Question Solo Cert for Technical Dives?

[lostsheep]

This was from breathing bad air in a cave

Do you have additional info about that incident other than what was shown in the video?

 

[Anish]

Was everyone in the group using redundant equipment?

No redundant equipment (well except octopus of course). Pure recreational dives. The pinnacle it self was not too deep (12-15 m). The currents took everyone by surprise. In the end we managed to find our way under a ledge that offered some protection and regrouped and then surfaced so it worked out okay. But still one of the scariest dives I have ever done.

 

[grantmac]

No redundant equipment (well except octopus of course). Pure recreational dives. The pinnacle it self was not too deep (12-15 m). The currents took everyone by surprise. In the end we managed to find our way under a ledge that offered some protection and regrouped and then surfaced so it worked out okay. But still one of the scariest dives I have ever done.

You prove my previous point, thanks.

 

[Wibble]

Addressing the thread title, isn’t every technical course a solo course? Sure, we can argue the semantics of self reliance versus solo until the cows come home.

Every technical dive is essentially a solo dive, from kit purchase through planning, all procedures are developed for anticipating, diagnosing, resolving and working around failures. The very definition of technical diving is redundancy, skills and knowledge.

Therefore all technical courses are essentially solo courses. All technical divers will develop and practice their skills with that in mind.

Certifications are completely moot. It is a technical diver’s responsibility to maintain those skills.

 

[SpaceX Aquanaut]

Addressing the thread title, isn’t every technical course a solo course? Sure, we ca argue the semantics of self reliance versus solo until the cows come home.

Every technical dive is essentially a solo dive, from kit purchase through planning, all procedures are developed for anticipating, diagnosing, resolving and working around failures. The very definition of technical diving is redundancy, skills and knowledge.

Therefore all technical courses are essentially solo courses. All technical divers will develop and practice their skills with that in mind.

Certifications are completely moot. It is a technical diver’s responsibility to maintain those skills.

Well . . .one of the Australian Liveaboards (Mike Ball?) required non-buddied photographers to have a Solo Certification.

 

[Wibble]

Well . . .one of the Australian Liveaboards (Mike Ball?) required non-buddied photographers to have a Solo Certification.

Aren’t those rather “recreational” photographers? They won’t be diving in overhead conditions, i.e. decompression with multiple gases.

@Nick_Radov - my point is you plan your dives for failures such that you can resolve issue quickly on your own without fuss, e.g. shutdowns. Planning incorporates failures such as one gas fails and you can finish. You plan to have enough gas for a buddy. If that’s not possible you put in special conditions such as team bailout. You even plan for team separation.

All of these are self sufficiency, the skills a solo diver chooses to exploit.