Solo Diving in the ocean in your own boat?

[r4e]

I do this regularly to max 170ft/50m depths with max dive time 90 minutes. If the conditions are perfect, I might consider 200ft/60m depths. Typically the shore line is 10-20 miles away, often out of sight.

I have a 26ft/7.8m RIB boat with twin 150 hp engines. The total length of the anchor line is 600ft/180m. The anchor is a pain in the a*** to manually heave up if the sea conditions deteriorate. Once I have had to cut the anchor line.

When diving without a warm body on the boat, I phone (or SMS) my exact GPS coordinates and planned dive time to a person whom I can rely on. The instructions are to call sea rescue, if I do not call back in time. I carry my mobile phone inside my dry suit and I have an emergency EPIRB/PLB device in a pressure proof canister.

I would not even consider these dives solo without a drysuit. I also study the sea weather forecast (wind strength and direction, wave height and direction) carefully for the trip duration plus atleast 12 hours beyond. Occasionally it has been that the weather changed earlier than expected and I try prepare for this when anchoring. The challenge is that you are not allowed to anchor and tie in to historic wrecks. Only shot lines are allowed.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

The wife and I both dive and often leave the boat unattended while diving. Been doing this for 40+ years and never had the boat leave us. Not to say that we've never had an anchor drag under windy conditions but we don't dive then.

 

[drunkendiver]

Thought I'd share my personal experience,

This happened out of my own stupid complacency. To start, I am an experienced boat operator and have been for years. I know how and have experience setting anchors for different wind and tide conditions. A few years ago I took my vessel to a protected harbor to dive for bay scallops. The area I was diving was 10-15 ft' of water. The harbor is well protected with an island beach in the middle. Because I was in shallow water with little wind and a slow current I let out a minimal amount of scope on the bow anchor and didn't bother with the anchor off the stern. Then I hopped in the water and started chasing after the elusive bay scallops. Came up an hour later and looked around and found my boat being gently lapped by small waves on the island beach about a quarter a mile away. I was able to rock the boat to deeper water. What happened was the current shifted and the anchor pulled while I was diving.

Again, it was my own complacency that this happened. The nice weather, little current, I'll just be under for an hour. I still dive with my vessel unattended but properly anchored no matter what the conditions. FWIW, if your not familiar with anchors and anchoring configurations at a minimum pick up a copy of Chapmans and practice. The book has good information on the different types of anchors for different conditions and configurations.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

Since you're diving anyway, you might as well check the anchor. I do this but mostly to see if it's going to get stuck.

 

[SubAquatix]

21 Foot SeaOx Cuddy with a single 200 HP, Radar and Radio. Because it is a single engine, I don't like going out much more than 30 miles, especially here in NC where the weather can change substantially over 2 hours. My offshore distance is additionally regulated by weather trends.

Typical dives are 110fsw or less. I double tie the anchor line on two cleats, although have never found one to have slipped. Once I leave am existing the dive, I pull the anchor and throw it into the sand, riding it up as I go to the surface. Once on the surface, gear goes on a hang line and I climb aboard, then haul up the gear. At that point, I use a mooring ball to float the anchor and head home.

 

[oldschoolto]

I did it for years as a solo diver and do it today with the wife and I diving... Know the weather and have the right gear... Always hand set the anchor and keep a eye on it thought out the dive... Or run a reel ... And always double tie-offs on two cleats on the anchor line...

Jim...

 

[spoolin01]

21 Foot SeaOx Cuddy with a single 200 HP, Radar and Radio. ...

At that point, I use a mooring ball to float the anchor and head home.

What sort and size of anchor do you use? Would you mind describing that last part a bit? I think I know what you mean but have never tried this. I'd be interested in how you rig and work it. When I had a bigger boat, I used the electric windlass. I now mostly dive from an inflatable so pulling anchor is easy, but I've also got a 22' fishing runabout that I'd be interested in adopting this technique for. thanks, Mike

 

[oldschoolto]

I'm only guessing.... I think a line is run to nose of the anchor and back to the boat... When you want to lift the anchor the float ball is pulled down to the anchor by the float line ...Lifting the anchor out of the seafloor... Like I said just a guess....

Jim

Wait..... The float line is tightened to the anchor and floats straight up..... Then that line is used to remove the anchor set....

 

[KathyV]

I am not a solo diver and I am NOT opposed to the practice, but I recently had an experience that could have been serious and brought home the possible ramifications of leaving a boat unattended while diving - alone or with others.

We were diving off of Cayman Brac with Reef Divers last October when the mooring line broke free. When my husband and I got back to the mooring at the end of the dive I saw that there was no boat up above and that there were some divers on the surface. My first thought was that there had been a medical emergency and the boat had to leave to seek assistance, and another boat would be coming (during the boat orientation the divemasters had mentioned this as a possibility but told us that they would sound a loud siren to warn us to stay down while the boat was leaving - but I hadn't heard any siren) then I saw the broken line in the water and realized what had happened.

When we finished our safety stop and went up to the surface the divemaster in the water told us that the other divemaster (that had stayed on the boat) had moved it to the next mooring in the direction of the current. We waited until all of the divers had surfaced and inflated their BCs and then drifted/swam to the boat as a group.

Everything was managed well and there was no panic or injuries - but it made me think - what if we came up and there was no boat and no land close by and nobody had been onboard? That's why I was concerned when I recently read that the Sunset Divers in Grand Cayman had been fined for leaving a boat unattended while divers were in the water. I don't know the specific circumstances of that incident but it sounds very dangerous.

Just my opinion, but if you are going to dive and leave the boat unattended (either solo or with others) then you should probably carry a personal locator beacon; and if you are considering a dive operation, try to make sure that they follow the safety regulations. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

then I saw the broken line in the water and realized what had happened.

More curious than anything - did the mooring line look rotted or frayed? Hard to believe a newer line would break but anything is possible and it was a good reminder.
Thanks