Some thoughts about diving alone

[TSandM]

An amazing man, Wes Skiles, died diving this week, and he died alone. No matter what you think about the decision to be alone where and when he was . . . one thing is true about his death, which is that no one will ever know exactly how it happened. There may be some information to be gained from his gear, but there may not be. An autopsy may or may not reveal anything useful.

His family and his friends, and people who didn't know him but loved him anyway, may never know exactly how and why he died. They may always think that, if someone had just been with him, he might have survived whatever the issue was.

A couple of years back, Kawika Chetron died . . . alone. He was another extraordinarily talented photographer and writer. No one knows what happened to him, because his body was never recovered. Maybe a companion or buddy could have helped; maybe not.

But the one thing you can say when someone does have a buddy on a fatal dive, as we could say about Richard Mork's death -- If a buddy was there, and did all he could, then we know that what could have been done was done. Otherwise, the torment is the thought that something could have been done, and wasn't.

I don't want my family tortured with that.

 

[seacreatures]

A friend of mine died in the middle of a class in open water with a sheriff's Dive team next to him and nothing could be done So when your ticket is punched it is punched,all you can do it get all the training possible and then you have done all anyone can do We come into the world alone and we go out the same way with one possible exception!

 

[Rhone Man]

Every death is tragic in its own way, but dying amongst a group doesn't assure your loved ones of finding answers about your death any more than dying alone guarantees that they won't find out how or why you died.

 

[Ben_ca]

A friend of mine died in the middle of a class in open water with a sheriff's Dive team next to him and nothing could be done So when your ticket is punched it is punched,all you can do it get all the training possible and then you have done all anyone can do We come into the world alone and we go out the same way with one possible exception!

Every death is tragic in its own way, but dying amongst a group doesn't assure your loved ones of finding answers about your death any more than dying alone guarantees that they won't find out how or why you died.

With witnesses though you have a lot more clues to what happened... and a body. Imagine a friend laying on the bottom for a while when all his friends are chatting about a wonderful dive is something that I wouldn't want to go thru or subject my friends to...

I'm with Lynne on this one.

 

[seacreatures]

You think if you die in the presence of people makes a difference? Or if my "Buddy" sees me die he will feel better? To each his own;O The solo diver has to be informed and be allowed to follow his own piper, these are personal, and well thought out decisions I would hope.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Carry a PLB: that should cover the "left behind/drift away" scenario, if a solo diver can make it to the surface and is conscious & able enough to deploy it (probably could've helped Kawika if he surfaced, or at very least aided in finding his body). . .

 

[formula1mb@aol.com]

I don't want my family tortured with that.

I have to say solo diving is one of those things that has interested me and might be tempted to do in the future. From that perspective, I am interested in learning from others and hearing different opinions.

TSandM----being an experienced diver and talking about recreational level, openwater dives, have you ever been on a dive where having a buddy saved the day and prevented a serious incident or accident? Obviously we all have dives where the buddy helps out but wondering if you ever had a real close call where the buddy saved the day?

Robert

 

[kathydee]

Several years ago we rescued an unconscious solo diver on the surface who had a brain aneurism from rapid ascent @ +/-40 ft. By the time our rescue efforts reached him, he had been face down in the water without a reg for more than several minutes.

When we pulled him onto the boat, his muscles were seizing, his breath was erratic, and the sounds coming from his mouth still give me chills. Then his breath stopped… and fortunately resumed. 7 trips to the chamber later, he is very lucky to have lived without issue.

Based on his story – it is probable that a partner could have helped solve the issue underwater and avoided the rapid ascent. At the very least, a partner could have ascended with him and helped him at the surface.

 

[Rhone Man]

Well, let's be careful not to confuse two different things. Are you more likely to get assistance if you dive with buddies? Clearly, yes. That is a risk solo divers accept. But my point was that one should not assume that because you die near somebody your next of kin will always know what happened (facilitate "closure", as psychotherapists like to say), and if you dive solo they never will. Plenty of people have died in groups and the body was not recovered. People also die solo and still have an open casket funeral (I note that Wes's body was recovered a short time afterwards).

Dive in groups for safety by all means. But don't do it just to give your next of kin answers.

 

[knowone]

Ascended post rapid ascent hopefully, and immediate incident witness recollection is poor even when trained, and unless you are glued to a buddy literally siamese by the head you will not have seen the same things during an entire dive except water or an island, and you should buddy up with unknowns in case you are tempted to follow someone that only causes you trouble up, let them die with some dignity without gabbing about it for pages and feeling guilt and sorrow about something there is no control over is ridiculous, and it was probably their fault anyway, and relying on a buddy for anything but company is negligent because they won't be able to help you with what you should have helped yourself with anyway, because by the time they realise something is going on you are gone and some people choose to go that way, and tomorrow I'm going to leave two minutes later to avoid the accident I had today.