ArcticDiver:
-Most people dive a lot more solo than they realize. Even if in a group; if the other people are too far away to notice a problem and immediately help you are diving solo. It isn't how many people are in the water. It is how many people can come to your immediate assistance.
At the risk of seeming to be a semanticist, might I suggest that using the same word, "solo", to describe both prepared solo divers and unprepared where's-my-buddy divers is imprecise? Although it would likely be pointless to attempt to popularize a new term, it would be far more descriptive, nonetheless.
Someone who is on a dive with other people when they suddenly realize they are no longer in a position to be mutually supportive of each other is now diving
alone, but accidentally finding themselves alone should be considered separately from those who knowingly choose to dive solo. Giving unintentional solo a separate name is purely artificial; however, the distinction should be observed.
ArcticDiver:
-The only true emergency is not having enough breathing gas to solve the problem. So, a responsible diver will be thinking in terms of maximum tank size you can practically carry instead of the common, but mistaken, thought of minumum tank size they can get away with.
I'm afraid I must disagree with both the minimalists and your maximalism. While I would consider it supremely foolish to attempt to whittle my contingency gas down to the bare minimum (i.e. the "but 13cf *should* be fine" concept), at the same time, attempting to carry as much gas as possible seems flawed, as well.
A good diver should have a solid grasp on gas management (and for solo divers, exceptionally so). Choosing to carry more air
just because it's more air is not a valid basis for that decision.
Take one of my "normal" solo dives as an example. It's open water, and there is a hard bottom at 85 feet, and I'm carrying an AL100 for primary gas and an AL19 as contingency (tested at the beginning of the dive and slung). If I lose primary gas at any point in the dive, I can switch to my contingency gas and execute a normal ascent. I will also have several minutes of bottom time available on the contingency gas, even when considering a normal ascent with a highly elevated breathing rate. There is essentially zero chance of assistance on the bottom. If I lose all gas, primary and contingency, I can still fall back on a free ascent and deal with the consequences.
Is there any problem which I will not be able to solve in the time given to me by an AL19 that I could solve given more air? If I'm so thoroughly entangled that I can't cut my way out in 15 minutes, am I likely to be able to cut my way out in 30?
For some diving (wreck penetration, caving), more gas may be universally a good thing, but if it benefits me almost nothing for the type of diving I'm doing, there is nothing wrong with weighing the positives and negatives and deciding that a smaller reserve would be better. (When you're back in an overhead, "just because it's more" is a *very* valid reason for carrying more air.
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ArcticDiver:
I should say that I really enjoy Team Diving. It is much more fun in most circumstances than Solo. It is even more convenient. Plus, I like people and like to learn from others.
I, too, enjoy diving with good teams (in my case, that tends to mean two of us, but that's because that's all we are right now). It can indeed be more fun (although I do find solo to be more relaxing for me, personally). Learning from each other is certainly great.
Just one question... How, for you, is it even more convenient? For me, here in Baton Rouge, I have to drive 4-6 hours, at least, to go diving. I started solo diving because I couldn't find anyone who was both willing and able to dive when I could. (My best dive buddy works on weekends, and I've got an office job.) Obviously, I don't dispute that team diving can be more convenient to you, but my personal experience has not shown me when that would be. (I'm honestly asking. I like learning, too.)
I suppose if I had a good team of divers and didn't have to get everything together myself, it might be more convenient, but with most of my diving being inland shore diving, there really isn't much inconvenience to share. (I'd still have to get all my gear together, just the same. There's no working out of charters and all that when you're diving a lake, dam, spring, or quarry -- they don't go anywhere.
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Anyway...