nippurmagnum
Contributor
But many here do and since I now always dive with a 19cf, I plan to as well.
How do you get a pony through TSA?
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But many here do and since I now always dive with a 19cf, I plan to as well.
Redundant gas is the hallmark of SOLO diving. But, you do you. Live long and prosper.
The hallmark of solo diving is the absence of a buddy. And my contention is that the absence of a buddy doesn’t require redundant air. Though I definitely am not urging anyone to ditch their redundant air if that’s how they roll.
How do you get a pony through TSA?
This! I don't dive differently nor use additional gear than I do with a buddy. I look at my spg more often when I'm deeper, especially when conducting tech dives. For recreational dives, I dive a single tank, single computer and dive no differently than with buddies. The only gear I take with me that is not used during each dive is a lift bag. I have used it for anchor recovery and for drifting offshore during blue water dives.That's what I thought after I read the OP. The desire to be on your own and be comfortable in the water.
Everything else depends on what dives you'll do.
Most of my dives these days are done with zero redundant gear. I go to the same general area off Pompano Beach, hard bottom between 40 and 100' , with most of the dives around 60-80. It all depends on what spot is free of other boats.
After doing more aggressive diving when I was young, I know myself and what works for me.
I carry SMBs, spool, extra mask, cutter, several signaling devices, and two computers.
But I personally don’t see that it’s worth the considerable hassle to take redundant air for most recreational diving. You can’t fly with a pony, and diving with doubles is no minor inconvenience. And there is plenty of redundant air at the surface. For me, the main thing is to not get into situations that I couldn’t get out of in 5-10 minutes. I don’t think redundant air relieves you of that responsibility.
I dive local. Throw the gear in the car and go. Believe it or not, a lot of us dive places where we don’t have to fly.
I don't know who or how. When I went to set it up for a dive, I found that the elbow had been cracked off. I don't need it for buoyancy control at depth: I have my lungs for that. I just wanted to be sure that I could float after the dive. This past month marked the 50th anniversary of my first dive in Lake Underhill, Orlando Florida. I didn't have a bladder back then, so I just went "old school". Well, sorta. My buoyancy control sucked back then, and I'm sure I hit the bottom a lot. The worst problem was after the dive because you couldn't rest since you couldn't air up your bladder and float. If you were out of gas (common with a j-valve) then you had to keep kicking until you made it ashore or to the boat. What a pain in the arse! If I were to solo, I would definitely have two methods of floating. Obviously, since I'm using my breath to achieve neutral buoyancy, I don't have to worry about a wing failure at depth. Just on the surface.Never thought of that. How did your BC come to fail?
No buddy can be expected to address a medical event either. A stroke or heart attack is probably going to be fatal on the surface and becomes far more deadly at depth regardless of being solo or not.No redundancy is going to address a medical event .
If at first you don't succeed, then solo diving ain't for you!If one panics, diving solo is probably not a good idea.