The solo diving movement, a good idea?

[drrich2]

Wow, starting to question my spare air purchase. Are they really that bad?

Not if you accept it for what it is and realistically accept what it can & cannot do.

If nothing else, in an abrupt out of air situation, sticking it in your mouth might help you take a moment to think, reducing the tendency to panic, I suppose. That alone is no small thing.

While I think a dive OOA at 40' ought to be able to survive the experience, if it were going to happen to me, I'd rather than the SpareAir on me than not.

Richard.

 

[DaleC]

Everybody has there own opinion towards gas management and this is what I have learned about myself and solo diving (in that regard).

My pony is not for entanglements. That gas should be part of the reserve in my backgas. As far as entanglements go a pony would probably be more of a hindrance and an additional point to snag on. If I had to doff my gear that would mean I have the opportunity to take a full breath and prepare for a CESA but, IRL, if you can doff your rig you can probably clear it. Ditching and breathing off a small bottle really only happens in cave diving movies.

My pony, or redundant airsource, is for those occasions when I might not want/be able to ascend immediately should a failure occur (depth/close to NDL's/boat traffic/kelp) or for a rare failure causing immediate loss of gas (plugged dip tube/stage). Otherwise, most other issues will allow for a direct ascent while using back gas. I still use a pony but I think I've adopted a more discerning/mature outlook as to their true value.

A pony can be a positive asset or a detriment. While the benefits may seem obvious, there are some subtle negatives, chiefly, affording the newer/inexperienced diver a sense of safety when the accompanying skill sets of basic self sufficiency are lacking. As someone who began soloing early on I was fortunate to have a conservative approach to risk exposure and gradually worked my way into diving in a way that allowed me to accrue some experience before jumping full tilt into the deep end of the pool.
Why I dive the way I do now however, I have no explanation for... I think it's permanent narcosis.

 

[Max Speed]

Wow, starting to question my spare air purchase. Are they really that bad?

No. On a deep dive it will get you to CESA depth. You will live. Without it you might not. On a shallower dive it will get you up.

Don't forget that you also need to be buoyant when you arrive and your power inflator probably isn't working...

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Avonthediver]

I've said it for a long time and post it on SB now and then. If a diver asks if they are ready to solo dive, they probably aren't ready. My experience is that most divers just kinda slip into solo. They go from same ocean buddy diving to eventually intentional solo diving where the diver may be the only one in the water that day. Some people take a course others learned by doing as solo courses weren't always available. There was a time solo diving was thought to be something like a mortal sin. Always being one to go against the conventional wisdom, I taught myself to solo dive. After >35 years of solo diving, still alive a well, I'm happy to report!

Besides Mike Nelson almost always dived alone

Like AfterDark I also was told I was the worst type of diver and should not be around less I get someone killed or kill myself. I love TO SOLO.....and have for many many years and I feel I have become a better diver as I look at all of the little things around me and watch close at time and depth more closer than I ever did before. I do still dive with buddy's my wife is one of my best buddy's.
And like all of the others before me if "you dont think you are ready" your not!

SOLO ON!!!!

 

[Only halcyon]

Not sure I would be comfortable with you doing 90% of your dives solo with such a low number of dives. Especially with "topwater jitters" With so few dives, I could see you going into a situation without realizing it is beyond your limited experience. The spare air is probably worthless in a real emergency. It will give you perhaps 2-3 minutes of air. you can, however, use it for opening different kinds of nuts between dives.

Just my $0.02

Rich

none of my solos are or have ever been deeper that 2at. Everybody has a fear in life and the only way to overcome it is to face it. My top water jitters do not consume me. They are initially distracting and only on the first dive of the day. If they are too distracting I either float topside for a bit or get completely out and try again after a few minutes of relaxing on the kayak. I suffer no jitters on shore dives or high vis. Dives. Only low vis dives. My original dive instructor who will be my AOW instructor as well has been made fully aware of my issue and will help me resolve it with some night dives.
I appreciate the concern. I learn something new every dive and am very comfortable with my gear. I dont fraek out, spaz out and or get the shakes. Chances are you would not even know I had the jitters unless I told you.

Matt

I read this and despite being a passionate advocate on a every diver being able to be self sufficient. It's absolutely unfair to expect a buddy to risk their life for yours! Your disillusioned to rely on either your buddy or even DM to ensure nothing happens to you.
That being said, diving in close proximity to other divers 'with similar underwater practices' adds an extra layer of safety, but 'in my opinion' should never even be factored into your dive plan! ( if they are close by in the event things go wrong its a bonus!!! Not an expectation!!)
Spare Air or what ever similar system you choose I 100% agree with based on diver experience. My personal thought would be 'Open water' divers no way, they should be right next to me and focused on where I am in the water ( I think of it as a well trained dog that is 1 step behind and focuses on maintaining that distance while still enjoying the walk). After reading your posts, I feel you are way ahead of yourself with this idea you some how came across. Don't take this comment as a negative at all!! ( The learning curve that eventually leads some divers in different directions and to perhaps specialize diving a certain environment exclusively, extends dramatically past 25 dives ( I would expect to see at least triple digits, and and the first should at least begin with a 5! . )
Better still, if you know someone who just got their Driver license, go for a 1 hour drive as their passenger and don't speak. And they have been in a car more than 25 times!!
To surmise, I always dive with a Spare air bottle, but its only to give me the extra 2 minutes or so to figure out what went wrong, and solve the problem. I cave dive so have no option to bolt to the surface, but wish to 'buy alittle time' should I find myself in that situation.
As another diver mentioned, the fact that your asking indicates your not ready! 25 dives in, you should be enjoying this new experience and develop good practices. Example of my pre cave diving prep ( which spanned 3 years on and off). On tropical dives my buddy and I would exchange primary's, share 1 primary, exchange masks, give up 1 fin, swap BC's etc. The practice was always on a shore dive and in less than 10ft of water, so lets not even go there! I've rambled a little, but would feel guilty not commenting should I read your name in the 'Passing' forum
Dive safe.

 

[DaleC]

...My personal thought would be 'Open water' divers no way, they should be right next to me and focused on where I am in the water ( I think of it as a well trained dog that is 1 step behind and focuses on maintaining that distance while still enjoying the walk).

Uhh...?

To surmise, I always dive with a Spare air bottle, but its only to give me the extra 2 minutes or so to figure out what went wrong, and solve the problem. I cave dive so have no option to bolt to the surface, but wish to 'buy a little time' should I find myself in that situation.

Wuh....?

Interesting bait but a little to heavily applied. Back to trolling school for you

 

[Twisted Bones]

@ Only Halcyon, I was not indicating I would rely on my DM for security. My instructor is there for instruction purposes. His vast experience is a resource and he is very fourth coming on diving. He does not like the idea of solo diving but accepts the fact it is and was my choice from the start. Experience comes from dives. I do as many as I can which is generally 4 every other weekend. 3/4 of my short diving experience has been solo. I dont doive entanglement areas but instead open areas with small reef structures in 2AT or less.

The spare air discussion was purely for information. I would only give it up for a better SAS if there is one. I dont carry it as a crutch and for that matter do not carry it on my dives as it is overkill for the area I am currently diving.

I am comfortable diving solo and when I do have a "buddy" I dive solo as well. I do not go in the water thinking they are there for me. They are not. Would I assist them in an emergency situation? To the best of my limited ability without becoming a second victim.

I dont think anyone plans on being on the passing page. There are divers from a vast range of experiences on there. Everytime I go in the water, I look at the sky and I check my gear again with the idea that I fully intend to see it again but may not. I plan for a safe dive with and exit plan that may or maynot include ditching my gear. Remember. I have restricted myself to 2AT with no obstructions currently. Not out of fear but out of responsibility for myself. Solo diving is a choice and you dont gain experience diving solo with a buddy. Its the road I have chosen and intend to follow.

thanks for your input.

Matt

 

[jezellw]

In my head, ALL my dives are solo dives. Though most of my dives are with a DM and a group of (usually) three to six divers, I have made quite a few dives with insta-buddies, some competent and others not. I am continually checking my air, depth, time, etc so's I don't get myself in a bad situation. As far as the insta-buddy, he or she is on their own, hopefully able to get out of a bad situation without my help other than giving them my bail-out bottle. No sense in two of us drowning.

 

[DaleC]

...As far as the insta-buddy, he or she is on their own, hopefully able to get out of a bad situation without my help other than giving them my bail-out bottle. No sense in two of us drowning.

Do you tell your buddy that before you get in the water with them or will they just find that out when things go bad?

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Do you tell your buddy that before you get in the water with them or will they just find that out when things go bad?

As someone who routinely treats instabuddies this way, I can't stress enough that we have to make this stuff clear topside. If we don't, the best case outcome is that the odds of mess and confusion increase greatly. Worst case, the odds of us getting stuck in a storm when something goes badly wrong really climb.

If it's a normal dive, I find saying something along the lines of 'Same-ocean buddies work for you?' to be sufficient; either they grin (all good) or they look at me like I've grown a third head (time to find someone else). If it's a wreck and I plan on doing my own thing, I'll make clear to them not only will I not be maintaining anything resembling a workable level of distance and communication, but that at some point I will signal them and enter the wreck. I may or may not make plans to meet them somewhere outside or on ascent, but I'll at least make sure they know to not be looking for me. If they have a problem with that, I'm happy to be 'paired' with someone else, but generally I've been lucky enough to not get the 'deer in the headlights' look when I tell people this stuff.

I also don't like to have these conversations be our little secret; if I'm solo or paired with someone who's not looking to me for buddy services, I like the operator and/or some others on the boat to know it in advance. If my instabuddy gets him or herself killed while I'm away doing my dive, the last thing I want anyone to be able to say with a straight face is 'Well, why weren't you there?!' Ditto for if I don't come back--nobody should be blaming my 'buddy'.