Should there be a Solo Diving discussion section on this forum?

[redacted]

IMORE THAN 80% OF DIVERS WHO DIE UNDERWATER DIE AFTER GETTING SEPARATED, OR WHILE SOLO DIVING.

How many of them were technical divers because the body was located in over 130 ft?

 

[Boogie711]

I don't see a conflict. Is it better if I say, "One is a discussion forum over a particular dive philosophy that while it is controversial, is an agency that by all accounts stresses safety. The other (solo diving) is also controversial, but doesn't stress safety and is recognized by only one RSTC member (that I know of.)

My primary point stands. It's akin to having a forum on the best way to drink and dive (or drink while diving) or what's the safest way to dive while stoned? The liability aspects would be staggering. Especially, as Cancun Mark pointed out - 80% of diving deaths occured when people lost their buddy or were diving solo.

Put it this way - would those who want the forum be willing to pay for it? You know, to cover the liability insurance premiums?

I'm not preaching on solo diving. Personally, the more the merrier, Darwinian selection, that sort of thing. All I'm saying is that, IMO, which means nothing, a forum dedicated to it shouldn't be found on Scubaboard.

 

[Robert Phillips]

The quote about beginners rushing off to jump into the nearest lake solo because they read it on a message board is crazy - do these same people jump in armed with mixed gases, doing 60 mins of deco or on CCRs because they read it on a board too? No they dont. It wont influence them.

Really?

Being a newbie with less than 20 dives, most would hope and think that I would choose not to do any solo dives till much later in my diving career. That being the case, I must admit I have at a local quarry when I showed up by myself and told the people who ran the place that I was alone and if they knew anyone that had shown up that I could buddy with. Basically they said to just find someone and ask if I could buddy up. The place was crowded with many groups and classes and I felt really out of place to go up to someone and say, "hey, I'm here by myself, can I impose on you and tag along?". So I decided to just go out myself. I had been there before and knew what it was like as far as vis and temp.

I say all of that because if there was a forum on solo diving, one like me could get possible hints and tips for me to hink about incase a similar situation comes up.

 

[String]

So this person went and dived solo WITHOUT reading a forum.

Cant see how you can use this as an argument against a forum.

 

[DORSETBOY]

I think a forum would be really healthy, isn't it one way to become a better diver by learning from eachother? Personally, I'd rather learn from someone elses mistake than make the same mistake too myself. Let's get everyone's opinions out in the open!

 

[Scubaguy62]

So buy refusing solo diving a forum because a few people are on about "because its dangerous" then yes we should also ban any talk on technical diving, mixed gas, rebreathers and any deep stuff, after all, the statistics are clear on a higher % of incidents involving this type of diving compared to <30m "fun" dives.

Granted, but if you read them well, you'll see that those statistics involve people who did not follow their dive protocol and ended up paying up dearly for it. A recreational diver, who goes solo, IS an example of not following protocol, especially if the diver is untrained and does not have the proper equipment. If we open a forum where the proper equipment is discussed, what stops people from going and getting this equipment and doing solo dives without proper training???

A solo diving forum would be able to discuss equipment, techniques and methods to improve safety in much the same way the DIR forum claims to be all about the same thing.

There is one big difference though, DIR diving is not SOLO diving.

I'm with Boogie and Cancun Mark. People think twice about going deeper than 130 without doubles or deco training...and as far as DIR is concerned, it's a question of completely retrofiting your dive equipment, none of which is a concern for some yahoo to want to go solo. SSI, as far as I know, is the only agency that has a solo certification, and among the requirements for solo certification the diver must be AOW, have a minimum of 100 logged dives, and a redundant gas supply must be used (pony bottle or spare air).

In case you didn't catch it, yesterday's initial "Shark Week 2004" program was about a diver who was diving solo (taking underwater video, and she had over 6,000 dives), and who ended up screaming for her life because of primal fear. If not for a rouge swell that lifted her up enough to get a bearing on land, and swimming 3 hrs to get there, notwithstanding the rough entry through the surf, she would not be alive today. So, it goes to prove that not even a person with 17,000 dives under its weightbelt is immune to catastrophe while going solo. Now we want a forum so people with far less experience than that can talk about it, and God knows, even try it?

 

[String]

Granted, but if you read them well, you'll see that those statistics involve people who did not follow their dive protocol and ended up paying up dearly for it.

Ive looked at the UK fatality stats for the last 2 years and it seems less than 10% of the fatalities are solo divers on there.

If we open a forum where the proper equipment is discussed, what stops people from going and getting this equipment and doing solo dives without proper training???

So why have we got open forums that allow discussion of Nitrox, trimix, rebreathers, wreck penetration, cave diving all of which can kill someone if someone without the training decides to go and do it? Why is that different from solo diving? All of the aboves elevate the risk factor in one way or another and by your logic someone could just as easily decide to penetrate a wreck or cave without training or equipment as dive solo.

There is one big difference though, DIR diving is not SOLO diving.

That isnt the point - Its a controversial topic and forum set up for a flame free discussion on techniques and equipment that others tend to frown upon or argue with in general forums. Just the same as solo really.

[quote
I'm with Boogie and Cancun Mark. People think twice about going deeper than 130 without doubles or deco training...and as far as DIR is concerned, it's a question of completely retrofiting your dive equipment, none of which is a concern for some yahoo to want to go solo. [/quote]

Its exactly the same, if someone wants to dive below 130ft with a small single cylinder and/or on a mix they arent trained for theres nothing to stop them. If someone wants to swim around inside a wreck with similar equipment even at 80ft theres nothing stopping them.

Just like mix and deep technical diving, solo diving is a matter of reconfiguring and changing kit and getting training.

SSI, as far as I know, is the only agency that has a solo certification, and among the requirements for solo certification the diver must be AOW, have a minimum of 100 logged dives, and a redundant gas supply must be used (pony bottle or spare air).

Sensible pre-requisites imho although a spare air doesnt count and i dont think they say it does either !

In case you didn't catch it, yesterday's initial "Shark Week 2004" program was about a diver who was diving solo (taking underwater video, and she had over 17,000 dives), and who ended up screaming for her life because of primal fear. If not for a rouge swell that lifted her up enough to get a bearing on land, and swimming 3 hrs to get there, notwithstanding the rough entry through the surf, she would not be alive today. So, it goes to prove that not even a person with 17,000 dives under its weightbelt is immune to catastrophe while going solo. Now we want a forum so people with far less experience than that can talk about it, and God knows, even try it?

And a buddy would have helped in what way exactly? Can he walk on water or perform superhuman feats to tow the person to the shore ? I didnt see it (as its not shown here) but from what i gather the woman (i) didnt dump weights (ii) didnt dump camera (iii) lacked a form of surface signalling aid and (iv) kept all her kit on. All of which are violations of basic open water training and have nothing to do with solo diving.

 

[Mako Mark]

The quote about beginners rushing off to jump into the nearest lake solo because they read it on a message board is crazy - No they dont. It wont influence them.

Ahemm:

I agree with the above statements that diving is dangerous and solo diving even more so.

Being a newbie with less than 20 dives, most would hope and think that I would choose not to do any solo dives till much later in my diving career. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... So I decided to just go out myself.

.I maintan my position, there is no place in the BASIC SCUBA DISCUSSIONS FORUM for solo diving

and I consider this thread dangerous and contrary to the safty of divers in general until it is eithre locked or moved to a more advanced forum as general tec discussions.

 

[cortez]

Actually SDI, not SSI, is the only agency which offers a "recreational" solo certification.

 

[Robert Phillips]

So this person went and dived solo WITHOUT reading a forum.

Cant see how you can use this as an argument against a forum.

This is from the same post that you may missed when reading it the first, second or third time.

I say all of that because if there was a forum on solo diving, one like me could get possible hints and tips for me to hink about incase a similar situation comes up.