Solo Diving- Absolute No-No?

[turnerjd]

Mario,

I read that last October / November when it came out. It is a brilliant book, and very entertaining.

FWIW it is one of the few books that can explain to non divers why divers go and do what we do. It's just that the guys in the book take everything that little bit further!

Such a shame that the only reason they didn't use trimix on their final (fatal) dive was that they couldn't afford it.

Jon T

 

[DameDykker]

Hi Jon and Mario

I read it in December - wonderful book. I totally agree with you folks. Actually it made me sign up for the nitrox course. Just wonder that the tale of somebody coming to harm doing technical diving can make you want to learn something leading to that road. But of course I would never make mistakes like they did! Yes, and I would like to learn more. Actually I'm doing the theoretical exam for CMAS *** tonight. Please, keep your fingers crossed for me

DSAO

 

[gozumutti]

Dame Dykker

Fingers are crossed, but I am sure you will have no problems!! Let us know how you did.

gozumutti

 

[turnerjd]

Hiya all,

Last night went to the local dive club (about the 5th time), I now have a french FFESSM licence!!

I had a chat with one of their instructors, who'se comment afterwards was 'sometimes rule are just guidelines don't you think?', and then signed me up as a qualified CMAS *** diver (after he had looked at my log books, and decided I had done more diving than him!).

We just chatted about all sorts of random things, and he seemed more than happy with the general level of PADI education I had received, what a difference from all the other instructors I had met!

Jon T

FWIW

CMAS*** < PADI DM < CMAS 1* instructor < PADI OWSI < CMAS 2* instructor < PADI MSDT < CMAS 3* instructor

 

[DameDykker]

Hi Jon

Glad to hear that you can finally dive in France. Save us some good stories from the dives. When have you planned the first one??

DSAO

 

[turnerjd]

DameDykker,

There was an ice dive planned for the 3/4 March, but we have no ice! (it also clashes with the london dive show so I couldn't go anyway.)

Probably the 17th and 18th March in the Atlantic!

Jon T

 

[The Professor]

Solo Diving: Diving from a dive boat with several other divers "in the vicinity" I find myself "solo diving". I carry a "Spare Air" on every dive and have used it several times just to test the depth and ascent rate its contents allow me to surface easily with a deco stop. I usually try to keep another diver in sight most of the time but I do not like to be assigned a "buddy". I do underwater video and it can be pretty boring for a companion. I think that I dove for about five years following the "buddy rule". Then, after about 300+ dives I felt secure and at ease enough to dive alone. I rarely dive deeper than 60 feet and
always return to the boat with plenty of air in the tank.

Group dives in regions with strong currents (drift Dives) are another matter entirely. Places like Cocos Island, The Galapagos, Fiji and Palau absolutely demand that you stick together. On the other hand, at Little Cayman with 150 feet of visibility, no currents and 400 dives of familiarity plus my spare air, I feel at peace diving alone. The Professor.

 

[turnerjd]

This is one subject that keeps cropping up.

Whilst everyone agrees that an AAS, especially a redundant one, is absolutely essential, the usefullness of a 0.3L 'bailout bottle' is a bit dubious.

Recently (I think it was the last issue) diver magasine had an article in it about using a pony cylinder. It had a comparison of a pony and a spair air. Whilst a pony is much larger and a bit more expensive than spare air, it does contain considerably more air. They had tried some ascents from different depths, Spare air failed most of them. It is just too small to be any use beyone about 20m / 66 ft.

If people are going to rely on them Please remember that you might only get 2 or 3 breaths from it at any significant depth, certainly don't take it much deeper that the professor does. Spair air might be OK for a safety stop, however, for decompression stops it isn't big enough.

During heavy exercise the air consumption can rise to 60 Litres per minute. Immagine that first Looong breath after you get the spare air into your mouth, now immagine using air at that rate at perhaps 30 metres.

Jon T

 

[scubanole]

I agree the Last Dive was a very good book. It really does make you want to take a cavern and cave class, but deep down I really have no desire to get into cave diving. It also will get you thinking about technicial diving. Any way if you have not read the book you really shoud get a copy and read it.

 

[Mario S Caner]

Actually a pony bottle is Less expensive than a SpareAir bottle. At least in this area...

A pony bottle goes from $85-125 for sizes ranging from 6-30cuft. The reg that will suffice is a $80-120 non balanced unit from a number of manufacturers. A small guage will run you around $25.

The SpareAir runs $250-290 depending on size, which ranges from 1.5 - 6 cuft.

The 1.5cuft SpareAir bottle advertises 48 breaths on the surface. So at 33ft, you'll get 24 breaths. 66ft you'll get 16 etc etc. Although these numbers will be different for different people, they are fairly close. That amount of air should get you to your buddy or the surface without unnecessary haste.

I own a SpareAir but haven't dived it since I picked up a Pony Bottle, what do I recommend to students... the Pony bottle. Which is better for traveling with and fills off a standard yoke valved scuba cylinder? The SpareAir. Should you buy both? If you can, Absolutely.