Diving Alone

[landman]

When I dove with an electric hooka I always dove alone. I never went in dangerous waters and dove no more than 25 feet. Careful not to get too near structures. Safe as I could. As I contemplate it again I'm going to approach it with tanks and a spare air and 2 knives. Anyone have any personal experience with diving alone and what precautions you take? Perhaps you never dive alone, lets hear why.

 

[kaptainkosmic]

n/t

 

[yannick the french]

some time its good to diving alone its a egotist pleasure.in france cave diver dive alone in dificult condition you feel better.
good dive

 

[Macaco]

If you're very experienced and you're really good then diving alone isn't a problem. If you don't have a lot of experience then diving with a buddy is probably a better idea.

The most important thing is that you're cool, calm and collected. Your biggest danger underwater isn't sharks or currents or anything physical. Your biggest enemy is panic. If you can conquer panic then, in my opinion, there are very few problems you can't work your way out of. If you have a buddy, well that buddy better be as good as you or better or they may actually be a liability.

I dive alone most of the time. I dive "black water" where visibility ranges from zero to zero+ feet. Diving with a buddy would be impossible under these conditions anyway.

The best part about diving with a buddy?......even if you go your own ways once you're under water......is you've got someone to show your loot (whether bottles or coins) when you get back to the surface!

If you dive alone, you really should do it with someone else. That way if one of you doesn't make it back....there's one left to go look for the body of the other or at least contact the authorities......

Heck, you're probably more likely to die or suffer greivous injury driving to the dive site than you are actually diving anyway.

 

[Macaco]

Cave diving scares me! Just thinking about cave diving makes me shudder.

I dive areas where sharks are common, currents are bad and the ocean is rough, cold and stormy. And it's fun!

But cave diving? That's just plain, crazy!

 

[landman]

http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/other/solo2.htm

 

[Chuck@TreasureHut]

As a PADI DiveMaster, with over 500 dives, I have only one word to answer your question......DON'T !!!!! Too many seemingly little things of a negative nature, can happen while diving that can kill you when they escalate or compound with other seemingly little things. You could be carrying a dozen knives and still not make it! I read your previous post and felt it was answered correctly by kaptainkosmic, so i didn't add to his advice. However, I feel compelled to add a few comments here: decompression can be a factor at 20 to 25 feet, depending on bottom time, body size, quality of compressed air, and comsumption rate. In addition, I can't count the number of divers I have supervised on dives where in pre-dive briefings, a hard floor "depth" was set for a dive, but was broken by a careless diver or two in the group, without even realizing it. I personally have had to evacuate a diver recently who on a hard floor dive of 100', was at 130' and still descending when I reached her, and forced her careful ascent. I know, you are probably thinking "he is way to cautious", and you are partially right. However, it doesn't take a "rocket scientist to understand that to error on the safe side has a much better outcome than the alternative.

Be safe, have fun, and good luck with your underwater hunting.....more importantly, stay alive so you can tell us all about your awesome finds!

 

[Goldringer]

Diving alone is a personal choice. When I dive with a detector I am always alone. I have a couple places where I would not want to be concerned about the safety of another. I hunt one area that is not very deep, 31 feet max but visibility is limited to inches and you are crawling under sunken trees and root entanglements. It is a swimming hole that sometimes produces real cool stuff. Finding my away around is at times by feel. Often the bottom is a 5 foot thick slurry of rotting leaves and you feel for the sound delicately. I have retrieved many rings by feeling through the muck and slurry as visibility was zero. I reach for the coil and slowly work under it till I have the target in hand.

It is not a place for those that have claustrophobia . When I am on photographic or exploratory dives in open water I generally choose to have one partner but never when TH'ing. I also rarely wear fins, usually have at least 35lbs of lead and just walk/crawl on the bottom. Much of my diving like this is in water that is just over your head in depth. Frequently just beyond a shore break with a steep drop. There is simply no way two people could stay close nor visible to one and other.

No, it is not what we learned at diving school but for me a necessary function of item recovery.

 

[drwhou02]

Well I have givin this post some thought as i have been diving alone for 3 or 4 years with a hooka system..You have to stay sharp on youre skills practice youre weight droping,mask flood and clearing. And i always dive with a 30cubic ft bail out bottle just in case..Being a dependent diver does that really make for a responsible or accountable individual? I stay completely away from structures..know my limits and never take risks..At the end of my dives i have never had a pile of loot that made it worth risking my life over..enough said..once in a while you will find barb wire in lakes..or cables ..the usual hazzards exist outside the swimming areas but not always..I figure if the vis is less then a foot then only dive those sites with a partner or not at all..The hardset part about diving alone is it can get a little spooky at times LOL...I think i would freak out if i ever came accross a body down there and i pray i never will!!! I seem to always end up at some beach where they tell me someone had drowned not long before...If in life you live by the edge youre dives will be no different..If you are cautious and carefull i dont see why diving alone would be any more risky then driving on the street in a honda ;>)
be safe!:O
Vern

 

[popsmoke]

I think you will find that those who are okay diving alone have these traits:
Divers and those with lots and lots of experience
Divers with good proven equipment they are very familiar with and are confident with
Diver and who can stay calm under stress
Divers who are okay with without the psychological comfort of having another person nearby
Divers who can manage their dives responsibly and who know thier limits

I've done quite alot of advanced diving - it's no problem to dive alone - you are the master of your destiny.
It's certainly not advocated by any agency, and generally frowned upon by those with less experience, and rightly so, but any advanced diver will tell you aside, "I do it all the time"

.

 

[tomtowns]

Great article...EXACTLY my views on the subject....I dive alone...PERIOD...that's my story & I'm sticking to it...:thebird:

 

[rgecy]

I never dive alone if there is a chance I could mis the boat or am diving in overhead conditions or in more than 50' of water.

I black water dive as well and staying with a buddy in these conditions is almost always impossible anyway. If something happened, the chances of my dive partner finding me would be almost nil. I have been in 0 vis and completely lost my light, have had tarpon slap me in the face with their fins and nock my mack off, and even got caught on an anchor. They key is, not to panic.

It is not recommended, but the bottom line is there are ways to be safe and dive alone, but having a buddy is always safer.

The bottom line, if you have to dive alone, be smart, and be safe. Dont do things that could get you in trouble.

Robert in SC

 

[diver]

Diving alone can be just as safe as diving with a "buddy". I personally would not trust another diver to save me should something go wrong. Self rescue is the way to go. If you are a novice diver dive with a buddy but don't ever think that they will be able to save you should something bad happen.

 

[Golden]

I wouldn't say to trust no one, as a blanket statement. To a large degree you rely on your own skills and experience. But I would also choose my dive partner very carefully. If the person is prone to be easily alarmed or frightened, suffers stress, or goes off on his merry way without any regard to you, and leaves you to yourself without checking to see where you are from time to time, then he is not the dive partner to be with. Some divers are comfortable under water, and their demenour portrays that they feel "at home" in the elements, and aren't so easily startled. My hubby is one of them. He is definitely one person I would trust to keep a sane head about him. He has years of dive experience, and has saved the life of one man I know of who almost drowned. He is not one to just leave a person in trouble, and take off to save himself. I'd go anywhere with him. Besides, when you're with someone, you can share the dive experience with them. That's not to say I wouldn't go on my own one day, but I would chose the time and place very carefully, that presents minimal risk to me, or not bother.

 

[Improvisant]

I dive alone. I've been diving since the mid seventies. Deep, ice, cave, wreck,springs, uw hunting, you name it. It's not that I don't trust anyone else, I just trust myself more. After thirty five years of martial arts and physical fitness I know my limitations pretty well. There are only two other people in the world I know that I would trust my life with during a dive and I have my doubts about them.

 

[Shahs]

Hi

I had to save three dive partners, one caught in fishing line tangles another too inexperienced went wandering away and got caught in a rip tide. The fusing tangle would have been no problem if he had a proper sharp knife.

my conclusion is that it's probably safer with a partner who's an old hat at diving , otherwise why risk your life on some "cherry". They might put you deep six permanently. still, a shark might think twice if two divers are resiting the same attack-- use a new electronic field pack for that!

Head injuries, or equip,ment failures are where the buddy might save you-- if he doesn't panic!
you sound experienced though, you'll find your own way.

Good vis,
Shahs.

 

[Shahs]

I'm curios about your Kaptaincosmic name,are you a superhero actor or is that just a kitchy name you like?

Sure is impressive!

sincerely

Shahs

 

[Seldonskien]

I have been diving since 1989 and i have to agree with all of the other posts on safe "solo diving" . I have never had my diving partner save me when i did have trouble. They have always been too far off, or nowhere to be found when i needed an assist. Keeping a cool head and doing what you need to do to get yourself out of a bad situation is all you need to focus on. If you maintain your equipment, your physical conditioning, and "plan your dive/dive your plan" you should be able to safely dive solo. Yes unforeseen things will happen, but keeping a cool head will prevail. They have materials, as well as classes on solo diving, take advantage of them. Dive and have fun, just remember:
Don't dive beyond your limits.
Common sense is a must.
If it feels wrong it probably is. There's always another day.
There's nothing down there worth your life.

 

[nugget]

Hello all, I have only recently completed my open water cert through SDI a few weeks ago. I have posted on other forums for a dive buddy for the safety aspect while I am detecting with my Infinium. I have not had any replies unfortunately to date. I have had 2 solo dives since, the first in an enclosed swimming enclosure at the Gold Coast near Brisbane, and the deepest in this dive was only 2.55 meters. The next (same day) was in Tallebudgera creek an estuary, deepest point was 4.30 metres, the duration was 45minutes. I loved the detecting aspect of it, however it is hard to concentrate on your detecting when you are constantly looking out for bull sharks and boats etc. I live in Wynnum in Brisbane, and I am earnestly seeking someone to watch my back while we're down. I am willing to share 50-50 of all finds for this job. I detect full time for a living, Gold fields!, Beaches, Parks, and swimming holes. The SCUBA side will be the most lucrative of all. I met a bloke at our detector club here in Brisbane, Alex or Alec from Birkdale, you came out to Warwick with the club for a days detecting. If you read this post would you give me a courtesy call via private messages. I will be doing advanced training because the Infinium can go to depths of 65 meters or 200ft I want to be able to do the same. I think I know where there is a sunken vessel because of a coin that was so old, you couldn't read the date, etc, it comes from the Queen Victoria ERA. I have also found extremely old miscellaneous items, at this location. I am pretty sure there is old bommies or reefs out there, after seeing fishing boats in the vicinity, quite a bit. Just Googled this place today, from the air it looks like a deep channel out about 200 meters and a reef type structure just out a little bit further. Can't wait to dive this spot. Regards Nugget.

 

[nugget]

On the subject of diving alone, for me it is a matter of necessity, as there are no buddies to dive with! I have done 4 solo dives since my open water cert through SDI. In all dives it would have been impossible for me to keep an eye on, and out for, someone else while I do my job. I have a lovely wife and 2 beautiful kids ages 6 and 4 so I plan my dives thoroughly and stict to the plan, for their sake as well as mine! I have been self reliant in a lot of different dangerous, and difficult situations in my life, this is no different. I use Personal dive computers, compass, ocky, SPG etc and carry a sharp knife in case of entanglements. The truth is I would rather dive alone with my detector, anything else is a distraction. I do intend to do further courses like deep diver, Trimix, and rebreathers eventually. I'd also like to thank the special people who have answered my questions relating to these issues Bless Ya heaps! Live your dreams! HH regards Nugget.