What to do in the event that...

[Garth]

IMO there is likely as many solo diver deaths as there are diver deaths that depend solely on there buddy for support. Has anyone here ever attempted to reach their valves? I suppose I didn't attempt to reach my valves until my deco class but it is a skill that I hold as one of the more important skills I have. If I have my air off I reach back and turn it on. If my reg would freeflow I would shut it down.

 

[Scott L]

If my reg would freeflow I would shut it down.

On a solo dive?

 

[synctek]

I figured out how to reach the knob on my tank while watching my daughter do her open water dives. The instructor had her throw her reg off to the right, then do the arm sweep to retrieve it. I noticed at that point that if she reached up just behind her ear, she could reach the hose and retrieve that way as well. While I can't think of a reason to do it that way, I tried - I tossed my reg off to the right then reached back, felt the knob of the tank, followed it to the hose and got the reg. I usually keep my tank high enough so I can feel it IF I really arch but otherwise not. So if need be, I could easily reach and use the knob - maybe I'll have a dive buddy stand behind me and give it a try sometime but my question is - should this be practiced as a skill? I'm a novice diver but probably have the dexterity to turn it off and on if I thought it would arrest a free flow - but I would be looking at my dive buddy the whole time from about 6inches away.

So....is this a best practice?
What about switching to the alt-octo during the accent? Will that induce another free flow? Its always been my understanding that Octos breath heavy because they are designed to minimize free flow.

Turning off someone else's tank........under the right circumstances, if I new and trusted the diver and knew they were going to do it - maybe - but some diver I just met by handshake decided to be caviler and just swim over and start cranking.....not so sure about that.

I would be curious to hear from the folks who have tried switching to the octo and had ANOTHER free flow. Also, those who have remedied a free flow by cutting their air or the tank of someone else. I type this with the utmost respect to the more experience divers but there seems to be a split opinion????

 

[Garth]

On a solo dive?

Most definitely.

 

[Garth]

All the more reason for a pony, stage, or h-valve.

 

[Crush]

DAN fatality report routinely indicate that solo diving does not pose a significantly elevated risk for those who deliberately dive solo. Presumably such divers are prepared in terms of training, equipment, and attitude for solo diving. Most diving fatalities occur when the diver inadvertently dives solo due to a breakdown in buddy discipline.

 

[Garth]

That was my guess, thank you for supporting my hypothesis with factual information. If we approach each dive as it is a solo dive we will be prepared to deal with problems on our own. I'm not saying that your gas planning should not include enough for your buddy if they would need your gas as this is a given. Help your buddy and stay together.
My point is there is this fear of solo diving that holds back people from learning the necessary things to dive alone. Some day you will find yourself separated from your buddy. Period. Will you have the skill and mentality to deal with the situation or will you freak out because you never planned to dive solo so you never thought you would need the skills and equipment.

 

[danvolker]

That was my guess, thank you for supporting my hypothesis with factual information. If we approach each dive as it is a solo dive we will be prepared to deal with problems on our own. I'm not saying that your gas planning should not include enough for your buddy if they would need your gas as this is a given. Help your buddy and stay together.
My point is there is this fear of solo diving that holds back people from learning the necessary things to dive alone. Some day you will find yourself separated from your buddy. Period. Will you have the skill and mentality to deal with the situation or will you freak out because you never planned to dive solo so you never thought you would need the skills and equipment.

I disagree about the treating each dive like a solo dive....this is a self biased and poor choiced plan.
My assumption is that you say this due to your feeling that if a person feels they need a buddy, it means they have not properly prepared themselves with skills or gear.

If you were diving in Florida and were buddied to Jarrod Jablonski on a wreck dive....do you think there would be fundamental flaws in Jarrod's skill set because he would be so adamant that you would not separate on this wreck dive---that you would stay buddied?
My position is that to exceptionally skilled divers will have MORE FUN and be SAFER if they dive as a buddy team.

There is really no good excuse for losing your buddy on a significant dive (for the sake of reality, I would not include baby dives for highly skilled divers).

Regards,
danV

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

If my reg would freeflow I would shut it down.

On a solo dive?

Why not? That's why you have a redundant air supply.

I figured out how to reach the knob on my tank while watching my daughter do her open water dives. The instructor had her throw her reg off to the right, then do the arm sweep to retrieve it. I noticed at that point that if she reached up just behind her ear, she could reach the hose and retrieve that way as well. While I can't think of a reason to do it that way, I tried - I tossed my reg off to the right then reached back, felt the knob of the tank, followed it to the hose and got the reg.

That's one way to do it ... but the reach-back method of reg retrieval is taught to every NAUI OW student ... I also learned it when I took my YMCA class, and I'll bet SEI still requires you to learn how to do it that way.

I can think of a reason you'd want to learn that method. I've seen people get their regs trapped behind them such that the sweep method won't work. Out here it usually occurs on a surface swim, and they either have to reach back and find the hose or ask their buddy to find it for them. If that were to occur underwater, the second option may not be real practical.

I usually keep my tank high enough so I can feel it IF I really arch but otherwise not. So if need be, I could easily reach and use the knob - maybe I'll have a dive buddy stand behind me and give it a try sometime but my question is - should this be practiced as a skill?

Yes ... it was required in my GUE-Fundamentals class ... even in a singles rig.

I'm a novice diver but probably have the dexterity to turn it off and on if I thought it would arrest a free flow - but I would be looking at my dive buddy the whole time from about 6inches away.

It's called "feathering" ... you turn on the air, take a breath, and then turn it off. For those who have practiced the skill it's not all that difficult to do. But as you say, make sure a buddy's right with you. It's always a good idea to not turn off your air supply unless you have ready access to another one in case you can't get yours turned back on.

So....is this a best practice?
What about switching to the alt-octo during the accent? Will that induce another free flow? Its always been my understanding that Octos breath heavy because they are designed to minimize free flow.

Switching to an octo should not induce a free flow. Having two divers breathe off the same reg shouldn't either under most circumstances. I've heard people say it can happen, but we do practice shared air drills regularly and I've never seen it happen.

My point is there is this fear of solo diving that holds back people from learning the necessary things to dive alone.

Fear of solo diving should be an indicator that you shouldn't solo dive. Solo diving's not about overcoming fear ... that's a great way to push yourself over the edge.

Some day you will find yourself separated from your buddy. Period.

Not necessarily ... divers who are properly trained, skilled, and have a mindset to stay together will have an extremely low probability for separation ... because they've developed their awareness to a level where it simply doesn't happen. Buddy separation is NOT inevitable ... except for those people who believe that it is.

Will you have the skill and mentality to deal with the situation or will you freak out because you never planned to dive solo so you never thought you would need the skills and equipment.

Solo diving and buddy separation are two entirely different things. One is an event you planned and prepared for ... the other is an accident.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Garth]

Not necessarily ... divers who are properly trained, skilled, and have a mindset to stay together will have an extremely low probability for separation ... because they've developed their awareness to a level where it simply doesn't happen. Buddy separation is NOT inevitable ... except for those people who believe that it is.


Solo diving and buddy separation are two entirely different things. One is an event you planned and prepared for ... the other is an accident.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Properly trained skilled, divers with the mindset of staying together is important. I'm only suggesting that we should prepare ourselves for the possibility of separation or maybe your buddy is unable to help you.
We will have to agree to disagree I suppose. I consider myself a good buddy and I'm sure you are one given your posts and training.
I suppose I was reacting to some people who feel that they are invincible because if they run into an issue they will be fine because they are with their buddy. For team divers such as gue and others that are held to extremely high standards most likely will be true but for those that were trained a while back and never practiced their drills or refreshed their theory they will likely be less than sufficient in remedying a situation even though their buddy is present.