through the mill to get the certs for these types of higher risk tech dives, and I might be completely wrong about this. I would be curious to hear from some of the tech divers on this subject.
I look at this as a sport and diving in extreme situations is to risky for me to justify the possible pain I might inflict on my children should I get myself or another diver in a situation where they do not go home after a day of sport.
Like I said, I have not gone through the mill to get the certs for these types of higher risk tech dives, and I might be completely wrong about this. I would be curious to hear from some of the tech divers on this subject.
I look at this as a sport and diving in extreme situations is to risky for me to justify the possible pain I might inflict on my children should I get myself or another diver in a situation where they do not go home after a day of sport.
CT-Rich
Contributor
John Chatterton just posted an interesting blog that is germane to this discussion. ScubaBoard - Scuba Diving Forum - Diving Social Network - Self Reliance and Tech Diving
I think phylosophically it he is saying much of what has been discussed here. When he talks about safe limits on dives being set by others that is always a problem with dive buddies. I know I have at times forgotten exactly where the comfort zone of a dive buddy is. The solo dive he is talking about certainly looks like it would have been a confusing mess if another diver had been in there with him.
I think phylosophically it he is saying much of what has been discussed here. When he talks about safe limits on dives being set by others that is always a problem with dive buddies. I know I have at times forgotten exactly where the comfort zone of a dive buddy is. The solo dive he is talking about certainly looks like it would have been a confusing mess if another diver had been in there with him.
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