mixed emotions about a solo dive

[ClayJar]

It's perfectly fine to consider your reasons for why you skipped, aborted, repurposed, or otherwise called a dive. Figuring out the reasons the dive didn't seem right will let you work on those reasons or, if necessary, avoid the situations. You can build skills or collect experience so that those reasons are no longer relevant. (Some time back, I aborted a dive due to feeling uncertain about <10' viz, but these days, even 3' viz is plenty in most cases, and I can work with less if need be. Thinking about aborting a dive *today* for 10' viz just seems... juvenile... but it wasn't for my skill set at the time.)

On the other hand, it's not at all good to feel guilty about calling a dive. Feeling guilty can lead you to pushing yourself further than you should, as you don't want to feel guilty for calling another dive without "adequate" reason. Everyone should know the golden rule of calling dives: "Anyone can call any dive at any time for any reason." Trust yourself if you call a dive, and if you think perhaps you shouldn't have called it, take that as incentive to find the places you can improve. Guilt helps nobody.


Oh, by the way, around my LDS we also have another popular saying: "I'd rather be on the boat wishing I were in the water than in the water wishing I were on the boat."

 

[jim T.]

My comfort zone is significantly lower than Clay Jar's when solo diving. If it's under 10' I think twice about continuing-at least at my "present" pace on that dive. We live in an area where gill nets are sometimes found on the walls or bottom in the Pacific NW and I want 10' radius to be able to keep an eye out for them.

On drift/boat dives, there isn't, of course, always that luxury but when soloing in a well known, non current intesive site, 10' is my minimum.

IMHO,As a new solo diver with not a huge amount of dives logged, you should choose the best distance viz you can depending on what underwater hazards (entanglement) are likely/prevelant in your area. Use sites to train yourself in that have the best viz, generally.

Not only would you most likely be safer but you will gain solo experience in a much less stressful/overloaded situation.

In my favorite solo site, there is a marina wall (vertical log breakwaters) with tons of life on them. I can dive that wall in less than 10' viz because I can see any hazards right in front of me...but.... I still like 10' behind me
so that my fins and legs don't encounter any unpleasant surprises.

That's why I think in terms of a 10' radius-remembering what can be behind me as well as in front of me. Maybe that radius will increase for me as experience and time go by, but I kind of doubt it, while soloing.

 

[ClayJar]

My comfort zone is significantly lower than ClayJar's when solo diving. If it's under 10' I think twice about continuing-at least at my "present" pace on that dive. We live in an area where gill nets are sometimes found on the walls or bottom in the Pacific NW and I want 10' radius to be able to keep an eye out for them.

If I were diving in your conditions, I would probably want more viz than you'd settle for. On the other hand, if you were diving a small lake with somewhere between zero and... um... zero likelihood of drift nets, you'd probably be more comfortable with viz like mine. :biggrin:

 

[nereas]

I did a solo today that, looking back, my 20/20 tells me I may have been too cautious. I was kicking out to the buoy for the Triangle Wrecks in OBX, Noth Carolina, when I had some reservations. As I was swimming out, I looked back at shore and it seemed like I was further than I should have been, tho I had not reached the buoy. I then got concerned with the strength of the current, even tho it was not strong at all on the surface. Then I began wondering where on the site the buoy was rigged, if it was the furthest point out or the closet point in. At that point I was feeling a little unsure of myself, so I decided to go ahead an go down and just putz around. I never made it to the wrecks. I just swam over empty sand. The one nice thing was I had a small group of juvenile sargeant majors swim beside my mask and play in my bubbles. I came back with with 1500 psi.

Looking back, I think my confidence was shaken for some reason. I got psyched out somehow. The conditions were perfect. The longshore current was non-existent, there were no dorsal fins circling me, and my gear was fine. I can take this as a learning experience as my experience is limited. I now know the proper "self-talk" that I should have done today to dive my objective, and I will use this in the future if necessary.

I think I did the right thing, I stopped where I became uncomfortable, before I may have panicked. I analyzed and evaluated when I was done. I made it back safe. I just wished I could have thought clearer at the time. Have any of you had this kind of moment when you were starting to solo?

My thoughts are these. For someone with under 50 dives, your solo dives should not involve long surface swims.

 

[nereas]

...

Your profile says you have less than 50 dives, if so, my personal opinion is that you should probably not be solo diving, yet.

...

My thinking as well.

 

[jim T.]

Oops. Double post.

 

[jim T.]

I hear ya Clay Jar. No current(s) really helps. I guess I'd still be concerned about submerged tree branches/roots, dumped logging gear, etc. if I didn't know the site well beforehand.
How do you deal with and enjoy (?) zero viz and enjoy dives if it's often/most of the time? Guess it's just that meditational "floaty thang" goin' on?

You're right about where one's skill sets are determining the comfort level
and maybe I'd feel comfortable with less than 10' viz but I think that's the point where I stop enjoying the dive and am working at it instead, up here.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

I must agree with dumpsterDiver and nereas.

We all must start somewhere.

But with fewer than 50 dives, I suspect you don't know what you don't know...

Listen to your gut instincts. Shore currents along the Atlantic coast can become problems fast.

It might be wise to completely familiarize yourself with a dive site first while with a buddy, before returning by yourself.

YMMV.

 

[redrover]

I don’t know what the criteria are, or would be for getting past ‘starting to solo’ and think how much solo under the belt is irrelevant to what you described. Ok to call a dive for any reason, any time is the standard. It’s just that much easier when solo, no one to explain to or fret over you and what/why you made the choice.

I’ve been badgered (well meaning no doubt) with; What’s wrong? Are you ok? What’s wrong? Are you ok? enough to seriously reconsider the call and/or making it in the first place. (I just didn’t want to, OK!) Being solo means no keeping up with the Jones’s and not having to say you’re sorry.

I think you are right on the money with your evaluation of the dive, both during and after. Recognition, assessment, action and contemplation of what can be learned for the future.
One aspect of solo that I find particularly appealing is the ease of doing just what you did – change plans midstream – responding to the current or the now, and not feeling locked into doing underwater what I thought I wanted to do when on land

I give a lot of thought to a solo dive before the dive. Not so much the week before but the day of. What is my mental and physical status? What is a realistic manageable task load balanced with what I want to do. Or, would what I want to do be more task loading than I’d feel fine were I with a buddy. Am I fit to do my desire?
Using your example (it reads like) of not sure you knew where you were, that possibility is a big task load for me – I have a great fear of getting lost. Ergo I ain’t going solo deep no where I’m not 90% certain I won’t get lost. I figure solo and diving are two big task loads, one more to = 3 is my general limit. It’s a mental effort to set myself up for success (fun) and hold back the greed (pushing limits, kissing the beach.) Live to dive another dive.

For some reason I was mentally solo from the start. Never did or do any mental attitude switching between buddy or not (as in; I’ve got a buddy so I can relax type of thing.) I listen very closely to myself, my thoughts and actions. And question myself far more than any buddy has, always looking for some sign or symptom indicating all is not well.

Yes I’ve been uncomfortable, and for no reason I could find or put a finger onto. As I dive merely for pleasure, it’s relatively easy for me to justify backing off as the objective is to have fun. Why do it if it’s not fun?

I say backing off because so far I’ve pretty much just stopped heading toward a goal and found something else that was fun to be doing while breathing submerged under water instead. And I don’t consider any of them a demerit of sorts but a change of plan. Ok, for some reason not happy at 75’ and jim dandy at 60’, 60’ it is, whatever.

One of my first questions when feeling uncomfortable is; “Do I want to be here?” So far have yet to answer no but have a script prepared for what I am presuming will inevitably happen some day. Otherwise it’s just a matter of readjustment to reestablish ‘in comfort zone’.

I’m no expert but for myself at least, I’ve found problems are best nipped in the bud when diving. Nothing gets better if I ignore it and everything becomes real hard to fix by the time I can’t ignore it any longer. What I’m meaning by ‘problem’ is something relatively minor, that if left unattended tends to turn into a big problem. Say mask leaking repeatedly. If I ignore it long enough my buoyancy gets whacked and soon I’m mentally bashing myself for wasting so much air trying to get it back to neutral and looking like a dork. Cripes if anybody sees me they’ll think I’ve no business diving let alone solo….it’s just a spiral in the wrong direction. Especially considering all I had to have done is halt, get the chunk of hair off my face, clear and resume.
All the more true when feeling confidence is shaken, particularly when no obvious reason. I look for frailty. Could something else outside of the dive have left me susceptible? An unjust accusation or unkind comment I can take harder than I should and for me, it’s a kick in the self confidence that leaves a bruise. Diving solo is a big confidence in ones self. If not the actual diving, the common tone in the community is near to damming. It’s a challenge from the get go to do something so brash and stupid in so many peoples eyes. It’s like squeezing on that already sore spot. I ask myself what would make me comfortable?

When we are alone we have only ourselves to look to for support. No one there to tell us we are being silly and nothing is wrong, we have to be our own best buddy. When diving solo I strive to be as nice to myself as I would to a loved one, far nicer than I usually am to myself. No heckling or name calling, no pressure, just listening closely and alert for where assistance would be welcome.

 

[Doc Harry]

Your judgement is sound... Listen to the Force...

Try smaller bites. Work your way out of your comfort zone only when you're ready. If you take a big bite and choke, spit it out and retreat back to your comfort zone again for a while...