solo cave diving

[Fireman cave]

What do you all think about solo diving in caves..I have scene alot of it from people that dont cave dive that much....

 

[Rich Courtney]

What do you all think about solo diving in caves..I have scene alot of it from people that dont cave dive that much....

The NACD neither condones nor endorses it, the NSS-CDS removed it from their rules of Accident Analysis a couple of months ago!

I do it at least twice a week if not more, but I do not recommend it and I'd say you'd want to have at least 150+ cave dives after Full Cave before you even think about it. Some people can handle it, others cannot!

In my case I have regular buddies that I love diving with, but if they're not around I'm still going to cave dive...... If you do choose to solo in the overhead, please make sure you're either sidemounting or slinging a buddy bottle. Hope this helps

Safe diving,

Rich

 

[Doc Intrepid]

In an environment offering little room for error to begin with, it removes even more options than you would have otherwise.

 

[Rich Courtney]

In an environment offering little room for error to begin with, it removes even more options than you would have otherwise.

Some would say that diving without a buddy, hones your skills because there is no room for error or complacency....

On the flip side, I see people soloing who IMHO most definitely should not be....

Safe diving,

Rich

 

[MarkH]

Some would say that diving without a buddy, hones your skills because there is no room for error or complacency....

On the flip side, I see people soloing who IMHO most definitely should not be....

Safe diving,

Rich

I find that diving WITH a buddy hones my skills. I always have to be aware of where they are, how much air they have left, ask them if it's OK before I make any decisions and often deal with their gear problems/comfort levels/boredom/etc... There are a few divers that I am completely comfortable with underwater (mostly other solo divers), but usually another diver is an added stress factor for me underwater. That's probably just my "socially challenged" personality. As far as caves go, I've never been in anything deeper than "caverns", so maybe I don't know the mindset, but I still think I would feel the same way about buddies (added stress) in a cave.

 

[karstdvr]

I don't know,I've generally felt adding another person to a team as a stress reducer. A 3 man team is considered optimal for the sake of you have 6 back up lights,3 primary lights etc,but there is diminishing return for adding more people,and at a point can endanger the team.But this is a discussion of solo diving. The common thought is we have redundant gear-extra mask,stage "buddy bottle",etc etc,but we don't have a redundant brain. Unless a cave diver is very experienced,not only in cave diving,but that particular system then I highly advise against solo cave diving. I never solo dive because of the abscence of a buddy,and I want to dive;If I solo dive because there is a reason. I think of fatalities at Devil's and Cow and wonder if the accident could have been prevented if a buddy was present

 

[JDostal]

I won't cave dive solo if I'm diving in doubles. My overactive mind just runs through too many what-if's as far as my gas goes.

Sidemount is a whole different way though. Even when sidemounting with a partner, we don't look to each other for rescue. You have two completely independent air sources. Being able to look down and see both of your valves right in front of you is one heck of a "warm fuzzy".

The buddy is nice to help with line entanglements and getting stuck, but that's really about it.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I post frequently in this forum and while I have no problem doing wrecks or any other dives solo I can't see doing a solo cave. I'm not cave or even cavern certed and most likely never will be. I was in a cavern with an instructor and never lost sight of the light but it for me was an uneasy feeling. I don't like dry caves on guided tours. It's weird but I've been in a wreck where someone ahead of me silted out most of the light. No problem, sit and wait. Been on the bottom of our lake when newbies plowed it up and vis went to literally nothing, no problem. Raise up a little, move away from them and go on. I've looked into the entrance at the devils ear at Ginnie there were cavers in there and from their light it looked beautiful but I had no desire to go further. As a solo diver I don't condemn any one for any dives they do solo if properly trained and experienced. Caves are just not for me. I have no problem with working towards one of my goals which is the Doria. At those depths you are essentially on your own even with a buddy. From what I've read a buddy mostly directs where to find the body if it hits the fan. Caves also to an extent I guess. My hat is off to those who can and can safely.

I also watched a movie again last night and I don't want to run into any of those parasite infected monsters that fly and have tattoos on their ?hands?. No caves for me my friend I'll take a shark any day.

 

[JDostal]

With sidemounting a lot of the times, you are essentially on your own anyway I've gotten into some spots where the only way I was getting help if I needed it was from myself.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I haven't done it yet, but it's in the future. I agree with Rich, extra redundancy is required. I will only do it in caves I've been in lots of times...lots.