SO-LO when travelling!

[helimvee]

I do a lot of solo dives and always carry a pony or dive doubles.

My southern trips are usually to Bonaire. I used to pack a 13 CF in my checked luggage, but now rent a pony. I guess if I was going someplace where I could not rent a smaller pony, I would sling whatever they have.

 

[DaleC]

If you familiarize yourself with diving independant twins and have a BC that can take it you can do something like this:

Then all you need to bring is the connecting hardware and rent two tanks:

Here's an even simpler connecting setup:

Or just bring a pony as suggested.

 

[Darnold9999]

What was the water temp?

Didn't really pay attention. It wasn't anything unusual, somewhere around 50F. The reg was fairly new, and very cheap. Started to freeflow on the decent - and froze open draining most of tank before I could get the valve shut off. It sits in my save a dive kit as a spare now.

 

[Doc Harry]

Because a lot of dive boats do not allow solo diving, I buddy up with a pair of divers to form a group of three. Then I tell my new buddies in the dive brief, "As soon as we start descending I am going to get "separated" from you..." and they are not to go looking for me.

I carry a 6 cf cylinder if I can't wear doubles. You can remove the valve for the airline trips.

 

[Charlie99]

Because a lot of dive boats do not allow solo diving, I buddy up with a pair of divers to form a group of three. Then I tell my new buddies in the dive brief, "As soon as we start descending I am going to get "separated" from you..." and they are not to go looking for me.

As soon as you tell me this, I will reject you as a buddy and notify the boat that they need to find you a different buddy pair.

I often dive solo, but I don't lie and mislead the boat operators.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Didn't really pay attention. It wasn't anything unusual, somewhere around 50F. The reg was fairly new, and very cheap. Started to freeflow on the decent - and froze open draining most of tank before I could get the valve shut off. It sits in my save a dive kit as a spare now.

That part I bolded above seems pertinent for this thread also.

The reason I asked you "what temp" is because I specifically asked for examples in the conditions set by the OP; which included "warm water."

Hey people!

Im here to ask HOW?
( A few details)
Im staying above 30m.
Warm water, "good" vis (10m +)
Diving with a "standard" BC and regs
Prefer to be relatively unencumbered by too much crazy equipment.
Will always have my camera.

Hey people,

I'm wondering how often incidents happen, in the conditions described above, to a diver who should be solo diving?

What "what if..." is it that you think a pony is the answer for?

 

[Darnold9999]

That part I bolded above seems pertinent for this thread also.

The reason I asked you "what temp" is because I specifically asked for examples in the conditions set by the OP; which included "warm water."

You are nit picking.

You asked for examples of hardware failures that could happen in the conditions described by the OP. I gave several.

I also said that I have never had any of these failures except a free flowing reg. This was not particularly aimed at responding to your question, but a comment that I have had a reg free flow and didn't need the pony as I was near the surface when it happened.

Cold water is one, and the most likely cause of a free flowing reg, but it is not the only one - it is possible to have a reg fail and free flow in warm water. Just much less likely.

It is possible to add content to a thread that does not directly address your concerns. It's not all about you.

I didn't pay attention to the temperature at the time I was diving because it wasn't particularly important. It was a local dive, at a spot that I have been diving for roughly 30 years (I did my first OW dive at that location) and the temperature on that particular day was not unusual in any way. The reg was the problem - not the cold water, it was a crap reg and I regret buying it.

You don't dive with a pony, I do, for the reasons stated. You don't, as I understand it, because you don't belive that it solves anything you can't solve without one. You evaluate the risks and conclude that a pony is not needed. I evaluate the risks and think that for me it is. I don't want some piece of hardware failing at depth on a multi dive day without some kind of redundant air supply that will allow slower controlled ascent. You may be comfortable doing a CESA on the 4th dive of the day on the fourth day of a four or five dives a day diving but I am not.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I have made over 20 Draeger Dolphin dives, all with a 19 cft bail out; at least 15 of those dives were solo.

I own a 30 cft, and have used it back mounted for a serious solo scooter dive to ~120 fsw and nearly 1/2 mile off shore. When I say used it, I mean used it; ending psi was ~100 (400 psi in the 100 cft).

If you are solo in warm water no deeper than 30 meters and you understand how much air is necessary to finish the dive from where ever / when ever you are during the dive, I could see entanglement as a possible reason for a pony, but I have never heard of a diver getting entangled where I solo.

I think the #1 reason for using a pony is that most divers have been trained that it's OK to run out of air.

 

[Uli Kunkel]

Excellent! Thanks for the helpful information!

Dale, you wouldnt happen to have any more information about how to rig up a system like you have in your pics would you? Maybe some instructions how to build one? It looks pretty slick!

 

[Doc Harry]

As soon as you tell me this, I will reject you as a buddy and notify the boat that they need to find you a different buddy pair.

I respect that opinion, such an agreement must be mutually acceptable to all divers involved.

Fortunately, I have yet to run into divers who were uncomfortable with my arrangement to go solo.