Solo diving

[swimlikethefish]

Single dive, square profile, get real, out behind the calculator and into the water. I dive nitrox all the time in Boynton Beach, Jupiter, and West Palm. Dives are frequently limited by NDL and not gas, even with an AL80.

Jupiter, Earth, or Mars...

I do not disagree the you can frequently be limited by Ndl. But in the case of your statement that it was absolutely not true, it seems to be true in the case I presented. I am in no way stating it isn't possible, I am just stating it is possible to be in a situation where you run out of air before you run out of ndl.

 

[tursiops]

So you are trying to say my calculations are wrong? I do not think there was an error made. I did it on paper with a calculator using the data above. The numbers usually do not lie, I use the same math planning my dives. It wouldn't matter of you had 40 or 4000 logged dives. If your sac was 0.36 doing that dive on nitrox with an Al80 you would run out far before you reached your actual ndl.

I'm not sure what you are trying to argue about. I think we understand the calculations.
The issue was the statement in post #19 that you could not run out of NDL before you ran out of gas (caveated a bit). The statement ignored SACs, ignored tank sizes, ignored Nitrox, ignored repetitive dives. It simply repeated the myth that in recreational diving you really do not need to worry about your NDL, just watch your pressure gauge. (Post 19 did not exactly this, but that is the implicaton.) That is wrong, and dangerous.

 

[swimlikethefish]

I'm not sure what you are trying to argue about. I think we understand the calculations.
The issue was the statement in post #19 that you could not run out of NDL before you ran out of gas (caveated a bit). The statement ignored SACs, ignored tank sizes, ignored Nitrox, ignored repetitive dives. It simply repeated the myth that in recreational diving you really do not need to worry about your NDL, just watch your pressure gauge. (Post 19 did not exactly this, but that is the implicaton.) That is wrong, and dangerous.

I do not disagree with you. I do not mean to argue. I am just clarifying that it is possible to run out of air before ndl. I could also present a case which exceeds ndl before running out of air with an AL80. I made my case because post #20 said that it "absolutely wasn't true." So I showed it could be true, that doesn't mean it is always true. Just that it is possible.

 

[Kaveman]

Yes, absolutely .Recreational diving only. No tech diving. I never did it and I don't think I'm going to, but you never know. People also mentioned training for solo diving. Is there such a thing in the diving school? Since everyone is saying not to do it, I won't. I just want to be clear. What I wanted to do is stay close to shore and no deeper than 40 ft. I don't see much danger in it. Water conditions are pretty normal here. But because I never did solo diving, I'll listen to your advises.

 

[tursiops]

I do not disagree with you. I do not mean to argue. I am just clarifying that it is possible to run out of air before ndl. I could also present a case which exceeds ndl before running out of air with an AL80. I made my case because post #20 said that it "absolutely wasn't true." So I showed it could be true, that doesn't mean it is always true. Just that it is possible.

OK, but you might read #19 again. The statement was that you cannot run out of NDL before running out of air. In effect, #19 said it could not happen. #20 said it could, not that there aren't some cases (like yours) where one doesn't run out of gas.

 

[CuzzA]

Yes, absolutely .Recreational diving only. No tech diving. I never did it and I don't think I'm going to, but you never know. People also mentioned training for solo diving. Is there such a thing in the diving school? Since everyone is saying not to do it, I won't. I just want to be clear. What I wanted to do is stay close to shore and no deeper than 40 ft. I don't see much danger in it. Water conditions are pretty normal here. But because I never did solo diving, I'll listen to your advises.

Do a hundred dives and then consider it. There is a solo diving course. The minimum required dives is 100.

 

[northernone]

Yes, absolutely .Recreational diving only. No tech diving. I never did it and I don't think I'm going to, but you never know. People also mentioned training for solo diving. Is there such a thing in the diving school? Since everyone is saying not to do it, I won't. I just want to be clear. What I wanted to do is stay close to shore and no deeper than 40 ft. I don't see much danger in it. Water conditions are pretty normal here. But because I never did solo diving, I'll listen to your advises.

To avoid "don't do it, because we say so", here's a little more of the risks.

Here is a few of the dangers:
Entanglement
Injury
Equipment failure
Environmental factors

Most diving deaths happen on the surface. 40 ft down is plenty deep to get into real trouble. Solo diving is a mindset as much as a skillset. It's not just a redundant air source.

Without knowing you, I can't guess if you'd survive long if you started solo diving now without training. That's rolling the dice.

The dive training agencies who do provide curriculum for solo diving have set the prerequisite at 100 dives before starting training. That may suggest the level of proficiency already aquired which is required to safely learn how to solo dive.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[TMHeimer]

To avoid "don't do it, because we say so", here's a little more of the risks.

Here is a few of the dangers:
Entanglement
Injury
Equipment failure
Environmental factors

Most diving deaths happen on the surface. 40 ft down is plenty deep to get into real trouble. Solo diving is a mindset as much as a skillset. It's not just a redundant air source.

Without knowing you, I can't guess if you'd survive long if you started solo diving now without training. That's rolling the dice.

The dive training agencies who do provide curriculum for solo diving have set the prerequisite at 100 dives before starting training. That may suggest the level of proficiency already aquired which is required to safely learn how to solo dive.

Regards,
Cameron

Agree with all. My biggest concern is entanglement, so I am always giving wide births to questionable stuff on the bottom. Fishing line not an issue here, but when I see something like that elsewhere I always follow the rule of swimming over it, rather than under --where entanglement is more likely.I also swim above the usual eel (sea) grass, which can be really tall here. Heart attack is of course possible, but I figure I have been alone lots in my life and could've bought the farm anytime by that. I bungee my primary second stage around my head, to hold the mouthpiece in my mouth in case of going unconscious for any reason (poor man's full face mask). I rarely go far from shore, so environment is probably very low risk--though I have a couple of times been out further than I'd like due to ebbing tide slight current. Equipment failure not likely to be a factor if very shallow. My solo diving rarely goes below 30', where I know I can do a CESA and do practice it. I would consider taking the solo or self reliant course, but haven't been in a place yet where it is offered. I only do deeper dives with a buddy.

 

[Scubis]

Aside from weather or not you can hit ndl before gas runs out on a single rec dive, I think we can all ultimately agree that op should follow his tables/computer, plan your dive, dive your plan, ascend with as much gas as is necessary according to his profile. Better to ascend with more than less, but do whats comfortable and within your skillset. Extra conservatism advised when solo diving

 

[curamax]

Hi Kaveman

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Solo Diver Course | Self Sufficient Diver | SDI | TDI | ERDI