The soloist

[nereas]

The "Johari Window" speaks of 4 levels of perception:


The Arena - That which we ourselves know and see about ourselves, and which others know and see also.

The facade - That which we ourselves know, but which others do not.

The Blindspot - That which others see about ourselves, but which we ourselves cannot see.

The Unknown - That which no one sees, not even ourselves.


It is a blindspot issue when someone cannot see that they do not yet have enough experience.

It is an unknown issue whether they will also have enough resilience to overcome their blindspot.

http://www.theenergyofconversation.co.uk/view_from_a_coach_window.pdf

 

[DaleC]

Seaducer. I put my point across and those that get it get it and those that don't don't. Except for the "hooey" bit (which I probably should have left out) I have tried to stay clear of personal attacks and assumptions about other people and stick to the facts. Both you and sas state you don't really know the OP but then go on and on presuming all sorts of things about him. I don't know the OP either but I presume nothing. I just answer the questions put forth.
I have no more energy to debate things with you as you seem kind of angry and able to see my words and read something completely different.
No hard feelings on my part.
Dale.

 

[nereas]

Seaducer. I put my point across and those that get it get it and those that don't don't. Except for the "hooey" bit (which I probably should have left out) I have tried to stay clear of personal attacks and assumptions about other people and stick to the facts. Both you and sas state you don't really know the OP but then go on and on presuming all sorts of things about him. I don't know the OP either but I presume nothing. I just answer the questions put forth.
I have no more energy to debate things with you as you seem kind of angry and able to see my words and read something completely different.
No hard feelings on my part.
Dale.

I think it is clear to everyone that the OP is not ready to start solo, and if he/she does, it could end up as a Darwin moment.

 

[nereas]

I came to diving relatively late in life (I'm 48, certified this year). However, I have been going into various wilderness environments, often solo, since about 10 years old.
I have 100's of solo hikes, hunts, backpacking etc. I understand the risks, prepare for them, accept them, and then go do my thing. Not to say I haven't had just as many with friends and family along.
I have about 30+ dives, most of them from shore, and solo diving really appeals to me. Sometimes my buddy can't dive with me this week. I have found it difficult to find buddies here; it seems most folks and dive shops focus on boat dives. I prefer shore dives.
I yearn to dive by myself.
I feel comfortable in and under the water.
My question then, is this: Is it prudent to dive solo at this stage of my diving experience? and if so, what redundant gear would you suggest? I live in Kona, Hawaii, where the diving is tropical (aka easy), the water is warm, little current, surf, and surge. There is little to no chance of entanglement.
My intent would be to do so slowly, and to stay above 30 feet in an area I have dove perhaps a dozen times. My thinking is this would allow me to do a CESA if the need should arise. After having spent alot of time on this board, and in this and other forums, I feel I have done my homework. Any and all suggestions are warmly welcomed. Thank you.

Less than 50 dives, probably not.

Less than 1 year of diving, definitely not.

Older than 40, that is also a weakness in the water.

Read Robert Van Maier's book called "Solo Diving" and then make the call yourself.

I think you will find that become somebody's divemaster first (NAUI, SSI, PADI, etc) would be a good pre-requisite before you solo dive.

Short of that, you are violating my personal rule of the "unnecessary risk."

 

[Sas]

Seaducer. I put my point across and those that get it get it and those that don't don't. Except for the "hooey" bit (which I probably should have left out) I have tried to stay clear of personal attacks and assumptions about other people and stick to the facts. Both you and sas state you don't really know the OP but then go on and on presuming all sorts of things about him. I don't know the OP either but I presume nothing. I just answer the questions put forth.
I have no more energy to debate things with you as you seem kind of angry and able to see my words and read something completely different.
No hard feelings on my part.
Dale.

Where did I presume anything about the OP? Please quote me so I can see what you are referring to. I posted my *general* feelings about people who need to ask strangers if they are ready for solo diving and people who ask general questions about redundant gear for solo diving. I have said *repeatedly* I have no opinion about the OP in particular, just *general* opinions.

I think seaducer gave a very thoughtful and logical response to some of the things you have been saying so I don't see what the problem is really and why you have 'no more energy to debate things'. These kinds of discussions are good as the OP is a very new diver and should be exposed to a bunch of different scenarios in regards to solo diving from people who are experienced and/or have gone through the thought process before deciding to start solo diving.

As far as the big 'taboo' about solo diving which you've mentioned a few times, well no one here is arguing against solo diving in principle at all. I would love to see you go post in the Cave diving forum (or decostop ), "I have 50 low viz dives in cold water, 1/3 of them solo, thinking about doing a cave dive soon" and see what kind of response you get! The discussion here has been *very* respectful I feel, given the OP's very limited diving experience and the questions he has asked.

That is right about where many new divers are at their most dangerous. You are starting to get comfortable in the water. You are starting to gain a more intimate familiarity with your gear. You can now assemble your kit without concentrating on it. You no longer have those pre-dive jitters. You are starting to think you know all about it and can handle anything. I know, I was there once too. Then I realised I really didn't know a whole helluva lot, and I started getting serious about learning the ins and outs, and getting more experience before I attempted more technically challenging dives.

This is an excellent point! Divers much more experienced than I have warned me in particular about this problem. People who get to around this amount of dives are usually pretty comfortable in the water and this often leads to overconfidence. Often because of this the s*** will hit the fan at some point and if the person gets out of it alive, they will either quit diving completely or they will modify their behaviour and no longer be complacent/overconfident. Now before you think I am assuming this about you DaleC, I'm not, but I think it is important for comments like seaducers to be highlighted as SO many people have this problem and it something that one must watch for in themselves at all times. I've never been the one for 'mantras' or such but I have a diving one and that is to never become complacent, even when I gain a lot more experience than I have now.

 

[nereas]

Overconfidence due to extensive experience is a hazard for expert divers.

However this OP is not that. Not with less than 50 dives and less than 1 year of scuba.

 

[captain]

Well I guess I violated your unnecessary risk rule big time when I began diving as a a solo self taught diver who learned solo solo. Probably why I don't see it the way others do.

 

[nereas]

Well I guess I violated your unnecessary risk rule big time when I began diving as a a solo self taught diver who learned solo solo. Probably why I don't see it the way others do.

Then that suggests that you were either (1) resilient or (2) lucky.

 

[captain]

Then that suggests that you were either (1) resilient or (2) lucky.

Not sure what you mean by resilient but I don't think luck played a major part, common sense did.

 

[Pinepig]

Then that suggests that you were either (1) resilient or (2) lucky.

Why not add thick with common sense in there too to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. I've only solo dived twice and it's even hard to call them a solo because it was off the boat in Roatan with about 10 other divers nearby when my wife didn't want to partake on the dropoffs for Coco View. I'm REALLY comfortable around water ( 20 years of surfing, and many years of free diving before taking up the tank ), I spent my time right at 30 feet the whole dive and know damn well I can clear twice that easy on a freedive, so a CESA was always an option even if I couldn't remedy an equipment problem at limited depth.

You guys seem to be correct IMHO about if you have to ask you might not be ready. Not everybody is the same as far as skillset per # of dives, there is a lot of background life experience that would come into play as well. I've seen a crapload of folks that have been diving for years bounce off reefs and just look like morons on a nonstop trip, and I've also seen brand new divers that look like it's second nature for them to be under water. It's an individual thing in more ways then one. I think the biggest part is in the thought process ahead of time with a solid plan for just about anything you can think of going wrong.