Is there a valid reason for a pony bottle

[northernone]

It is probably important that they have had a couple of Oh Sh!t moments too in order that they can understand how they react to an emergency.

I agree self rescue and panic mitigation is an important component of being a candidate for solo diving. Not everyone has the prerequisites I've noticed. I have no confidence 100 dives count for much in that regard. At best it does provide a nice backdrop for enjoying nice relief for peace solo diving with a strapped on pony brings. (I like my pony)

Cameron

 

[Joneill]

(I like my pony)

Cameron

How dare you

 

[CWK]

I doubt you'd find anyone here suggesting a 13 cf pony is appropriate for a dive to 180'.

Different people have different skills and abilities. I am not suggesting that a 13 cf pony is appropriate for 60 m for divers of all levels. However, it is an undeniable fact that it was adequate for the diver in the video on that day. Perhaps there are other divers for whom a 13 cf is adequate for recreational depths.

 

[markmud]

I was wondering the same thing: if I manage to get to 100 dives without a ‘Oh S***’ moment, does that mean I am not ready to do the solo diver class ?

Hi BlueTrin,

I think it is more important to have a well rounded diving history that has turned your book-learning into reality. You probably have witnessed other people and their "Oh Sheet" moments. You have dived in currents, poor visibility, rough seas, and etc.

I have had some "oh sheet" moments. A lady dropped in on me with her tank bottom and pushed my mask down my face and dislodged my second stage from my mouth. The dent on my head wasn't pleasant.

I did what I was taught. I did the arm swing, regained my reg, and then reinstalled my mask. Nobody else in the group cared to help. If I had panicked, the dive probably would have gone on without me. The offending diver blamed me for the accident.

My Mt. St. Helens regulator incident.

Suffering a severe case of vertigo and reverse block in 3 ft. of visibility.

A dichotomy became apparent between the book-learning from OW/AOW and my experience. I learned that I needed to take care of myself. The bifurcation between the marketed paradigm and my real-world experiences forced me to create my own axiom, which includes redundancy and solo diver training. I furthered that goal by taking a tec 40 course. I feel I can safely dive recreational limits and protect myself against normal "oh sheet" moments.

No, I don't think you need "oh sheet" moments to make the decision to become a self-reliant diver.

Good Luck,
markm

 

[markmud]

Wouldn't it be even better if they had been able to avoid any Oh S*** moments? After all, having a couple of Oh S*** moments means that their judgment had lapsed at least a couple of times...

Hi Storker,

Please explain my lack of judgement when a casting flaw was causing my almost new first stage to go Mt. St. Helens on me? It was inspected twice by trained techs in a 10 day period prior to its meltdown.

So, I lacked judgement when I was on a slope looking into a crevasse when a lady dropped her tank and fat butt on my head smashing me into the coral?

In near zero vis I suffered a reverse block causing a severe case of vertigo. How did I fail myself in that instance.

Sheet happens to the best of us Storker. Prepare for it.

markm

 

[Laurie S.]

Sorry you cannot dive solo until you get a OS*** moment.

Scuba Police ! arrest this man !

Sorry, wrong sex! LOL

 

[BlueTrin]

Sorry, wrong sex! LOL

Oops sorry

 

[grf88]

Hmmm, 546 dives and no Oh S*** moments. Guess I'm overdue. Oh, and almost 300 of those dives were solo.

Be patient.

 

[-JD-]

Well .... my head hurts now after following all of the screaming in this thread.

Being still in the early, impressionable stage of my diving journey, I do have to admit that my mind has been changed by the strong authoritarian faction that has declared that diving with a Pony can only be representative of a gross lack of competency and personal responsibility to others.

Going forward I will no longer be diving with a Pony. Instead I will commit myself to continuing to pay attention to the condition of my equipment, checking and diving within the limit my available gas, and doing my best to monitor and be ready to support my buddy.

I will, however, start diving with a new system that I'm working on developing. I think I'm going to call it: Backmount Singles w/ Hybrid, Asymmetric, Independent, Sidemount, Redundant, Rescue-Reserve or B.S. HAISR^3 for short.

 

[grf88]

Well .... my head hurts now after following all of the screaming in this thread.

Being still in the early, impressionable stage of my diving journey, I do have to admit that my mind has been changed by the strong authoritarian faction that has declared that diving with a Pony can only be representative of a gross lack of competency and personal responsibility to others.

Going forward I will no longer be diving with a Pony. Instead I will commit myself to continuing to pay attention to the condition of my equipment, checking and diving within the limit my available gas, and doing my best to monitor and be ready to support my buddy.

I will, however, start diving with a new system that I'm working on developing. I think I'm going to call it: Backmount Singles w/ Hybrid, Asymmetric, Independent, Sidemount, Redundant, Rescue-Reserve or B.S. HAISR^3 for short.

Sounds like a good plan. Not sure about the name though. Maybe something like Personal Onboard Necessary Escape Equipment would be better.