Redundant computer also needed.
Potential Emergencies in Solo Diving
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Or a depth gauge and timing device (of course).
DevonDiver
N/A
As mentioned - it depends on dive parameters.
If diving a lake that's no deeper than 40ft, or a reef no deeper than 60ft etc etc... why?
You know your max attainable depth, you (should) know the applicable max NDL in advance of the dive. You've been trained to conduct proper ascents and shouldn't be reliant upon a computer to effect that most basic skill (shouldn't you?)...
If your computer failed, you'd abort immediately (wouldn't you?) knowing you were within your NDL, because you maintained situational awareness of your depth/time/gas/location (didn't you?)...
This is, of course, assuming that we're talking about dive safety, rather than dive continuance..
How do you know whether you exceed NDL without a timer???
DevonDiver
N/A
"If your computer failed...."
1) You know your NDL/dive plan before the dive starts.
2) You monitor your dive timer and demonstrate good situational awareness.
3) If the dive timer fails, you know you checked it within x minutes.
4) You know that your current time + x minutes is less than your NDL.
5) You abort your dive and ascend, safe in the knowledge you didn't exceed your NDL.
All the above. And a simple item but I don't think yet mentioned, a backup mask. Always a good idea but more critical for me since I wear contacts. I also recommend a formal class (SDI) or knowledgable mentor to show you all the little tricks and lessons learned that you just can't get from a book.
Not sure where to post this since there are now two concurrent threads running.
I'm surprised many divers do not see the value in having a redundant timer/depth gauge or dive computer for solo diving.
I hear the argument that, if the body of water you dive in is so shallow that no deco obligation can ever be incurred, then it's not really needed. I only do this type of dive when teaching OW or Intro dives so this is rarely the case for me on non-training dives.
I treat all other dives as decompression dives. I consider the safety stop as an obligation. It means I would not ascend directly to the surface doing a CESA, even when my computer is broken and I am well within the NDL.
Instead I stay a minimum of 3minutes at 5metres and then ascend very slowly to the surface. IMHO this is not easily done by counting the number of knots on your line or guestimating the depth by looking up while singing the ABC song at the same time, but this may just be only my own limitations... I may have to try this one as a drill just to see how feasible this actually is and analyse my logged dive to see how close to 3min at 5m I End up being. I'd recommend anyone thinking it's easily done to try it as well and then to practice it once in while to keep the correct rhythm.
The reason why I treat every dive as a deco dive is that I've noticed I often finish a recreational dives with more fast tissue loading than surfacing from deco dives... With long deco stops on O2.
This need to follow a safety stop in order to better decompress, ie release more nitrogen before surfacing, is also what prompts me to take a redundant gas source and a redundant mask with me for all dives. Here too, one could argue that if any gas or lost mask incident occurs, you do not need extra gas and/or a spare mask, you can just ascend with a CESA since you plan your dive and are confident in the knowledge that you are well within your NDL. Heck, you could even guestimate your rate of ascent by focusing on ear equalisation. Again, I find this kind of reasoning to be bad practice and borderline dangerous, but I do not work for the SCUBA police and what others do seldom concerns me.
Lastly some dive agencies that teach solo or self-reliant diving do state redundant timer/gauge or computer as an equipment requirement for all solo dives. There are even agencies that make this a requirement for all dives, whether recreational or technical, solo or team-oriented (all the same to me since I also consider all dives as a solo dive and plan for potential buddy separation). In your opinion, is this agency recommendation based on safety concerns or is it purely commercial?
I'm surprised many divers do not see the value in having a redundant timer/depth gauge or dive computer for solo diving.
I hear the argument that, if the body of water you dive in is so shallow that no deco obligation can ever be incurred, then it's not really needed. I only do this type of dive when teaching OW or Intro dives so this is rarely the case for me on non-training dives.
I treat all other dives as decompression dives. I consider the safety stop as an obligation. It means I would not ascend directly to the surface doing a CESA, even when my computer is broken and I am well within the NDL.
Instead I stay a minimum of 3minutes at 5metres and then ascend very slowly to the surface. IMHO this is not easily done by counting the number of knots on your line or guestimating the depth by looking up while singing the ABC song at the same time, but this may just be only my own limitations... I may have to try this one as a drill just to see how feasible this actually is and analyse my logged dive to see how close to 3min at 5m I End up being. I'd recommend anyone thinking it's easily done to try it as well and then to practice it once in while to keep the correct rhythm.
The reason why I treat every dive as a deco dive is that I've noticed I often finish a recreational dives with more fast tissue loading than surfacing from deco dives... With long deco stops on O2.
This need to follow a safety stop in order to better decompress, ie release more nitrogen before surfacing, is also what prompts me to take a redundant gas source and a redundant mask with me for all dives. Here too, one could argue that if any gas or lost mask incident occurs, you do not need extra gas and/or a spare mask, you can just ascend with a CESA since you plan your dive and are confident in the knowledge that you are well within your NDL. Heck, you could even guestimate your rate of ascent by focusing on ear equalisation. Again, I find this kind of reasoning to be bad practice and borderline dangerous, but I do not work for the SCUBA police and what others do seldom concerns me.
Lastly some dive agencies that teach solo or self-reliant diving do state redundant timer/gauge or computer as an equipment requirement for all solo dives. There are even agencies that make this a requirement for all dives, whether recreational or technical, solo or team-oriented (all the same to me since I also consider all dives as a solo dive and plan for potential buddy separation). In your opinion, is this agency recommendation based on safety concerns or is it purely commercial?
BEM
Contributor
With all of the above good advice and comments, make sure you have a plan and stick to it. That way there is less change of running into the unexpected and getting hurt.
Also, make sure you're in the right frame of mind - "Don't really feel like doing the dive?" - then don't. Listen to your voice of reason.
Also, make sure you're in the right frame of mind - "Don't really feel like doing the dive?" - then don't. Listen to your voice of reason.
If you are solo diving from a boat in the open ocean, then going up the anchor to the boat, all things equal, is better than than doing a floating safety stop if at all possible. If you are diving a computer, something happens (like you stop and help a lost student you meet - it has happened to me) and then when I am back solo the computer fails then you may well be off the tables already on a multiple level dive. My second computer lets me know how much time I have to get back to the anchor line or if it is free ascent time. [This scenario is just to illustrate the point that I like two computers]
For that matter one of my two computer failures was signaled by an obvious divergence from the other computer.
For that matter one of my two computer failures was signaled by an obvious divergence from the other computer.
When solo diving, I analyze my gas for both O2 and CO.
I was once diving in deep muddy water with near-zero viz under a busy boat lane, and had one of my compasses fail. It was pitch-black down there. Fortunately I had a back-up compass or I would have had to surface between speed boats to find my way back to shore.
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