Question Solo, Shallow, Senior, Sunset, Safe second…

[lowviz]

To the point:

Most of my dives are under 20’ and at night just to watch the critters. I see no reason for a ‘safe second’ in these conditions. What am I missing?


I’ve done my homework with past posts, this link shallow solo question

sums it up: “There is not much talk of shallow solo diving on SB. Appreciate tips.”

Details:

I am elderly but not yet in the check-out generation. I dive solo and NEVER see another soul. I’ve given my tech gear to the kid (and others) while keeping all my best pristine regs etc for myself. So it is time to reconfigure my Freedom Plate @Eric Sedletzky for a wetsuit and a steel HP100 or LP50. Appropriate W/B is a yes.

Octo/safe second???

I have thick skin, almost all comments welcome…

 

[lexvil]

Is there a question here? At less than 20 feet the best reason for a second second is to not have to leave the dive early if something went wrong with the first second. It’s not like you have to buy one.

 

[lowviz]

Yes, the question is that I NEVER needed a second second (even on deep dives) so why config one onto a super simple shallow rig???

You can't turn it off (without an H-valve) on a single tank...

 

[GJC]

At that depth, I think I would consider the octo is just another unnecessary failure point that could lose gas if bumped, free flow, or become an entanglement hazard that can get caught in fishing line.

As a solo diver, your backup should be a completely independent supply (a pony with adequate size for the planned depth). At 20 ft, this may be one of the few appropriate uses for a Spare Air 3.0. But at that depth, my backup air supply would be the surface after CESA.

 

[Ana]

Husband and I are in similar situation. Stoped doing challenging dives about 5-8 years ago.

We do go day or night and usually deeper, but truly easy drift dives. The only times I've seen my husband with an extra 2nd is when traveling, about once every other year.
Our pony bottles have been blowing tires, cleaning corners and whatever other tasks in the garage for the last 2 decades.

I see no reason to complicate a rig for a simple dive. You know your gear, take what you need, finish the dive early if something isn't just like you know should be.

If you want to be really safe, inspect your house with fresh eyes... I can't believe how many times I hear of people tripping and falling at home, their own bedroom half of the times.

 

[rx7diver]

To the point:

Most of my dives are under 20’ and at night just to watch the critters. I see no reason for a ‘safe second’ in these conditions. What am I missing?
...
So it is time to reconfigure my Freedom Plate @Eric Sedletzky for a wetsuit and a steel HP100 or LP50. Appropriate W/B is a yes.

Octo/safe second???

@lowviz ,

A couple of months ago I added a safe second to my simple shallow solo configuration--just in case! I do notice it. But, I can live with it. (VDH wings in stock!!!)

And my SS Freedom Plate lives on my old-school PST (U.S. Divers) steel 72. Y-valve for rec diving to moderate depths. A very nice configuration, IMHO. (Freedom Plate Divers Roll Call: show us your rig!)

EDIT: Added the link to my Freedom Plate + 72.

rx7diver

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

My solo shallow rig consists if a MK2 and an older 108 that I got from @Couv.
The only other thing I consider essential is a compass. Many times I’m shallow enough that I don’t even bother with a timer or depth gauge/computer. The air in my 72 pretty much determines the length of the dive which will never get close to any NDL. I know the sites and the depths by heart. Anything non essential just becomes something that can be lost or just extra stuff on my wrist. Going deeper then yeah, I take what I need.
Diving deeper with a buddy, then I use a rig with an octo.

 

[TMHeimer]

Most of my dives the last 5 years are exactly like yours (though I do occasionally hit 30' and on rare occasions deeper, like 50'). I just have an octo because it was always there. I DID need it once as lexvil mentioned above-- my molded mouthpiece came off my primary so I used the octo for my 2nd dive. IMO you need no octo or pony bottle at 30' if you can easily do a CESA (which I practice regularly, but that's a topic that's been discussed to death).

 

[tursiops]

To the point:

Most of my dives are under 20’ and at night just to watch the critters. I see no reason for a ‘safe second’ in these conditions. What am I missing?


I’ve done my homework with past posts, this link shallow solo question

sums it up: “There is not much talk of shallow solo diving on SB. Appreciate tips.”

Details:

I am elderly but not yet in the check-out generation. I dive solo and NEVER see another soul. I’ve given my tech gear to the kid (and others) while keeping all my best pristine regs etc for myself. So it is time to reconfigure my Freedom Plate @Eric Sedletzky for a wetsuit and a steel HP100 or LP50. Appropriate W/B is a yes.

Octo/safe second???

I have thick skin, almost all comments welcome…

I don't see the issue. The alternate is primarily for your non-existent buddy. If you don't have it, the only thing you lose is...well...an alternate if something goes wrong with your primary. It's why you sometimes have two lights, two computers, two cutting tools reachable with either hand, sometimes a spare mask. It is redundancy for your primary regulator.

 

[TMHeimer]

I don't see the issue. The alternate is primarily for your non-existent buddy. If you don't have it, the only thing you lose is...well...an alternate if something goes wrong with your primary. It's why you sometimes have two lights, two computers, two cutting tools reachable with either hand, sometimes a spare mask. It is redundancy for your primary regulator.

Yes. Also if you get your reg kicked out of your mouth and for some reason can't retrieve it, you have th octo right there (I bungee my reg around my head so it can not come lose).