How to handle violation of a dive site rules (Solo Diving)

[Dr. Lecter]

You go to a site and follow the rules, it is really just that simple.

The owner made the rules, let him/her/it enforce them as and to the extent they can. There's no moral obligation to follow the rules they set, merely an obligation to realize that they're within their rights to eject you should they catch you. A private property owner, particularly one selling access, has many rights...but is neither god nor lawgiver.

 

[Texasguy]

Next time mind your own business.

 

[OkByMe]

There are a lot of jobs and hobbies where a person can get outside their skill level or just not have the right equipment, and as a result kill themselves. They most always die alone without endangering anyone else. That is a decision they have made, but is theirs. I am not going to try and police the world because I don't want to shoulder the load. Do you. Don't agonize over it. If that guy bit the dust because he is the best judge of his activity, so be it. A persons ability to decide is call freedom. I'm a solo diver and have learned over the years that no matter what you do, you have the responsibility to protect yourself. Once you give up that right to decide and give the responsibility to safeguard your own life to someone else or agency or government, you will die for sure.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Wow, cool zombie thread!

 

[Nemrod]

Hey Gang,

Had some great diving this weekend at a local site. One thing that bothered me is that I saw something that made me very uncomfortable, and didn't know how to handle it.

The local site (which I will not name) does allow Solo Diving, but the individual has to be Solo or Tech Intro to Cave certified, and have full redundant equipment. (Pony or dual isolated tanks with separate regs). You also have to file a detailed dive plan with the shop and follow it. It was kind of busy that day there, and I had snagged a picnic table for setting up, and was waiting for the rest of the group to arrive. There was a guy and his wife looking for a place, and since I had plenty of room told them that they were welcome to use my table, that there were only going to be a couple of other folks coming, so no problem at all.

I noticed that he was the only one who setup gear, basic single tank and reg, and talking to him, got the feeling that he had been certified longer than I (no big accomplishment), but not for more than a year or so. I noticed that his wife wasn't gearing up, he said that she didn't dive, she just watched.

He dove, came back after his dive, packed up the gear and left before the rest of my crew showed up. (I was there early, they were a bit later). It wasn't until after he had gone in solo that I realized what he was doing. Since I didn't KNOW what his certifications were, but I knew I hadn't seen a pony tank or doubles I wasn't sure what to do. Part of me felt like letting the management know, but part of me was more the "You're not the SCUBA Police, mind your own business". I let the MYOB side win out... but did I do the right thing?

I'm not trying to police him, I thing I'm more concerned for the site, and that nothing happens that would jeopardize solo diving for those who do meet the site requirements. I also don't know how strictly they enforce them. I also didn't directly challenge him before he dove, so I could be mistaken, but the fact that he was solo single tank raises enough flags even for me.

What advice do you have. Next time I'm at the site, I'm going to present this as a hypothetical to them... see what they say.

Thanks, and I'll hang up and take my answer offline.

Steve

Unless somebody is doing something which is patently dangerous or illegal or immoral, none of which this example rises to, it is best for you to mind to your own business.

I assume this is some kind of quarry or local dive tank? I avoid such places as they tend to have an awful lot of people hanging around who seem to know more about what I am doing that I do and are just full of helpful advice.

N

 

[Stoo]

"You're not the SCUBA Police, mind your own business".

This...

I don't know anything about the dive site, and therefore nothing about the actual dive, but here's something to ponder. Solo diving is as old as diving. In fact buddy diving didn't come along until years after people were diving.

Some of "us" dive solo a lot... probably 50% of my diving is solo and that's down from previous years when it was probably more like 80% solo. Now I do wear double this and redundant that and I am certified solo, although I never took the course. My "Instructor" laughed when I asked about a solo card years ago and said something like "Didn't you write the book on solo diving..." (No, I didn't, but I could have I suppose.) However, it wasn't always like this. When I first started diving solo, it was often on a single tank/reg, and I still do that now, but I would limit my exposure in that case to a relatively shallow dive and so on. As an example, a few years ago, I went to Curacao with my wife. She had a broken leg. I went on a solo night dive every night. I had Insta-buddies during the day, but we solo guys have a secret handshake we give each other on the boat... which means "See you under the boat in an hour"...

Anyway, my point is that at your novice level of diving, I would respectfully suggest that you concentrate on your own diving and let other people worry about their own. As for a possible negative affect on the dive site, I suppose that that's a legitimate concern, but as you pointed out, you have no idea if the guy was solo certified or not. If this is an easy-peasy site... a 30 foot quarry or something, a pony really isn't necessary as any experienced diver could easily make it to the surface if they found themselves out of air...

I think that Bob (NWGratefulDiver)had the best idea regarding the potential risk for the property owner... Point out to the guy that the property requires redundant gear etc. in a friendly, no-preachy kinda way...

Sorry to sound like a dick, but really, diving is stupid-easy most of the time, and this guy probably risked life and limb far more driving home than he did while he was diving...

 

[fjpatrum]

Sounds like a "quick dip equipment checkout" dive to me. I would have asked him how it went afterward and gotten more information then offered to buddy up the next time he wanted to dive. If he said "no thanks" my job is done. If he said "that'd be great" win win for a new buddy opportunity.