Solo scootering?

[MauiScubaSteve]

....when a Giant Octopus decides he wants to play Tug of War with your appendages. Of all the things that could have ran through your mind, the greatest one was "This is Kodak Moment for sure!!!"

While this was the second largest octopus I have seen in Hawaii (biger one was within 1/4 mile of this location) it was only a large octopus, not a Giant Octopus.

I was "out there" with my camera looking for "Kodak Moments." Most Hawaiian day octopi are easy to "tickle" out of a hiding spot; the big ones usually have more tickle resistance. I had fired the strobe 7 times before it "found" my reg, the strobe probably had an aggravation effect also. I did not get a picture of Octo grabbing reg; I quit tickling and held onto my reg with the camera hand!

Years earlier, I did get a self portrait of a smaller octo, in shallow water, with one tentacle around my neck and another tentacle holding my reg hose.

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[LeadTurn_SD]

Thanks for all of the replies folks.

That is one of the things I really like and appreciate about scubaboard: Virtual Mentors.

Not a substitute for a "real world" mentor or instructor, but I've had a lot of questions answered on a variety of topics, and do appreciate being able call on the experience of those who have "been there, done that, got the t-shirt"

Best wishes.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Another option for a stuck on scooter is to simply ride it up in a spiral around a buddy or maybe back to shore or at a shallow angle toward the surface. I've been around when the member of a very well respected dive team, kinda freaked and ditched a $3000 scooter at 300 feet simply because the switch stuck on.

 

[Scott L]

Another option for a stuck on scooter is to simply ride it up in a spiral around a buddy or maybe back to shore or at a shallow angle toward the surface. I've been around when the member of a very well respected dive team, kinda freaked and ditched a $3000 scooter at 300 feet simply because the switch stuck on.

I don't blame him. Deep stops & deco stops would be rather difficult to accomplish. Getting a lift bag attached and unclipping would bring it to the surface at some point I would think...

 

[East West]

Plan for two problems a dead or flooded scooter or a reed switch , mechanical problem keeping power stuck open . I have been careless about planning my dives in general but have kept a few rules not to travel farther than want to swim , limit my activity and equipment , no scootering with bad visibility etc. A fin in the prop will cure a power on situation it will blow a fuse or breaker . I may not solo night scooter but have done it in the past .

 

[preTex]

My scooter dives have been on reefs with no overhead restriction. Planning? Boat diving, have the equipment necessary to signal a pickup on the surface. Shore start, air and tide considerations are critical. Stuck on switch? Dive over and head back to boat or planned exit point.
I've mainly used the Torpedo and a home brew scooter for my dives.