If I were a solo diver...

[O-ring]

I think what UP is getting at is that if you are going to solo dive, you need to do it VERY conservatively. By maintaining minimal failure points and a limited gas supply, you avoid the temptation to overextend yourself and/or go into overheads/deco. You also limit equipment failure points by going with a very minimal gear config.

 

[ScubaJeep]

cornfed once bubbled...


You're right. I'm sorry. I hope my callous comments don't cause any hard feelings.

No hard feelings, and I feel for you. I'm sort of a hot head myself. :beer:

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Well, I'm one of the "serious solo divers," but I just got to reading this thread today. It's late, and although there are some things I'd like to say, it'll have to be tomorrow.

SeaRat

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I have been certified to dive since the Fall of 1985 and did my first solo dive in the Spring of 1986. My ususal dive site at the time was in heavy current (2-7 kts) below a hydro electric powerhouse and I recognized early that you could dive and navigate in the current and backwash or maintain contact with a buddy but not both. Surfacing to look for a buddy was pretty much out of the question.

Max depth was only 30 ft and redundant air supply was not really a concern as I had been freediving in the same area for 6 yrs prior to getting certified.

Once I started diving deep (60-100 ft) I added a pony and then a bigger pony once I started diving really deep (100-130 ft). Ultimately I moved to independent doubles to allow for deeper and longer dives and deco dives while ensuring I had adequate air in either tank for a normal ascent and saftey/deco stops from any point in the dive. In my opinion there is nothing more redundant than a set of independent doubles as there is no connection (isolator valve not required) between either tank and no action is required to preserve at least half your air supply.

That is of course a minority opinion based on 18 yrs of experience, experimentation with other configurations (manifolded doubles, ponies, buddies, etc ) and long and careful thought about my configuration. That position will be no doubt assaulted by a self appointed expert who was in pre-school when I started diving but who has taken one or more tech courses where independent doubles are considered doing it wrong (much like solo diving itself).

The vast majority of the threatening situations that I have been in while diving have occurred when diving with a buddy and the few remaining situations were ones in which a buddy would have been little or no use. They were also situations that were easily handled by a competent and properly equipped solo diver. In my personal experience, the biggest threat to me in the challenging conditions in which I currently dive (cold, deep, limited visibility) is an overconfident buddy who is not up to the task.

I will dive with buddies but the list is short and even then there are some situations where I am more comfortable alone. When diving solo there is no task loading keeping track of a buddy, the failure points are reduced by 50% and there are no communications issues or challenges. There is also no hesitation or debate in aborting a dive or in moving to a more conservative plan for the dive is the conditions warrant.

In my opinion to dive solo you need to be fully competent and have the experience to know both your limitations and all the things that you still do not know. Solo diving safely also requires the ability to accurately self assess both your skills and the conditions on a given day and to have the maturity and judgement to know when your skills are not up to the conditions. All of this comes from substantial experience with progressively more demanding conditions and cannot be gotten from a course, no matter how technical it may be.

All that aside, I like to dive solo as I like the solitude it offers and the security that comes from being fully self reliant. If I have to explain it further than that, you'll never understand it and you should not be solo diving.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Uncle Pug said at the begining of this thread:

All of my breathing gas would be in a single tank with one first stage, one second stage, one SPG, one lp wing inflation hose and one suit inflation hose (if diving dry.)

I agree. But if you count, there are about 8 "O" rings involved in this rig. Concerning "O" rings, on another thread I wrote about their number and reliability (I'll get that for you later). Minimizing points of failure is important.

More after supper.

SeaRat

 

[hammerhead45]

SILLY no real valid excuse to solo

 

[matt_unique]

Right on the money....

After I began solo diving I decided there is no dive I should be doing with a buddy if I were not as comfortable doing it solo. This definitely includes deco or anything else.

--Matt

 

[lamont]

Lots of people dive solo here. Some with small pony bottles. Some with doubles. Some with, like, big ponies (horses?)...some just go in with their singles. I've talked to several people at the park about - every time I spot a soloist emerging I try to get over there and discuss it.

But I'm telling you this - its calling me. Solo diving is calling me big time - especially of the last month or so. I dive for the serenity and the peace that illudes me topside. I dive for the freedom of floating, of moving in slow motion. I dive for the tactile sensation of the water breezing past me, squeezing me, caressing me. The buddy is just a mobile bail-out - and often, less than that.

Solo diving is calling me. It won't be long. If anyone has any serious solo diving input (I haven't seen much in this thread yet) then chime in. Otherwise, take your weak contributions to the scuba humor room.

I did two solo dives. The ling cod and cabazons seemed much bigger and scarier for awhile because I didn't have any human backup and had to face them alone, that was kinda cool. It also got me over anxiety over buddy/team separation. I've got buddies who say they still get a little twitchy in 20 fsw of water if they're separated and I don't really have that problem, I just work on the best plan (chase or stay put?) in order to reaquire and start considering how I'll abort if I need to, the 2 solo dives helped with that. It also helped me work through all the things you need to think about because you need to be entirely self-reliant. Plus I did the dives on a single tank with no redundancy (like Pug suggested to start this off) and I would not do that again. I had a metric ton of gas on my back (E8-130s in 30 fsw of water), but still having to swim up and orally inflate as the way out of a free-flow that drained my tank is not the most elegant emergency producedure to have to rely on. If I did it again, I would definitely include a slung Al40 or use my doubles. But I also found that after 2 solo dives the 'thrill' wore off and I've simply become disinterested in it. Trying to learn how to dive with a team is much more challenging and fun, and with enough buddies around it doesn't really limit my diving at all...

 

[Wristshot]

*whispering* Anyone else notice that this thread is two and a half years old?

 

[Jasonmh]

I have been certified to dive since the Fall of 1985 and did my first solo dive in the Spring of 1986. ... I recognized early that you could dive and navigate in the current and backwash or maintain contact with a buddy but not both..

...based on 18 yrs of experience, experimentation with other configurations (manifolded doubles, ponies, buddies, etc ) and long and careful thought about my configuration. That position will be no doubt assaulted by a self appointed expert who was in pre-school when I started diving...

In my opinion to dive solo you need to be fully competent and have the experience to know both your limitations and all the things that you still do not know. Solo diving safely also requires the ability to accurately self assess both your skills and the conditions on a given day and to have the maturity and judgement to know when your skills are not up to the conditions. All of this comes from substantial experience with progressively more demanding conditions...

Well, I have nothing against solo diving. I don't think it is for me, but for someone who is in to it at best it is a great experience, at worst you are only risking yourself.
I may not be that expert to refute your 18 years of experience (I have no doubt that you are a far better diver than I am), but surely you must see the irony of what you have written. It seems to be a confusing message to people who are thinking of solo diving. You say that you started solo diving less than 6 months after getting your open water cert., then go on to say
"you need to be fully competent and have the experience to know both your limitations and all the things that you still do not know. Solo diving safely also requires the ability to accurately self assess both your skills and the conditions on a given day and to have the maturity and judgement to know when your skills are not up to the conditions. All of this comes from substantial experience "
Do you think that after being certified for 6 months, that you had all of the above?
Being fully compentent, experienced, knowing your limitations, had the ability to accurately assess your skills and water conditions, the maturity and judgement, and substantial experience?
I hope that people who are considering solo diving will take more advice from your last statements, and don't think that it is something to jump into after being certified for 6 months.
My personal feeling is, that until you have all those things, why not invest your time in finding and training with a good buddy(ies). That can keep you alive long enough to develop the needed skills to solo dive.
Just my .02 cents