Question Solo Cert for Technical Dives?

[34109411]

Once you start diving on your own and find you like it, there’s no going back. Everything is geared towards managing on your own. This is my fifth year and today I’ll fit two rollers I built for my boat trailer in order to launch and retrieve on remote beaches on my own.

totally agree

 

[Celt]

A guy I knew in the local dive community used to do solo boat dives. The Coast Guard recovered his boat but they never found the body.

So what, I knew 2 divers one on OC and the other doing a check out dive on a rebreather in a quarry where they both drowned, did they drown because there was 2 of them. Save the scare mongering for the new divers you like to preach your perfect system too, its not going to work on me.

 

[flymolo]

So what, I knew 2 divers one on OC and the other doing a check out dive on a rebreather in a quarry where they both drowned, did they drown because there was 2 of them. Save the scare mongering for the new divers you like to preach your perfect system too, its not going to work on me.

This entire sport is filled with risk but some are greater than others

 

[boulderjohn]

i would like to see statistics to see if there is more diver that drown diving solo versus buddy team

As I recall, DAN has noted that in a very high percentage of dive fatalities, the diver died alone. That does not mean, however, that it was the diver's intent to be alone. In many cases, the diver was with a buddy or a group and somehow became separated. Of the people I know personally who died on dives, every single one died alone, but every single one started the dive with someone and had no intention of being alone.

I used to write the descriptions of cave diving deaths for the National Speleological Society's cave accident reports. Almost all of those were also alone. Most were planned solo dives; others had unplanned separations.

 

[SpaceX Aquanaut]

Once you start diving on your own and find you like it, there’s no going back. Everything is geared towards managing on your own. This is my fifth year and today I’ll fit two rollers I built for my boat trailer in order to launch and retrieve on remote beaches on my own.

A guy I knew in the local dive community used to do solo boat dives. The Coast Guard recovered his boat but they never found the body.

The tragedy which befell Kawika Chetron (may he rest in peace). . . Still haunts us all every diveday.
His photo gallery of NorCal marine life: Cold Water Images, Photography by Kawika Chetron

If you must solo dive from your own unattended boat, for heaven's sake, purchase and use a PLB stowed in a dive canister.

 

[MB NZ]

Solo diving AND boating is a line I've decided not to cross. There's just too many things to go wrong. That's my assessment for my own circumstances, yours may differ.

Buying a boat turned out to be a bad choice for my diving. It's surprisingly hard to find someone to join me on trips, especially midweek when I often want to dive.

 

[Nick_Radov]

Save the scare mongering for the new divers you like to preach your perfect system too, its not going to work on me.

Sure, I get it. Nothing I write can scare the tough guys who are convinced they have it all figured out. I know there are old timers on here who are going to keep doing whatever because they believe they're invincible (or they just don't care), and that's fine.

When I post on these forums my comments are aimed more at the newer divers who still have open minds. I want them to at least be aware that there are safer, easier, more fun ways to do these dives so that they can make informed decisions. That involves taking a more systemic approach with a greater level of discipline and preparation. When I started diving back in 1999 I was lucky enough to stumble upon the old Aquanaut Techdiver mailing list where some users opened my eyes to a holistic system which — while perhaps not perfect — was at least superior to what my training had covered. So now I'm just trying to pay it forward.

 

[Celt]

Sure, I get it. Nothing I write can scare the tough guys who are convinced they have it all figured out. I know there are old timers on here who are going to keep doing whatever because they believe they're invincible (or they just don't care), and that's fine.

When I post on these forums my comments are aimed more at the newer divers who still have open minds. I want them to at least be aware that there are safer, easier, more fun ways to do these dives so that they can make informed decisions. That involves taking a more systemic approach with a greater level of discipline and preparation. When I started diving back in 1999 I was lucky enough to stumble upon the old Aquanaut Techdiver mailing list where some users opened my eyes to a holistic system which — while perhaps not perfect — was at least superior to what my training had covered. So now I'm just trying to pay it forward.

I have it figured out for me, and unlike you I’m not interested in converting anyone to my way of thinking.

 

[34109411]

As I recall, DAN has noted that in a very high percentage of dive fatalities, the diver died alone. That does not mean, however, that it was the diver's intent to be alone. In many cases, the diver was with a buddy or a group and somehow became separated. Of the people I know personally who died on dives, every single one died alone, but every single one started the dive with someone and had no intention of being alone.

I used to write the descriptions of cave diving deaths for the National Speleological Society's cave accident reports. Almost all of those were also alone. Most were planned solo dives; others had unplanned separations.

oh i believe for what you said, i was excluding cave diving. I was more thinking of a sole solo diver (not in part of group). I should had specified before.

Be safe

 

[grantmac]

Diving every dive to be safe alone is much safer than planning every dive to always have a buddy.