Why extra air when solo?

[Ana]

I don't recall if I wrote on this thread already so I may be repeating myself.

As I type, y husband and I are transiting south bound the I intercoastal waterway from the Hillsboro inlet. Just finished solo diving to about 55' my husband went first then me just the reef north for variety.
We did the same thing yesterday, and hopefully repeat tomorrow and Sunday.
Been doing that with depth ranging from 30 to about 70 as average. This reefs are as benign as it gets, hard bottom and currents going either north or south.
Been doing this dives mostly solo every weekend for years. Now I understand that just because nothing bad has happened is not a guarantee that never will but I get the feeling that if my husband or I get hurt doing this it was our time, and most likely asditional air won't make any more difference than an exra fin.
Call me ormy husband an idiot if it makes you feel better but I feel ok with my choice of not bringing any pony for this type of diving we do.
I wish people would learn to respect others choices.
The guy passing me in the highway is t automatically a crazy driver , just someone than wants to go faster. Same with the slower driver he's not a moron (unless he's on the left lane) just a slow driver.

Dive and let dive.

 

[Nemrod]

I solo SCUBA dive but will not solo free dive, solo snorkel, sure, but free dive, no. My useful free dive depth used to be easily in the range of 100 feet and then it was 60 and now it is 30. Well, okay, I can do better than that but, what is the saying, I am not as good as I used to be but I can be as good as I used to be once? Is that it? The 30 feet is an artificial limit for me and is not written on my sleeve or tattooed on my arm. I wrote my rules so I can break them, but breaking my own rules sends up red flags, hey dufous, think long and hard about what you are doing and see if it makes sense and is well within capability.

That said and the reason I have softened on carrying a redundant air supply and now mostly do, for several reasons, one is that it simply is not a big burden. A 19 cf bottle slung pretty much disappears once in the water and is not all that noticeable out of the water if carefully rigged.

The example Ana gives is exactly the kind of dive where one can reasonably consider forgoing redundant air, completely familiar with the dive site, very benign conditions, swimming distance most times to shore, decent viz, warm water. There is no danger there underwater, the danger in SoFla is on the surface getting run over by drunken boaters. Two are just as likely to get run over as one. Again, I try to be reality based, hypotheticals can be created but I would prefer to be reality based in my consideration of possibilities.

A couple of years ago, down in the Keys, the usual baby sitting going on. An operator there, that had advertised the self reliant course on their class schedule, which I pointed out to them, at first refused to allow me to solo. So, after partially giving in once I pointed out they taught the course, they began to try to disqualify me. First gotcha it was redundant air, I reached in my bag and pulled out a auxiliary bottle and reg, second gotcha, two compasses, sorry lady, I had three, oh third gotcha, two snorkels, okay, you are out of luck, in stock in my bag, fourth gotcha, two computers, lol, I had three! Finally they threw up their hands and gave in. And the captain did not seem to care either way so I used virtually none of it. And ended up not soloing all that much because there was a nice German fellow crying that nobody would buddy with him so I told him to buddy with me and he was a very good diver.

N

 

[TMHeimer]

Just to add for those thinking of getting one, my experience differs from this. Though I haven't dived solo yet, when I decided to add a 19cf pony to my kit I took the advice here and slung it. Since getting it I take it on every dive. I dive mostly from a boat, small that requires back roll and doffing to get back in and I have to say for me it really is no bother to have it on every dive.

I can't argue since that works for you. I slung a 19cf years ago a few times and found it a nuisance. So I use a 13cf attached to my tank. Beating a dead horse, but carrying a pony for a 30' dive is just another thing you have to rinse off after (and one that IMHO serves no purpose at 30')--like the computer, which I also don't take on such shallow dives.

 

[Divectionist]

It's an unpopular choice to use steel for pony's but since 16cuft is enough air for my solo diving, I use a 2l faber steel at 232bar. It's really easy to lug around and not even a burden when slung on land, much less so in the water. It doubles as a nice little tank to attach regs for rinsing/blowing dry etc.

Now if we're talking AL40's and what not for proper deep solo diving, then the hassle is a different matter.

 

[lowviz]

I wish people would learn to respect others choices.

I'm not here. On vacay from the board. But this is just too much. One more post.


@pauldw, What is it about solo that you seem to need to ask about? Do you really grasp the core concept???

 

[Nemrod]

I too am on vaca from Scubaboard. I just drop in and raise a stir once or so a year or less. Then swim off. Looking for my flippers right now.

N

 

[TMHeimer]

I keep mine with my goggles.

 

[lowviz]

deleted.

 

[MichaelMc]

(deleted as unlikely to be helpful.)

 

[markmud]

Call me or my husband an idiot if it makes you feel better but I feel ok with my choice of not bringing any pony for this type of diving we do.
I wish people would learn to respect others choices.

Hi Ana,

I won't call you an idiot, not at all. You have thought through the scenarios while on this benign dive site and have thought about the relative reliability factors of your gear and come to a logical solution for you and your husband. Dive and Let Dive.

A couple of years ago, down in the Keys, the usual baby sitting going on. An operator there, that had advertised the self reliant course on their class schedule, which I pointed out to them, at first refused to allow me to solo.

Hey Nemrod, I bet we dived with the same baby sitter!

The example Ana gives is exactly the kind of dive where one can reasonably consider forgoing redundant air, completely familiar with the dive site, very benign conditions, swimming distance most times to shore, decent viz, warm water.

Totally agree.

I can't argue since that works for you. I slung a 19cf years ago a few times and found it a nuisance. So I use a 13cf attached to my tank. Beating a dead horse, but carrying a pony for a 30' dive is just another thing you have to rinse off after (and one that IMHO serves no purpose at 30')--like the computer, which I also don't take on such shallow dives.

Yep, roger-that good buddy!

It's really easy to lug around and not even a burden when slung on land, much less so in the water. It doubles as a nice little tank to attach regs for rinsing/blowing dry etc.

It is really easy to pack, sling, or tank mount; and it is handy for rinsing and testing equipment.

Anna wrote "Dive and Let Dive" in her post. I agree with that. I like having a pony, even when I am buddy diving, because I can truly "Dive and Let Dive." If we are instabuddied, and you want to do your own thing, go for it. I'm cool! You are my buddy and you want to hang 75 to 100 feet behind the group, cool. When I stop so you can catch up, but you notice that I have stopped moving, so you stop moving, fine...whatever.

On Anna's profiled dive, I would take my 6 cf pony. For one and only one reason: I don't want to do a CESA, ever. Dive and let dive. Whatever.

A pony on a less than 30 foot dive is ridiculous, unless it is already attached and you are just too lazy to take it off.

m