Why I should Not be Solo Diving?

[redacted]

Re entanglement, it is one of the things I practiced on my solo course. Instructor tangled up the first stage from behind, I had to get unentangled on my own. The only way was to remove gear, turn, unentangle and then try to put the gear back on. Couldn't do it. Got unentangled no problem, but could not get the gear back on. Steel backplate and tank were too heavy and me in a drysuit was too boyant. Had to surface carrying the tank and backplate in front of me and put it on on the surface. A viable option, but did convince me that I don't want all of my weight attached to the backplate - such a configuration would make this manuver virtually impossible.

Probably the best part of the course. Something that you do NOT want to practice alone.

Was a course necessary - no - and the reason I took it was so I would have a card that I can show an operator and dive on my own when I travel. However it was a good course and it was useful to practice entanglement, working with line and to discuss the what ifs.

For what its worth I firmly believe that you should not be doing this until you have some significant experience diving, are totally comfortable in the water and know how you will react in an emergancy while diving. Don't actually dive solo much, but also firmly believe that I want to be as self sufficient as possible, buddy might help, but I don't want to depend on it.

Any discussion of when you should try to cut away the entanglemet directly vs. doff the BC/BP to deal with the entanglement vs cut away the BP harness to deal with it. My limited experience is that movement while you are entangled tends to aggrevate the situation. When I have gotten entangled while diving with my wife, I usually just hold still while she gets me out. I've never been seriously entangled while solo, I've found that the less you have to move to get free, the better.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Then I can only assume that you have never dove in a team. (I do not equate buddy as being the same as a team)

Situational awareness of a nonexistent team mate would be annoying for a "team" driven solo diver. If you solo dived enough, you would suppress that skill, which would cause an issue if you went back to team diving.

That's a good point. Not being a DIR diver myself but knowing some, Team Diving has a whole different mentality when you have specific training for it. I think it is difficult to compare regular buddy diving with real Team Diving. I have seen that the training takes situational awareness and the concept of diving with a buddy to a whole new level.

 

[JeffG]

I don' know that I find it "hard" to switch from solo to team but it is different. The more I dive solo the more in control and self assured I become. When switching back to team, I find myself wanting to be much more in control of the dive planning and usually find that I position myself to be in a "guide" position much more than I probably would have had I not found solo diving.

I don't mean to put words in your mouth (but I am making a whole bunch of assumptions), but what you describe is what I would call buddy diving and not team diving.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Then I can only assume that you have never dove in a team. (I do not equate buddy as being the same as a team)

Situational awareness of a nonexistent team mate would be annoying for a "team" driven solo diver. If you solo dived enough, you would suppress that skill, which would cause an issue if you went back to team diving.

Jeff, there is also the issue of reconfiguring your equipment.. as a solo diver is just worried about themselves.

Issues like having to wear a weight belt, not using a long hose, having a whole bunch of extra stuff hidden away.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Any discussion of when you should try to cut away the entanglemet directly vs. doff the BC/BP to deal with the entanglement vs cut away the BP harness to deal with it. My limited experience is that movement while you are entangled tends to aggrevate the situation. When I have gotten entangled while diving with my wife, I usually just hold still while she gets me out. I've never been seriously entangled while solo, I've found that the less you have to move to get free, the better.

A solo diving entanglement, is either obvious (had one about a month ago...was buddy diving, but my buddy was no were to be seen), in which case you know what to do or hidden.. and hidden is best done by removing gear. Keeping in mind you need to have cutting tools on both sides of you and both attached to you and the BC.. as you may not be able to use both arms.

Same reason it would be advised to route your backup from the opposite side - just in case your right side is entangled.

 

[WVDiver]

I don't mean to put words in your mouth (but I am making a whole bunch of assumptions), but what you describe is what I would call buddy diving and not team diving.

Your assumptions are likely correct. I am not DIR by any stretch of the imagination and "team" diving is a concept I am only academically familiar with from a DIR stand point. I was just stating my own experience of the subject matter.

 

[Darnold9999]

Any discussion of when you should try to cut away the entanglemet directly vs. doff the BC/BP to deal with the entanglement vs cut away the BP harness to deal with it. My limited experience is that movement while you are entangled tends to aggrevate the situation. When I have gotten entangled while diving with my wife, I usually just hold still while she gets me out. I've never been seriously entangled while solo, I've found that the less you have to move to get free, the better.

Not alot of discussion but this was line hopelessly wrapped around the first stage and attached to the bottom - completely hidden. Two choices back up and try to identify the point where the line is attached to the bottom and cut it or remove the gear and unentange. The exercise was to remove the gear, but I think this was the better choice anyway. The cutting process could get you more entangled than doffing the gear - depends on the situation of course.

Never did talk about cutting away the harness, v doffing it. Can't think when that would be useful? If I can cut the harness I would think that I could cut the line entangling the harness. However, whatever works.

Bottom line, re entanglement as we discussed, was move very slowly and think through whatever you decide to do. I carry a knife on my belt and shears in a pocket and hope never to have to deal with serious entanglement. Have been caught by fishing line and kelp, but not to the point where simply shifting position has not been effective.

Line is evil stuff:shakehead as I am learning ever so slowly.

 

[Nemrod]

Cumming66 says:

"Since that dive I've freed 2 other buddies from lines they could not get out of by themselves."
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I dive the same areas Cumming66 is talking about and I have been entangled while solo and since I am sitting here typing this response obviously I got out by myself. I can assure you that I could get untangled with NO help.

Blanket statemets like the quote are worthless, they could have gotten out by themself or they are not yet ready to solo dive. Solo divers probably should not use the style of BC that has the integrated weights but should use a conventional weight belt just in case they need to doff and don. The solo diver also needs a real knife with serrated edge and line cutter and a set of those EMT shears.

There is no "solo" equipment configuration like there is for DIR but that does not mean that you should take up solo diving in your standard open water poodle jacket and TUSA snorkel set.

This pic which I have shown before is in the same areas that Cumming66 is refereing to in that huge, long post, notice the depth and trees. Those trees have monofiliment strung in them with fish hooks still connected. Viz is fairly low and it is reasonable to expect entanglment should you enter this area. Be prepared for it.

A solo diver is a team of one, you must be able and prepared to assist yourself, the word is self rescue.
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[fisherdvm]

A big plus of solo diving is you don't have to put up with these wieney whiney dive masters who fears that your medical condition might put THEIR life at risk.

A solo diver risk his own life, do his own things, and is responsible for only himself. However, when you dive in a team, you have selfish folks who worries that they might hurt themselves saving you.

Dive by yourself, you just have to save your own buttoxens.

 

[Nemrod]

Entanglement, if severely entangled and you cannot get free with the equipment on then that is when you doff it and that is when you unclip that 19cf "slung" pony bottle and say good bye to your rig. If you cannot go one way, then go another. That is an extreme but that is why many solo divers use a independent pony when diving entanglement prone areas.
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