Solo Diving

[Northeastwrecks]

FWIW, I did not want to start an online argument or make any of this discussion less than cordial and professional.

The question was raised (I've got to figure out that quote button) regarding the dropping of the primary regulator in favor of an octopus. I've never experienced a primary regulator failure. However, if it did fail to deliver gas, for whatever undefined reason, I have a secondary on a necklace.

Your point is well taken that a failure upstream from the primary may affect the secondary. For that reason, I carry a 40 cu.ft. hang bottle. If any component of my back gas system fails, I can switch to the hang bottle and ascend safely.

The other reason that I might switch to my secondary is that I donate my primary. That's not likely when I don't have a buddy. However, I'm usually not the only person in the water even when I'm solo.

For the record, I do not advocate solo diving over the buddy system, particularly when it is done without proper training and backup systems. I simply agree with the prior statement that no buddy can be better than a bad buddy. In addition, there are times, such as the seal dive I described earlier, when being solo presents greater opportunities while still allowing what I believe to be an acceptable safety margin.

 

[devilfish]

Originally posted by Northeastwrecks


Your point is well taken that a failure upstream from the primary may affect the secondary.

It's downstream system, has nothing to do with the sequence of regulators to the first stage. Upstream systems are out for at least 25 years or more.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

Devilfish:

In that case, I misunderstood your statement. I thought that you meant that the primary was downstream from the first stage, which in turn is downstream from the tank. I stand (or sit) corrected.

That said, my point remains the same. Some failures may cause a failure in the secondary as well as the primary. That is why I believe that independent systems are important, particularly when solo diving.

 

[devilfish]

Don't get me wrong. Redundecy is critical. The only true redundant system I consider is a pony, even with doubles. I would not leave home without it.
As for the down stream system, it is the design of the regulators, in the event of any failure they stay open, and as long as there is air/gas available they will free flow rather than shut down like it was with the upstream systems. That's the beauty of the modern regs. All one needs to do is breathe from a freeflow reg. Generally the freeflow is due to the failure or freezeup of first stage. For that reason if one reg is freeflowing for whatever reason it would not be a good idea to put additional demand on the first stage by using two regs, one freeflowing and the other sucking.
This is also one of the downfalls of an octopus in an out of air situation. It's easy to put too much demand on the first stage and start a freeflow on both regs.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

Thanks for the explanation. I appreciate it.

Your comment regarding doubles is interesting, particularly since I'm planning to order a set of double 104's this summer. Is this because of the isolation valve on the manifold? I had thought that the doubles would provide redundancy if I rigged the second stage regulators on separate first stages and did the same with my dry suit and BC so as to have redundant buoyancy control.

Thanks for your help.

 

[MikeFerrara]

The buddy system, when implemented well, provides the safest diving. When alone you do not have a backup for your most important piece of equipment...your brain. Most divers shouldn't even consider diving alone. I view solo diving as beyond the scope of recreational diving. I think the new solo-diving cert is bunk. I think a certain magazine's published views on solo diving are criminal. That being said, I have dived alone sometimes just to place or retrieve a float for a class. Sometimes to retrieve a droped piece of gear during a rescue class. Sometimes to set an anchor or locate a wreck to replace a missing mooring. Some of these solo dives have been the most enjoyable dives I have ever done. I teach and teach and teach. Even when I am not teaching one or more of my x-students are usually along. No matter what I am always watching someone. All this watching is the source of significant stress. I have money that says if I ever get hurt diving it will be trying to help someone else. I can not describe the soul clensing feeling I get from a short dive alone. More risk...OK. My solo diving views are contradictory but it isn't the first time I liked something that I knew could be bad for me.

 

[WD'S]

New to this forum, and first time replying!
As an instructor I would never condone or encourage solo diving for anyone. But I have to admit I am the biggest culprit of all. Anything I say here is no excuse!!! But I would like to post a questions. Please all get back to me with your feelings. So question. I take a group of resort course divers for there first time in open water (group size 6) Non have ever seen open water, first time out of the pool! We go through the open water exercises and then we start our dive. WHO IS MY BUDDY?!? With saying that ... Two maybe three weeks later I have just got my first day off. In the past days I have done 2 - 3 guided dives a day and one resort course a day. I want to go for a dive but I need some ME time. Do I go find one of my resort course people to come and be my buddy or do I just take off and have a little underwater relaxation time and the chance to enjoy the sport that I grew to love before I started work?!?
By the way I know longer work in the islands, I am married. My wife was a resort course diver I introduced to the underwater world and I would never ever dive with anyone else now that I have her as my Buddy forever!
One more question. To the people who do think it is ok if you have enough training and experience... Can you please detail that experience. This should be good.

 

[WreckWriter]

Originally posted by Northeastwrecks
Thanks for the explanation. I appreciate it.

Your comment regarding doubles is interesting, particularly since I'm planning to order a set of double 104's this summer. Is this because of the isolation valve on the manifold? I had thought that the doubles would provide redundancy if I rigged the second stage regulators on separate first stages and did the same with my dry suit and BC so as to have redundant buoyancy control.

Thanks for your help.

As long as you have dual outlets and an isolation valve (which you can easily manipulate underwater) doubles do provide proper redundancy. Carrying a pony on top of that (unless you mean a stage for deco gas), is just extra weight to schlep.

Tom

 

[Uncle Pug]

I used to do all my dives solo... most often with other divers off our own boat but we were all going our own way and doing our own thing at times ending up 1/4 mile apart... occassionally I would even take the boat out myself for a little UW relaxation... just go lay on the bottom somewhere and snooze... I was taught
"self help" by my first dive buddy (ex-navy diver) and it is what I demanded from everyone diving off my boat... if you needed hand holding you didn't dive with us a second time... even in public saftey rescue diving we went with one diver down/one diver up...

Several years ago I found out about DIR...
I began to rethink my approach to diving...
I coerced my buddies to start taking classes with me...
Only Shane has continued through to Tech but the rest did get the fundamentals...
And now we dive buddy teams...
Shane and I are very serious about it...
Diving with Shane in a buddy team I am just as free as I ever was diving solo...
Actually more so because I can do things I couldn't have then...

Now let me conclude with this: I am far better prepared training and equipment wise to dive solo than at any other time in my life and most other divers you will ever meet...

And I am also smart enough now to know that solo was never a good idea and we were very foolish in those days....