OW Certified....Now What?

[EireDiver606]

To b

Agree. I didn't dive solo until after 75 dives. Still do that mostly today, but rarely below 30'. Many experienced divers dive solo without the certification -- personally I don't do that deep--just my own comfort level. If I were to dive deep solo, I'd definitely take a course.

To be honest, what is the point of solo diving? It's stupid some people think of doing it. Just find someone to dive with. Combat / naval divers don't even dive solo and they're much better trained than ANYONE here.

I heard of a story involving a commercial diver who used to work for Red Adair (look him up). He was solo diving in 3 metres of water. He got tangled up really, really badly in something (not sure if it was fishing lines or lobster pots or what), and he had a cutting tool. Anyway, he was tangled so badly he couldn't even reach his cutting tool. As the tide went down, he was fighting to either stand up or reach his cutting tool. In the end, he was found in 2 metres of water lying there holding his gauge. He ran out of air. He spent 30 mins trying to free himself but was f***** from the start. They think he swam in upside down by accident, and then twisted his whole body to stand up to see where he was caught, he basically trapped himself from the start.

This **** can happen to anyone, even an ex Royal Naval diver. DONT SOLO DIVE.

 

[Neilwood]

Personally I kept in touch with my LDS who run trips most weekends. Most shops will be the same I think (it is in their interests to keep divers active and looking for more courses/kit.

 

[TMHeimer]

To b

To be honest, what is the point of solo diving? It's stupid some people think of doing it. Just find someone to dive with. Combat / naval divers don't even dive solo and they're much better trained than ANYONE here.

I heard of a story involving a commercial diver who used to work for Red Adair (look him up). He was solo diving in 3 metres of water. He got tangled up really, really badly in something (not sure if it was fishing lines or lobster pots or what), and he had a cutting tool. Anyway, he was tangled so badly he couldn't even reach his cutting tool. As the tide went down, he was fighting to either stand up or reach his cutting tool. In the end, he was found in 2 metres of water lying there holding his gauge. He ran out of air. He spent 30 mins trying to free himself but was f***** from the start. They think he swam in upside down by accident, and then twisted his whole body to stand up to see where he was caught, he basically trapped himself from the start.

This **** can happen to anyone, even an ex Royal Naval diver. DONT SOLO DIVE.

And what about Frank, who worked on our house in 2006 and said he wouldn't dive with me because a buddy nearly caused his demise when he panicked? Many people don't just think of it, they do it. I even swim way above sea grass, as entanglement is of course the biggest concern. Well, also heart attack, but as a single guy until age 41 that could've happened all those years.
I know I helped push this side issue of solo along and the OP isn't looking at doing that. It is a discussion for the Solo sub-forum (which for some reason is under Tech. Diving and that is another discussion as to why).
There are Solo courses (or the "Self Reliant" one.....). Solo means doing what you want when you want and no consideration for someone else who may have a different agenda. To suggest it is stupid for anyone to consider it is unrealistic. When an active DM I deflected solo questions to a degree, but don't have to now.

 

[2airishuman]

To be honest, what is the point of solo diving?

As a solo diver, I have significantly more opportunities to dive than I would if I only dove with others. While I enjoy diving with others, there is a certain satisfaction that comes from planning and executing a dive according to my own interests and abilities. Solo diving also makes sense in areas where buddy diving is difficult because of limited viz.

It's stupid some people think of doing it. Just find someone to dive with.

I have a day job. There's OK but not great diving at a lake on the way home from work. Last time I was there the water was 42 degrees and the viz was maybe 5 feet. Didn't see much, but I had fun. For whatever reason I have trouble finding people who want to go there with me, let alone on short notice when I have a chance to leave work early on a nice day.

Last summer, I dove a pretty little lake in the Black Hills called Sylvan Lake. No one dives it. Ever. At present there are no dive shops for 200 miles around the lake. I didn't have any divers traveling with me. Absent a willingness to dive it solo I would have missed out on a great time.

Combat / naval divers don't even dive solo and they're much better trained than ANYONE here.

And they are diving for a different reason and are part of an outfit that provides them with teammates.

I heard of a story [....] this **** can happen to anyone

Sadly, there are dive accidents, and it seems like every one is picked apart a dozen times on Scubaboard. Some happen in spite of a buddy. Some happen because of a buddy. Some happen after buddies separate inadvertently. And yes, some happen on solo dives, where an armchair post-hoc analysis could lead to the conclusion that the presence of a buddy would have changed the outcome for the better. Hindsight isn't always 20/20, though, and there are more than a few accidents where the presence of a buddy did nothing more than increase the body count.

DONT SOLO DIVE.

You dive the way you want. I'll dive the way I want.

 

[hroark2112]

I'd rather dive solo than with a bad buddy.

That being said, being new isn't like a social disease. Find a dive shop you like and get to know the people. Tell people you're new and want to learn. And have FUN!!

 

[EireDiver606]

And they are diving for a different reason and are part of an outfit that provides them with teammates.

True they are provided teammates, but they still would never think about it. I've talked to an Irish naval diver and he said it is one of their top rules they abide by. They don't do it for a reason.

 

[EireDiver606]

And yes, some happen on solo dives, where an armchair post-hoc analysis could lead to the conclusion that the presence of a buddy would have changed the outcome for the better

If he had a buddy he would almost 100% have got out of the entanglements. He couldn't reach his cutting tool, that was his demise and couldn't remember how he got into the entanglement. If he had a buddy there, the buddy might've been able to cut him out or at least pull him out the right way. But indeed there was no buddy there. So what could he do?

I'm not saying you should rely on your buddy, most buddies are clueless. I'm saying you should plan a dive as if you don't have a buddy and take the proper safety margins as well, like maybe a pony or spare air. Be independent, be able to get yourself out of a situation.

But ok maybe I was a bit too shortsighted for your reasons. I still think u shouldn't dive solo, but I suppose it's your decision and you do what you want. I just wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

I dive solo and I dive in unified teams. As a GUE Tech 2 diver, I can say that the majority of my stress and close calls have been caused by peer pressure from GUE and UTD divers and instructors who put ego ahead of team or who have ignored safe diving practices completely. The advantage to team diving is that you have help and divers are all on the same page regarding procedures. The disadvantage is that buddies can pressure you into diving outside your comfort zone, pressure you into doing stupid stuff, or just go places and do things underwater that puts you at risk or causes you to play cowboy and wrangle the strays back on mission. Worse, you can have three divers none of whom are comfortable with conditions or the psych aspect of a dive continuing just so they don't ruin it for others. No one bothers to communicate and they all assume the others "have got this!"

Solo diving has the advantage of instant self-reflection and communication. You can determine your level of comfort moment by moment and instantly know what you are doing, why you are doing it, and change a dive plan on the fly without confusion. The disadvantage is that you won't have help or back-up brains. If something goes wrong where you can't self-rescue the situation will be fatal.

"Loose team" diving might be more dangerous than unified team diving or solo diving and it is how most of the industry dives. Two or more divers buddy up. They are unfamiliar with each other's gear, training, procedures, and assume they are capable of sharing gas or rescuing a buddy. You have a false sense of security that way and are still subject to peer pressure and possibly endangered by actions of teammates. But, they also may be able to render the help you need and possibly save you.

I started diving solo at age 15 and never got into trouble alone. When I taught solo diving, I tried to get the student to first take an intro to tech class where they would learn precision team diving to appreciate it before going solo. My most recent close call was with a UTD instructor friend in a cave. We had a scooter problem and ended up getting sucked into a siphon 2800 feet back during our return. While working on it, we referenced the guideline quite a bit. Only thing was the line went quickly from our line to another line at some point. We didn't know we were on the wrong line until we tried going home. The scooter I was using was borrowed because my buddy really wanted to scooter that day. I hadn't used that model in a while and a simple switch issue almost became our undoing. Had I been alone, I would have given myself more time to reacquaint myself with the scooter before taking it into a cave.

 

[Doby45]

I heard of a story.....

I heard a story one time about a guy that died on Interstate I10 while heading to Dive Outpost when he got hit by a tractor trailer carrying a load of scuba tanks.

Lesson learned - NEVER DRIVE ON I10, EVER!!

 

[Neilwood]

I dive solo and I dive in unified teams. As a GUE Tech 2 diver, I can say that the majority of my stress and close calls have been caused by peer pressure from GUE and UTD divers and instructors who put ego ahead of team or who have ignored safe diving practices completely. The advantage to team diving is that you have help and divers are all on the same page regarding procedures. The disadvantage is that buddies can pressure you into diving outside your comfort zone, pressure you into doing stupid stuff, or just go places and do things underwater that puts you at risk or causes you to play cowboy and wrangle the strays back on mission. Worse, you can have three divers none of whom are comfortable with conditions or the psych aspect of a dive continuing just so they don't ruin it for others. No one bothers to communicate and they all assume the others "have got this!"

Solo diving has the advantage of instant self-reflection and communication. You can determine your level of comfort moment by moment and instantly know what you are doing, why you are doing it, and change a dive plan on the fly without confusion. The disadvantage is that you won't have help or back-up brains. If something goes wrong where you can't self-rescue the situation will be fatal.

"Loose team" diving might be more dangerous than unified team diving or solo diving and it is how most of the industry dives. Two or more divers buddy up. They are unfamiliar with each other's gear, training, procedures, and assume they are capable of sharing gas or rescuing a buddy. You have a false sense of security that way and are still subject to peer pressure and possibly endangered by actions of teammates. But, they also may be able to render the help you need and possibly save you.

I started diving solo at age 15 and never got into trouble alone. When I taught solo diving, I tried to get the student to first take an intro to tech class where they would learn precision team diving to appreciate it before going solo. My most recent close call was with a UTD instructor friend in a cave. We had a scooter problem and ended up getting sucked into a siphon 2800 feet back during our return. While working on it, we referenced the guideline quite a bit. Only thing was the line went quickly from our line to another line at some point. We didn't know we were on the wrong line until we tried going home. The scooter I was using was borrowed because my buddy really wanted to scooter that day. I hadn't used that model in a while and a simple switch issue almost became our undoing. Had I been alone, I would have given myself more time to reacquaint myself with the scooter before taking it into a cave.

That is one of the problems with teams in any discipline - teamthink. Instead of the team working as it should to moderate itself ie someone saying "is everyone happy with the plan?" and getting honest answers back, it can become "Everyone is happy with the plan?" which becomes a more a statement of fact than the question it should be. It certainly has been (at least) partly responsible for one high profile death (Doc Deep) where the team appears to have talked themselves into the plan being OK despite a number of sources (this forum included) discussing the apparent plan and realising there was no virtually no chance of it working.

A good team (whether it is 2, 3 or more) working properly is a great thing but it is hard work to make it happen.