Some thoughts about diving alone

[tomboyy]

My first post certification dive was solo. I didn't know what I didn't know. I did know that I loved it ! My wife and I have talked it over and we both know our deal, everybody is different thou, to each his own. I think bob said it better

 

[Superlyte27]

Grieving is not logical, it is emotional: How and why you die matters HUGELY to your family and friends.

A responsible person who truly cares about his family and friends will try to make sure that his death will not cause them to suffer.

If I die solo, guess what...

I'm dead, hopefully in a better place. Who cares how it happens.
It's kinda like people who buy/plan/implement funerals/burials at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars. I'm executer on a will that says I'm to have the guy cremated while playing Stairway to Heaven, then scatter his ashes between 5 of the chains of lakes he spent his life working on then scattering the remainder of ashes on his mother and fathers graves while playing,.... crap, I can't remember, i'll have pull out the paperwork.

YOUR DEAD. It doesn't matter anymore. I told my wife if she spends more than what it costs to have me torched and ashes scattered in the front lawn, she's a dummy. Survivors, bare this in mind. Whether he died solo or in group, he's still dead. He's not having to deal with bills, heartache, work stress, car breaking down, it's over. I believe he's either blissfully happy, or really friggin hot and miserable depending on choices he made in life. I care not whether he died alone or with someone. Fact is someone that I looked very fondly on, Wes Skiles is dead. The fact that he died alone doesn't bother me at all.

 

[ScubaGypsy]

Right or wrong, some pretty accomplished divers have died while diving solo on pretty benign dives:

Wes Skiles
Steve Berman
John Bennett

At the very least it should serve as a reminder that there really are no "routine dives."
I have no idea if having a buddy would have changed the outcome for any of these men, but it certainly gives pause for thought.

Some pretty accomplished divers have died while using rebreathers as well as diving in caves and/or deep diving, why single out solo diving? This seems to be selective reasoning at best. Perhaps there's another agenda being served here?

 

[TSandM]

I don't want this thread to turn into a solo diving bashfest. All I wanted to do was raise the issue of what family and loved ones might think, or how they might feel differently about someone who died diving alone, versus someone whose buddy could tell them that he did everything he could to save his friend, and who could perhaps shed some light on what actually happened (as Richard Mork's buddy, and Denton Byers' buddy did). Having the story could answer questions and put issues to rest for those who have to do the grieving.

 

[Cave Diver]

Some pretty accomplished divers have died while using rebreathers as well as diving in caves and/or deep diving, why single out solo diving? This seems to be selective reasoning at best. Perhaps there's another agenda being served here?

Wes was on a rebreather, Steve was in a cave. John was on a shallow wreck. It's not selective at all.

Like I said in my previous post:

At the very least it should serve as a reminder that there really are no "routine dives."
I have no idea if having a buddy would have changed the outcome for any of these men, but it certainly gives pause for thought.

 

[Mike Boswell]

If I die solo, guess what......Fact is someone that I looked very fondly on, Wes Skiles is dead. The fact that he died alone doesn't bother me at all.

If you die it will bother me. If you die alone with nobody to help you it will bother me a lot.

 

[merxlin]

I noticed that only a few responders actually discussed what their own thoughts were about their deaths, and if they had discussed it with those closest to them, those whom this situation would affect most. What I believe really is only half of the equation. What would make my wife feel better is the other half. I have discussed solo diving, and diving in general with my wife, as well as motorcycle riding, and any of the other activities I, she or we participate in. In my situation how I die will matter very little compared to the fact that I am dead. Unless there is some sort of catastrophic accident or monumental eff-up, then my passing will just be that: my turn. All the analysis in the world won't bring me back. Will it give someone something to point at and blame? Possibly. But I am hoping they don't do that as it just seems like a waste of time, and you don't know how much of that you have.

 

[MeanGuy]

we all die when our time comes. no time sooner, no time later. thats what i believe . we have a saying in my country it says something like this "there are so many causes for death, but death is one" , so , yes it is sad, we'll say what if we did this , what if we did that, but death is a part of life and we'll accept it.
for me i'll do what i can to help my buddy, but i definately dont want my buddy to die with me trying to save me.

may all those who left us rest in peace.

 

[redacted]

Had there been a buddy, things may well have been different. But one of the different possible outcomes is 2 lost divers and two families wondering what happened. I guess they just have to console themselves knowing that he or they died doing something they loved.

 

[srhein]

Funny, I had this discussion with my wife last night because I have had difficulty getting dives scheduled with my regular partners lately. Without missing a beat she said if I ever dived solo and she found out about it she would sell all my gear the next time I left the house.