Okay I am ready..... I think

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Meng_Tze

Homo Bonae Voluntatis
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Okay,

I am curious and ready to start seriously contemplating solo diving. Buddy system works (within the realm I dive it), but I also am nervous about it at the same time. Can I really trust buddy to help/be there in a true emergency? I dont do 'insta buddy' and always dive with a VERY select number of buddies.

Bit of history: DIR trained.... buddy (team) system deeply instilled, cave trained... this is where I start to see limitations/concerns about buddy.

Without going into a discussion about the should I do it or not. I am planning to do my first solo dive shortly... probably with a solo diver to track along......:-)

Any advise for a fledgeling solo diver?
 
REDUNDACY OUT THE WAZOO! I carry 19cu ft pony for back up air. Will soon be getting a 40 as I plan on going tech later this year anyway and will need two of them. In addition to my computer I also carry analog depth, back up timer(my dive watch), two compasses, reel and finger spool, lift bag and smb, PADI wheel in my bc pocket, Two cutting devices(knife) easily accessible with either hand, just added emt shears, and spare mask. In addition to this I also leave a detailed dive plan with someone on the surface. I follow that plan conservatively and usually surface a few minutes early to alleviate any anxiety on the part of my surface person. First and foremost is your mindset. I admire you wanting to take a solo diver along as an observer. But this can be a double edged sword. My planning for solo dives is much more detailed and meticulous in prep and execution. When diving with a buddy if we want to stop and look at something for an extra minute or two it's no big deal depending on depth and time of course. When soloing however it's a no-no for me. Although I calculate my gas with a generous safety margin it is just that, a safety margin to be used in event of emergency. It does not give me permission to deviate from my timetable and gas consumption figures. My advice is if you are going to do this you must try to forget that the other person is there. You must realize that should something happen you have only yourself to rely on. I made sure that I could do what I needed in an emergency by myself to my satisfaction to get out of trouble. This involved alot of practice in the pool and in ow with buddies present who were instructed not to interfere with what I was doing for issues such as entanglement, loss of buoyancy control, gear maifunction, etc. Now I do not know how many dives you have but that is really not an issue. I have 80 some but have helped certify over 30 ow divers, 9 jr open water, 5 aow and 1 rescue. I'm nearly done with DM and have over 100 hours in the pool as an assistant. I have deep, uw nav, nitrox, drysuit and equip specialties. I dive mainly low vis, mild current, sometimes cold(15 dives in below 45 degree water) with drift, boat, and shore entry experience. Every dive I make it a point to work on a specific skill or two and usually always practice uw nav to some degree on every dive. I also have the mindset especially when in the water with students that except for the instructor who may be with 2 or 3 other people I'm diving solo. I seem to have alot of trouble with buddies who decide to suddenly go off chasing fish or whatever. I don't have to always lead the dive but if we have a plan stick to it or al least inform me there's a change. If you can put it in your mind to be totally self reliant, with your skills and gear, and be comfortable with that decision go for it. If however there is any major doubt or naging insecurity about your equipment set-up, skills, place you are diving, or anything else you can't seem to shake, step back and reevaluate your choice. I look at solo diving and relate it to driving a car. Most people can drive, not everyone can or should in the indy 500.
 
Meng_Tze:
Any advise for a fledgeling solo diver?
Do dives that are well within your comfort zone, and for which you can survive the failure of any piece of your gear.

Some solo divers will carry a lot of extra gear, such as multiple compasses, extra dive tables/wheel, etc, when they aren't really needed for a graceful abort of the dive. Think through your action in response to the failure of each piece of your gear.

One must also try to recognize the true risks and reduce them, rather than focussing on just one or two more obvious ones.

Redundant equipment isn't going to include the extra brain of a buddy, so one has to be extra vigilant about avoiding really dumb decisions. "STOP. Breathe. Think. Then Act." is even more important when solo.

One has to recognize that there are quite a few things that no amount of equipment will help with, such as injuries from marine life, and medical problems. I.E., don't play with the eels when solo. :)
 
i think it interesting that the 2 solo divers above have come up with two schools of thought.
both seem appropriate.
one is to reduce risks and the other is to take a very large amount gear on the dive.

i think it is great to be able to read scuba board and and receive a tremendous amount of info.
 
Meng_Tze:
Okay,

I am curious and ready to start seriously contemplating solo diving. Buddy system works (within the realm I dive it), but I also am nervous about it at the same time. Can I really trust buddy to help/be there in a true emergency? I dont do 'insta buddy' and always dive with a VERY select number of buddies.

Bit of history: DIR trained.... buddy (team) system deeply instilled, cave trained... this is where I start to see limitations/concerns about buddy.

Without going into a discussion about the should I do it or not. I am planning to do my first solo dive shortly... probably with a solo diver to track along......:-)

Any advise for a fledgeling solo diver?
I think you should do solo drills (like switching to a pony, losing your mask, etc) with a buddy nearby before diving solo. Taking the solo diver course would be good too.
 
DeepBound:
I think you should do solo drills (like switching to a pony, losing your mask, etc) with a buddy nearby before diving solo. Taking the solo diver course would be good too.

All these skills I can do and have practised in detail. For me it is getting over that hurdle of no-one else being close, being a one man show. First thought is to have a known solo diver tag along, not interfere/help unless asked.......build up guts that way.
 
Meng_Tze:
All these skills I can do and have practised in detail. For me it is getting over that hurdle of no-one else being close, being a one man show. First thought is to have a known solo diver tag along, not interfere/help unless asked.......build up guts that way.

What kind of profiles/dives are you contemplating? My first reaction to your last post is that if you need to "build up guts", you may not be ready for it.
 
dherbman:
What kind of profiles/dives are you contemplating? My first reaction to your last post is that if you need to "build up guts", you may not be ready for it.
Cave dives primarely, stage/deco

building up guts relates to the fact that buddy is gone, not what I am used to....:-)
 
Meng_Tze:
Cave dives primarely, stage/deco

building up guts relates to the fact that buddy is gone, not what I am used to....:-)

I've never done this caliber of dive solo or otherwise. I would think that there would be specific training available. It would seem that most dives of the type you are doing are trained for as a team and applying what you learn in that capacity to solo diving might be a mistake. For me, being prepared (training, equipment and procedures) is what allows me to dive solo with confidence that I can handle what comes my way.
 
Meng_Tze:
All these skills I can do and have practised in detail. For me it is getting over that hurdle of no-one else being close, being a one man show. First thought is to have a known solo diver tag along, not interfere/help unless asked.......build up guts that way.

What are you figuring might go wrong that you will need another diver to help? Now figure out how you would handle it solo and do it. If you think you need another diver with you, then you are not thinking solo diving.

Make it an easy dive. Spend an hour watching an octopus. Don't worry about whether your buddy is enjoying it also. He's not there.
 

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