The Planning Necessary for Solo Dives

[goonsquad]

I agree, it can be a lot of fun but what precautions do you take with porn?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I agree, it can be a lot of fun but what precautions do you take with porn?

Solo diving isn't like porn ... you're not watching someone else do something ... you're doing it yourself. Therefore you need to take precautions ... more importantly, you need to know what precautions are going to matter.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Akimbo]

I see it as being a bit more participatory than that ... and it can be a lot of fun as long as you take appropriate precautions ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I tend to differ a little here. I assume that all dives are solo and I have the sole responsibility to get and keep myself out of trouble. The assistance of someone else is not reliable regardless of skill, training, or intent. Loosing site of other divers is a constant problem, but I have always been there for me — weather I like the situation or not.

Therefore there are no special precautions, by definition. Precautions do change based on the dive plan. I treat 60' much differently than 250'.

 

[Akimbo]

Solo diving isn't like porn ... you're not watching someone else do something ... you're doing it yourself. Therefore you need to take precautions ... more importantly, you need to know what precautions are going to matter.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

My quote was a play on the words of the US Supreme Court's definition of pornography, not the actual experience. I consider knowing what precautions are going to matter to be a visceral understanding of yourself and the environment rather than a check list. Solo diving is about self realization, not a merit badge. Some people may one day conclude that they don’t depend on anyone else for their safety or enjoyment during a dive. IMHO, solo diving should not be a goal, a course, or an offense against humanity. It is a personal choice based on self evaluation.

For the benefit of readers outside the US who have no clue about my comment:
I know it when I see it - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[jago]

What-if :

• Write the risks you accept (2 simultaneous bottom gas regulators leaks ... ) and you reject (one bottom gas regulator leak ... )

• Find a solution to solve the issue of a non-acceptable risk.
• Pray acceptable risks don't happen.

Plan the dive and dive the plan.

Enjoy.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

My quote was a play on the words of the US Supreme Court's definition of pornography, not the actual experience. I consider knowing what precautions are going to matter to be a visceral understanding of yourself and the environment rather than a check list. Solo diving is about self realization, not a merit badge. Some people may one day conclude that they don’t depend on anyone else for their safety or enjoyment during a dive. IMHO, solo diving should not be a goal, a course, or an offense against humanity. It is a personal choice based on self evaluation.

For the benefit of readers outside the US who have no clue about my comment:
I know it when I see it - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Agreed ... but it needs to be a honest self-evaluation. I have found that most divers tend to believe they are more skilled than they actually are. If an emergency arises when diving with a competent buddy, that can turn out to be an epiphany. If the same emergency arises when diving alone, it can turn out to be fatal ... and it sometimes does.

You need to not just know your abilities, but your limitations as well ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Akimbo]

Agreed ... but it needs to be a honest self-evaluation. I have found that most divers tend to believe they are more skilled than they actually are. If an emergency arises when diving with a competent buddy, that can turn out to be an epiphany. If the same emergency arises when diving alone, it can turn out to be fatal ... and it sometimes does.

You need to not just know your abilities, but your limitations as well ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Recreational diving has reached a point that only a very small population has actually experienced an emergency… inconvenience with the potential to escalate perhaps, but not an actual emergency. There will always be individuals that overestimate their ability and underestimate risks. I certainly have been guilty of that on many occasions, probably starting shortly after birth.

Unfortunately, personal limitations are defined more by failures than intellect. Even the most testosterone-fueled daredevils hate to fail, so the internal recognition of being ready to solo is a decision that I have faith in people to make. However; no amount of courses, manuals, and advice will keep Darwin's observations from recurring.

My initial comment may have sounded flip, but this is the reason that I suggested that internal recognition of being ready to solo is the best answer rather than offering specific practices.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

That is key; are you really ready to solo?

How you should plan a solo dive is not the same as how I plan solo dives. Most of my thousand+ solo dives are just drive down to shore and head "that-a-way" until half a tank, then head back. The really advanced solo dives, like the links below, take more planning.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/hawaii-ohana/243718-molokini-kayak-dive.html

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/hawaii-ohana/204383-carthaginian-shore.html

photos moved to smugmug;

Carthaginian 007 - halemano's Photos- powered by SmugMug

Molokini Kayak Dive - halemano's Photos- powered by SmugMug

 

[divengolf]

When I solo, and I do a lot, I make sure that someone who is responsible and NOT in the water, is aware of my dive plan, esp. where I'm going, what I'll be doing and when I'll be back to the boat/shore. Then I stick to that plan.

I make sure that I'm back by the time I give them, regardless of how good the dive is.

BTW: I started my solo training after about 250 dives (in about 4 years since OW cert.), so the comments from those with much more experience than I have, should be heeded.

Don't rush into solo. It's lonely down there when you have a problem.

 

[diver_doug]

I wrote this a while ago (before I realized there was a solo forum)...you might find it helpful: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/solo-divers/325616-solo-diving.html

Since I wrote that post I've done probably about another 30-40 solo dives and i don't feel exactly the same way now that I did when i wrote it...but I think overall it's still good information for someone with not a lot of dives considering solo diving. Also, as far as dive planning goes I'm a lot like halemano. Here's my dive plan/inner monologue: "Okay, I'm gonna go out there, it'll be about 30ft deep, I don't wanna have to do any surface swimming on the way back so I'll head back at around 800psi." Or "this dive's gonna be further out than the one I did last time I was here, plus I'm gonna be at about 50ft...better head back at 1200psi."