flw
Guest
Depends on where you live - in Scotland it tends not to be an issue
What are your primary worries as a solo diver?
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nlbford
Contributor
My concerns aren't really any different than when I dive with others. I guess my position has always been that the sport is inherently self-reliant, whether buddies are around to assist or not. Thus my focus from my first training has been to be a diver who is always in a position to help himself regardless of whether additional assists may be present. While I have basically always dove with buddies I trust completely, I harbor no illusions that is something I can inherently rely on if trouble arises. I've always tried to be in a position to buddy up with someone I know and am familiar with their in regards to their diving practices when I am forced to buddy up - mostly because I want to know what I can expect from them if THEY get into trouble. I believe I know what I will do and be capable of doing if I am in trouble and am comfortable with that - it's the unknown of what they will do when they have trouble that concerns me. I have tried to avoid getting to a place where I get some extra sense of safety simply because there is another person around - though obviously their presence, in theory, should add extra safety if they are a good buddy. I just don't want to get to a mindset where I rely on that. I just feel that a sense that one has an extra safety with a buddy around lends an air that one can dive differently than one would when one is alone because there is that added safety factor. Better to dive within a comfort zone and situation where you can go it alone in an emergency situation if one has to, even if the best buddy in the world is plastered to your side.
As I said in another thread in the forum, I think I probably have more concerns when diving with a buddy than I do when solo. I guess if there is one that I have when diving alone it is that there won't be an extra set of eyes around to see that giant squid sneaking up behind me.
As I said in another thread in the forum, I think I probably have more concerns when diving with a buddy than I do when solo. I guess if there is one that I have when diving alone it is that there won't be an extra set of eyes around to see that giant squid sneaking up behind me.
rjchandler:like as not, that will attact boats and jet skis.
och aye! I think the blighters have got it in for me :11:
We sometimes seem to think the solo vs buddy risk calculation is a binary thing: Buddy risk=0, solo risk=1. But that's not true.
Figure the risk of diving with a buddy, the way you usually do it, with the normal equipment, the usual buddy (or the usual unknown buddy!), usual location, etc. A normal dive for you, and assign the risk a value (1-100 say). There IS risk. This sport contains risk, as do all activities. But, in these circumstances, after you've taken all REASONABLE precautions to limit risk (and I didn't say ALL precautions, because you aren't going to do that, and really can't), which you do take what you consider reasonable precautions every time you dive (or else you probably wouldn't), you accept the risk inherent in that situation and you dive.
Ok, NOW do the same drill for SOLO diving. If you do EXACTLY the same things solo as you do with a buddy, except bring the buddy, you've increased the risk by some factor (10%? 20%? 50%? you decide how much riskier). But, most of us will take MORE precautions as solo divers to limit the risk more, to offset the risk (real or percieved) of diving solo. So, your extra precautions DECREASE the risk somewhat. Do they offset the lack of abuddy completely? Or is diving solo your way actually LESS risky than with a buddy (with your extra redundancy, more caution, shallower depth, whatever)?
My point is you can't say "SOLO DIVING IS RISKY". ALL diving has risk. And you manage that risk. By being extra cautious as a solo diver, to make up for not having a redundant human, you shave the risk a bit.
So, back to the numbers. If your risk with a buddy is 50 (an arbritary number), and you add 20% for lack of a buddy when solo (now it's a 60), and you subtract 10% cause of your extra redudancy and better preparation, you're now at a risk factor of 55, vs 50 diving with a buddy. Use your own numbers, but remember your risk is marginally higher diving solo, but the MAJORITY of the risk you take on is just getting in the water PERIOD, and we all accepted that a long time ago.
=Steve=
Figure the risk of diving with a buddy, the way you usually do it, with the normal equipment, the usual buddy (or the usual unknown buddy!), usual location, etc. A normal dive for you, and assign the risk a value (1-100 say). There IS risk. This sport contains risk, as do all activities. But, in these circumstances, after you've taken all REASONABLE precautions to limit risk (and I didn't say ALL precautions, because you aren't going to do that, and really can't), which you do take what you consider reasonable precautions every time you dive (or else you probably wouldn't), you accept the risk inherent in that situation and you dive.
Ok, NOW do the same drill for SOLO diving. If you do EXACTLY the same things solo as you do with a buddy, except bring the buddy, you've increased the risk by some factor (10%? 20%? 50%? you decide how much riskier). But, most of us will take MORE precautions as solo divers to limit the risk more, to offset the risk (real or percieved) of diving solo. So, your extra precautions DECREASE the risk somewhat. Do they offset the lack of abuddy completely? Or is diving solo your way actually LESS risky than with a buddy (with your extra redundancy, more caution, shallower depth, whatever)?
My point is you can't say "SOLO DIVING IS RISKY". ALL diving has risk. And you manage that risk. By being extra cautious as a solo diver, to make up for not having a redundant human, you shave the risk a bit.
So, back to the numbers. If your risk with a buddy is 50 (an arbritary number), and you add 20% for lack of a buddy when solo (now it's a 60), and you subtract 10% cause of your extra redudancy and better preparation, you're now at a risk factor of 55, vs 50 diving with a buddy. Use your own numbers, but remember your risk is marginally higher diving solo, but the MAJORITY of the risk you take on is just getting in the water PERIOD, and we all accepted that a long time ago.
=Steve=
nlbford
Contributor
spthomas:
Bingo Steve!
Scuba
Contributor
The point I am trying to emphasize is: in order to reach a sound decision, an analytically sound process must ensue in which a wide range of facts are considered.
Often times, we lack experience and rational capacity. I don't mean this in an offensive manner to anyone, since at some point we all come up short here. Simply, some are able to reason faster and better than others with the information we have. Just as in any subject considered there will be diffences of skill. And well, we only know what we know. How effectively we use this information to go beyond this point is determined by what we know and how soundly we reason. Critical thinking and sound analytical scrutiny are in order here.
What is the meaning of something? What does it not mean? What other information do we need to gather to make a sound decision? Limits and capabilities. This type of understanding can lead us to develop equipment configurations and practices which give us the best chance of success for a desired outcome.
The information and analysis leading to a decision affect the decision. As these factors change, the decision, will also often change.
One of the positives provided by a discussion board such as this one, is that we are able to communicate with a large and diverse group of divers who have experienced or pondered a vast number of possible (factual?) occurrences. We can learn from the realization that we may be exposing ourselves to a danger we were not previously aware of, that could happen and will happen to some, frequency? - useful information to some nonetheless. No one is going to think or have experienced all the possibilities. Not even all of us together. But how some have effectively dealt with events, or not, can show us how to better prepare to deal with such an occurence when possible, or better yet - prevent it.
The negative here is that one often reads what are in effect false claims, as well as important critical omissions which are never stated. Sometimes no one offers a correction or points out an omission. Some claim manifolded doubles are a fully redundant gas system, don't see this as much anymore thanks to the corrections frequently offered by some. On the H-valve thread no one had mentioned the possibility of a burst disc failure. Just two examples that come to mind.
These types of forums can be very useful in exposing ourselves to information we were ignorant of. All should realize that a little bit of information can be a dangerous thing. That the information and analysis leading to a decision affect the decision. That a well rounded comprehension of facts is necessary to reach a well informed decision. Scrutinous thinking required. This is the main point I am making.
This is where the utility of a discussion forum for solo diving comes in, specially in light of the lack of structured courses available today. A fact which is largely a result of widespread opposition on the part of many against solo diving.
Often times, we lack experience and rational capacity. I don't mean this in an offensive manner to anyone, since at some point we all come up short here. Simply, some are able to reason faster and better than others with the information we have. Just as in any subject considered there will be diffences of skill. And well, we only know what we know. How effectively we use this information to go beyond this point is determined by what we know and how soundly we reason. Critical thinking and sound analytical scrutiny are in order here.
What is the meaning of something? What does it not mean? What other information do we need to gather to make a sound decision? Limits and capabilities. This type of understanding can lead us to develop equipment configurations and practices which give us the best chance of success for a desired outcome.
The information and analysis leading to a decision affect the decision. As these factors change, the decision, will also often change.
One of the positives provided by a discussion board such as this one, is that we are able to communicate with a large and diverse group of divers who have experienced or pondered a vast number of possible (factual?) occurrences. We can learn from the realization that we may be exposing ourselves to a danger we were not previously aware of, that could happen and will happen to some, frequency? - useful information to some nonetheless. No one is going to think or have experienced all the possibilities. Not even all of us together. But how some have effectively dealt with events, or not, can show us how to better prepare to deal with such an occurence when possible, or better yet - prevent it.
The negative here is that one often reads what are in effect false claims, as well as important critical omissions which are never stated. Sometimes no one offers a correction or points out an omission. Some claim manifolded doubles are a fully redundant gas system, don't see this as much anymore thanks to the corrections frequently offered by some. On the H-valve thread no one had mentioned the possibility of a burst disc failure. Just two examples that come to mind.
These types of forums can be very useful in exposing ourselves to information we were ignorant of. All should realize that a little bit of information can be a dangerous thing. That the information and analysis leading to a decision affect the decision. That a well rounded comprehension of facts is necessary to reach a well informed decision. Scrutinous thinking required. This is the main point I am making.
This is where the utility of a discussion forum for solo diving comes in, specially in light of the lack of structured courses available today. A fact which is largely a result of widespread opposition on the part of many against solo diving.
spthomas, just curious but WHERE did these ratios and percentages youve qouted come from? If you've sourced them from legitimate research then that's interesting but I have the feeling you've banded around a set of figures that have no basis in fact. If that is the case then qouting them is pretty pointless.
novadiver
Contributor
Scuba:
If it takes this long to make a statement or think about right from wrong BINGO the dive THANK YOU
Scuba:
Does anyone know of any threads that discuss the above point...I'd like to have a read.
My wife waits in the truck, and I have worried about this too.captain:
And what if, for some reason, I have to surface a long way from the truck and walk or surface swim back, and I'm 30 mins late? I worry that she will KILL ME when I get back!
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