Following, loosely albeit, the Rule of Thirds, the "pony" should be 1/3 of the main gas supply. The logic is that since you are reserving 1/3 for emergency use, 1/3 out and down and 1/3 back and up, then a pony of 1/3 of the main gas supply should be adequate. Since you cannot always exactly match 1/3 of the main supply with off the shelf cylinders, do not get anal, just get close. So for me since I dive a 63 main tank often for solo beach/shore dives planned for 60ish feet maximum depth or less, a 19 pony is plenty. For an 80, I will let you wrestle with what is closer to 1/3 and adequate, if I am going deep I would choose a 30 and if it is just a long, shallow(er) dive, a 19 is fine.
Shhhh, do not tell my solo instructor (I had my fingles crossed behind my back when I sore to Scouts Honor I would always carry a pony when solo), above 60 feet, I do not need a stink'n pony because I free dive that deep, the surface is my redundancy.
Rescue, sounds good, couple that with some first aid courses as many have suggested, a useful course. Now this solo thing, first, in Florida, good luck finding anyone who will honor the cert. Then, I have to say, solo is not something you learn in a canned course. Water confidence comes from experience, fitness and strong skill swimming ability and good skill sets. Get those things first, then, if you must, then take the solo course.
Your husband needs to stay closer to you. As much as I am about solo diving, if I am buddy diving, I am buddy diving. Or if the dive is guided I tell my wife to stay with the guide and I orbit her and him/her as I seek photo opportunities but I always have my eye on her. The distance I am comfortable leaving her depends on viz and the trust I have in the guide/DM. But I never take my eye off of her even if she thinks I do, I see her. I might assign her to a friend who I trust as her buddy. But if you are buddy diving, you should buddy dive.
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Shhhh, do not tell my solo instructor (I had my fingles crossed behind my back when I sore to Scouts Honor I would always carry a pony when solo), above 60 feet, I do not need a stink'n pony because I free dive that deep, the surface is my redundancy.
Rescue, sounds good, couple that with some first aid courses as many have suggested, a useful course. Now this solo thing, first, in Florida, good luck finding anyone who will honor the cert. Then, I have to say, solo is not something you learn in a canned course. Water confidence comes from experience, fitness and strong skill swimming ability and good skill sets. Get those things first, then, if you must, then take the solo course.
Your husband needs to stay closer to you. As much as I am about solo diving, if I am buddy diving, I am buddy diving. Or if the dive is guided I tell my wife to stay with the guide and I orbit her and him/her as I seek photo opportunities but I always have my eye on her. The distance I am comfortable leaving her depends on viz and the trust I have in the guide/DM. But I never take my eye off of her even if she thinks I do, I see her. I might assign her to a friend who I trust as her buddy. But if you are buddy diving, you should buddy dive.
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