Guidelines for Solo Diving at White Star
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The moment you have been waiting for is here. There are now clarifications. For the record, the park will not be changing any of the literature, envelopes, guidelines etc that they currently have and solo diving will not be allowed WITHOUT THE PROPER CERTIFICATION AND ADHERENCE TO THE GUIDELINES listed below. As with any negotiation or compromise there are things you will like and things you won't. If you aren't certified and equipped properly, do us a favor and don't dive solo. If there is a problem, even if it is just someone getting lippy with a ranger, they can pull the plug... remember, their quarry, their rules. For the foreseable future, here are the guidelines that will keep you from getting in trouble should you be caught solo diving at White Star.
1.) You must be certified for self sufficiency. Accepted Certifications Certifications include, Solo Diver, Instructor, Trimix Diver, Extended Range Diver, Tec Deep Diver, Tec 40 Diver, Tec 50 Diver, Dive Con and Divemaster.
2.) Diver must have two regulator systems and air sources that they can breath from including but not limited to; Double tanks, a pony bottle, or a stage/decompression bottle.
3.) In the dashboard window with their park permit they must display their certification card showing a proper certification to dive solo and an emergency contact number.
4.) According to all solo diving guidelines and training (that I have read.) The diver diving on his/her own must have called a responsible individual to check in upon entering the water with the expected duration of the dive. This person should be the emergency contact number on the dashboard allowing the ranger to check if that diver is overdue with a phone call. It is the solo divers responsibility to call this person and check in upon exiting the water.
5.) In leiu of the above, A responsible solo diver can also have a responsible individual waiting on the surface with the expected duration of the dive and a means to contact emergency personnel if the diver is overdue.
6.) The precident for diving as a buddy team and intending to dive as a buddy team, but becoming separated while diving WILL NOT BE AN EXCUSE FOR SOLO ACTIVITIES. It is recommended that should you become separated from your buddy, you should search for no more than one minute and then surface to reunite. It is also a common practice for buddies to separate at the end of a dive if both are on the safety stop and one wishes to do a longer safety stop then the buddy. The surfacing buddy should wait for the buddy finishing the safety stop at the surface and the buddies should exit the water together.
These guidelines have been signed off on and have been distributed to the rangers. If you are one of those divers that want to dive by yourself, follow these rules. If you don't the privelege will be taken away from all of us. If you have questions post them here for everyone to see so that I may respond to them.
Hope this makes most of you solo guys and gals happpy. I thought the compromise was fair.
Thanks for your support of White Star. Hope to see you at the Shipwrecks and Scuba festivities in a couple of weeks.
Rich
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The moment you have been waiting for is here. There are now clarifications. For the record, the park will not be changing any of the literature, envelopes, guidelines etc that they currently have and solo diving will not be allowed WITHOUT THE PROPER CERTIFICATION AND ADHERENCE TO THE GUIDELINES listed below. As with any negotiation or compromise there are things you will like and things you won't. If you aren't certified and equipped properly, do us a favor and don't dive solo. If there is a problem, even if it is just someone getting lippy with a ranger, they can pull the plug... remember, their quarry, their rules. For the foreseable future, here are the guidelines that will keep you from getting in trouble should you be caught solo diving at White Star.
1.) You must be certified for self sufficiency. Accepted Certifications Certifications include, Solo Diver, Instructor, Trimix Diver, Extended Range Diver, Tec Deep Diver, Tec 40 Diver, Tec 50 Diver, Dive Con and Divemaster.
2.) Diver must have two regulator systems and air sources that they can breath from including but not limited to; Double tanks, a pony bottle, or a stage/decompression bottle.
3.) In the dashboard window with their park permit they must display their certification card showing a proper certification to dive solo and an emergency contact number.
4.) According to all solo diving guidelines and training (that I have read.) The diver diving on his/her own must have called a responsible individual to check in upon entering the water with the expected duration of the dive. This person should be the emergency contact number on the dashboard allowing the ranger to check if that diver is overdue with a phone call. It is the solo divers responsibility to call this person and check in upon exiting the water.
5.) In leiu of the above, A responsible solo diver can also have a responsible individual waiting on the surface with the expected duration of the dive and a means to contact emergency personnel if the diver is overdue.
6.) The precident for diving as a buddy team and intending to dive as a buddy team, but becoming separated while diving WILL NOT BE AN EXCUSE FOR SOLO ACTIVITIES. It is recommended that should you become separated from your buddy, you should search for no more than one minute and then surface to reunite. It is also a common practice for buddies to separate at the end of a dive if both are on the safety stop and one wishes to do a longer safety stop then the buddy. The surfacing buddy should wait for the buddy finishing the safety stop at the surface and the buddies should exit the water together.
These guidelines have been signed off on and have been distributed to the rangers. If you are one of those divers that want to dive by yourself, follow these rules. If you don't the privelege will be taken away from all of us. If you have questions post them here for everyone to see so that I may respond to them.
Hope this makes most of you solo guys and gals happpy. I thought the compromise was fair.
Thanks for your support of White Star. Hope to see you at the Shipwrecks and Scuba festivities in a couple of weeks.
Rich
