What are your primary worries as a solo diver?

[montyb]

I havent worried about too much diving solo. Accidents can happen anywhere, but if you have top of the line equipment, have it serviced regularly, know your equipment, and recognize your limitations and that you are in a foreign environment that could do you harm or even cause your death you will hopefully dive responsibly.
I love being underwater. That being said, it just dosent matter if there is someone with me or not. I'm just as happy writing down what I saw in my log than talking to a friend. Just my 2 cents.
Montyb

 

[Scuba]

Since in retrospect most accidents could have been easily prevented. My biggest worry is in doing something I know I should not have done. Making errors in judgement. The apparently simple ones are some of the more likely ones to catch us with our guard down.

For example, lack of redundancy. I mentioned on another thread how I have done a few shallow dives where I'm counting on easy access to the surface. Yet, I don't consider the surface a redundant gas source - since it is not usable under water. One has to reach it. It doesn't take much imagination to think of a scenerio, where the generally easy task of doing a CESA from 20 ft can become impossible or close to it, and where a usable (redundant) underwater gas source can make the difference between safety and harm.

I keep going back to the that basic training simple but profound recommendation. Stop - Think - Act. I would just add: Before - During - After, every dive.

 

[McDiver]

I dive solo often ,but only if ive been there before with a buddy. I also carry a pony tank and stay above 60 feet, I think it's relatively safe if your not careless and in good physical/mental condition.



just my 2 cents.

 

[Kim]

Since in retrospect most accidents could have been easily prevented. My biggest worry is in doing something I know I should not have done. Making errors in judgement. The apparently simple ones are some of the more likely ones to catch us with our guard down.

For example, lack of redundancy. I mentioned on another thread how I have done a few shallow dives where I'm counting on easy access to the surface. Yet, I don't consider the surface a redundant gas source - since it is not usable under water. One has to reach it. It doesn't take much imagination to think of a scenerio, where the generally easy task of doing a CESA from 20 ft can become impossible or close to it, and where a usable (redundant) underwater gas source can make the difference between safety and harm.

I keep going back to the that basic training simple but profound recommendation. Stop - Think - Act. I would just add: Before - During - After, every dive.

From 30ft/10meters I DO consider the surface to be my alternate air source. It's a distance that I can easily make a CESA from - and like others have posted I don't dive where I don't know - and there isn't any entanglement hazard. Diving with a buddy I have often found that if I stop to take a picture, when I've finished my 'buddy' is at least 10 meters away - so basically I'm already solo. The trouble is - that happens at any depth! Buddy skills are not very big in Japan, very often the divers are all heading in opposite directions to look at this or that - and never seem to realise the very real danger they they expose themselves (and me) to. I've never seen anyone use a pony here - but I am seriously considering buying one, or switching to twins.

 

[jagfish]

Unfortunately, "legal" pony bottles cost a fortune here...

 

[drbill]

James Stoddard and Rich Murchison bring up a very important point to be concerned about... possible debilitating incident with no buddy. I had a stroke 20 years ago while working on Cousteau's Alcyone (I wasn't even diving). I have been cleared to dive for many years since then. I do feel confident I could survive a similar incident even while UW, but not a more serious one. I know the risk (small but there) and accept it... at least I'd go doing something that brings me much joy, better than getting hit on the 405 freeway in LA (a much more likely scenario probabilistically).

I don't worry about air (any more) because I'm totally redundant (an H-valve does not offer sufficient "redundancy" IMHO based on the OOA situation I had last year). Entanglement where I do most of my solo diving is not an issue (a marine reserve).

Interesting thought re: setting an "example" for other divers. I hope instructors at the park wil respond to their students (if asked) that such practices as solo diving are not good ideas unless one has had lots of experience and the proper equipment. I've solo dived off and on since the early 70's (after about a decade of SCUBA and hard hat diving).

Doc

 

[mempilot]

What if you have a stroke on the way to dive site while driving in your car down the expressway? We all better start 'buddy driving'. I do prefer buddy bathing though, as long as she's cute!

Why is it we plan for something while diving, but don't see fit to do it in other parts of our lives? Driving on the highway is actually a relatively dangerous activity when something breaks, whether it's mechanical or organic.

 

[rjchandler]

Unfortunately, "legal" pony bottles cost a fortune here...

what is that?

 

[Scuba]

From 30ft/10meters I DO consider the surface to be my alternate air source. It's a distance that I can easily make a CESA from - and like others have posted I don't dive where I don't know - and there isn't any entanglement hazard.

I would define redundancy as an alternate source capable of functionally replacing a failed _______ .

The surface does not fit this definition. Since it does not provide breathable air underwater. One has to successfully abort the dive in order to be able to use it.

So lets say your gas supply stops abruptly just as an OOA diver in full panic grabs a hold of you. Maybe it stops right when you get hit by vertigo and possibly vomit. Probably easier to make an instintively ingrained movement for your backup reg and find the mouth than the surface. Or maybe it stops after a full exhale and you start to uncontrollably cough. Maybe ........

Unlikely events all. Some more than others and for some more than others. And we really can't build redundancy upon redundancy for every contingency, as this creates new problems of its own. It becomes a viscious cycle. A fix creates a problem that requires another fix that creates another problem - endlessly.

I think what is important here is to have a factual understanding of our and our system's capabilities. Along with an awareness of the possibility and probability of events, and how they can affect us.

Depending on circumstances the easy access to the surface can provide a fairly reliable solution to an OOA problem - but it is of no help underwater in the event we can't reach it.
An H valve offers regulator redundancy in case one fails, but not tank valve redundancy.
Manifolded doubles provide regulator redundancy and tank valve redundancy, and possibly, but not absolute, gas redundancy.

This is not to say that any of these parts or techniques are of no value or use. The key is to know what their capabilities and limitations are.

In the end, we all must take certain risks. And we will never know them all. However, being informed and aware of facts is the key to accident prevention and reponsible decision making.

Ok, I'm done for now.

 

[alemaozinho]

no worries mate!