No pony on solo shallow teeth dive?

[RockiesFan]

Minimalism has it's place. It can be very freeing.

 

[wheeledgoat]

It was on my trip to Venice there that I came to appreciate the differences in culture. In hindsight I shouldn't have been so surprised, but the looks I and my cold-water-rig were getting gave me pause. No doubt those divers would get the same looks from us, though, if they showed up for a 100' cold water great lakes wreck dive with their rigs containing zero redundancy or even an octo. Variety is indeed the spice of life

 

[caruso]

I am solo certified and carry a 19cf pony on vacation dives as well as local dives. When I do local shore diving in depths of 10-30 ft and do shallow reef dives of say 40' or less I don't use it. I figure if I can make a safe ascent from whatever depth I'm at on my last breath of air, I don't need it.

 

[divad]

I am solo certified .

What does that entail?

 

[caruso]

What does that entail?

The solo diver course has been offered by SDI for quite some time. There's a short book, and a couple of dives required where you learn to be self sufficient and get yourself out of entanglements. During one of the checkout dives the instructor wraps you up like a mummy with string and you need to untangle yourself, you also need to learn how to deploy an SMB. The course is largely what redundant gear you need to carry and how to use it in an emergency when you don't have a buddy to help you out.

PADI historically did not support solo diving but recently started offering their version of the "self reliant diver" course which I'd assume is similar to the SDI course I took. Not all Dive Ops will accept the solo card but it's become more universally accepted over the years.

SDI Solo Diver - SDI | TDI | ERDI

 

[divad]

During one of the checkout dives the instructor wraps you up like a mummy with string and you need to untangle yourselfSDI Solo Diver - SDI | TDI | ERDI

PLEASE post a picture of this. It sounds hilarious.

 

[The Chairman]

I solo dive Venice all the time and have never ever used a pony there.

Please, carry a legal dive flag and not just an SMB.

What does that entail?

I certify solo through NASE. It's a class to learn how to sling/use a stage bottle while pulling a flag, learn a bit about situational awareness and self rescues. I have never mummified a student and don't plan on starting.

 

[caruso]

During one of the checkout dives the instructor wraps you up like a mummy with string and you need to untangle yourself

PLEASE post a picture of this. It sounds hilarious.

Ok, um... sure... here you go buddy.

 

[2airishuman]

I solo dive Venice all the time and have never ever used a pony there.

Which category does this fit into?

So, germane to this discussion is the question: Why NOT dive with redundancy? Here's my list:

• Complacency
• Laziness
• Ignorance
• Arrogance
• Inconvenience
• Too expensive
• Misguided agenda

 

[caruso]

Which category does this fit into?

This guy's good.