When you dive solo...

[Knight1989]

Usually I'm tottally on my own. I will of course tell someone my dive plan so that if I dont return or call in a timely fashion they know somethings gone wrong. But usually I'm diving solo because: a. I couldnt find anyone to go with me in the first place, or b. I just want to be alone.

Every once in a while my family will be up on the beach while I'm diving though

 

[ArcticDiver]

Depends on your definitions of two terms: Land Support and Solo.

Solo diving is where there is no one close enough to render Immediate assistance in the event of an emergency.

For remote solo diving I follow the same rule I do when going remote on land: I leave a travel plan with someone saying where I plan to be, when I plan to return and when to send out the searchers. In both cases there may not be anyone around within miles.

For same ocean-same day solo diving I rely on someone else in the group(usually the Captain or Divemaster) to not leave until all of us are back out of the water.

 

[waterpirate]

For Most mid-atlantic wreck/boat diving, it is common for you to tell the capt. what your planned dive time is start to finish. If you go overdue they at least know you are overdue.
Eric

 

[Tagerisatroll]

When I'm diving solo its genrally its a low visablity dive and buddys are impracticle (pony bottle only safe AAS) because its to easy to be seperated, or just want to dive alone to photo fish. But generaly I just let a freind know what lake i'm at and give him an eta to expect a call when I'm done.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Sometimes people know where I am, sometimes no one even knows I'm diving.

Ditto

I also went to the local Army/Navy and had some ID tags made with this info:

Name
Blood Type
Home Town
Emergency Phone Number

I also attach one to my gear (in case they find it, and not me)
If something bites my head off, they will still find a tag on my body..

 

[Toolbox-13]

I normally dive from shore and have a shore watch in the event I'm overdue. From a boat I tell the capt my dive plan and when to expect me back on board

 

[ClayJar]

Someone generally knows I'm going to be diving, but often, it's gear up on a completely deserted shore for me. Often, by the time I'm ready to come up, there are divers around, but I don't count on it.

 

[budgy]

Sometimes it's same ocean diving with buddies at the same dive site. Other times I go exploring alone.

 

[Tassie Diver]

Send my wife a phone message to say where I'll be diving and when to call the recovery team

I send a second message when I leave the water.

 

[Charlie99]

Send my wife a phone message to say where I'll be diving and when to call the recovery team

I send a second message when I leave the water.

That's pretty close to my routine. It's partly for my benefit, and partly a concession to my wife's concerns.

When I leave the condo, I tell her where I expect to dive and by which time I expect to call her after the dive, and when she should call Coast Guard / 911.

Leaving a dive plan with her means the Coast Guard / local EMS get notified in a reasonably timely manner if I have problems such that I get pulled out to sea by a current. In this case, the warm water of Maui mean that a 1 hour delay isn't a big deal and the "alarm time" I choose is typically 2-1/2 or 3 hours after leaving my condo. (1/2 hour drive and setup, 90 minutes dive, 1/2 hour padding).

Oh, and it makes for a faster body recovery if the more likely accidents such as a heart attack or other medical problem occur.