Solo dive???
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OldNSalty
Contributor
I've done solo dives-I still wouldn't do this one...but that's becasue of the silt-something I don't encounter often. regardless, at 24 dives, I wouldn't do it.
The proper procedure for what has been described by most of the folks here is to use a tag line to a surface tender. A buddy team will not make a low or zero visability dive that much safer or even better. Unless you and the buddy you found have done diving in silty conditions, he might just make the conditions worse for you.
Your surface tender should know a set of line pull signals so you can communicate to some extent. I reccomend you reference the U.S. Navy Diving Manual U.S. Navy Diving Manual or SEA 00C3 Diving Publications and Technical Documentation for line pull signals. The line is a "lifeline" make sure you use a rope that is strong enough to haul you up and possable out of the water with. Don't use natural fiber rope, or anything under 3/8". 1/2" polypropalene work really good and it floats, so it will stal out of the way, most of the time. The surface tender also needs to maintain slight tension to feel you movement/signals and keep any excess line out of your way.
As a commercial diver, we are required to have a minimum of three people on a dive team. Two are required to remove a diver from the water if there is any problem and the diver is incapacitated. Have a plan if you are injured: where is the hospital?, how do you call EMS?, is there a ladder for access or is there is sloping shore line at the end of the slip?, how is the surface team going to get the diver out of the water?
If this guy is offering you any reward, or compensation, you are now a commercial diver and you must follow the OSHA rules for diving work. Otherwise you can be fined, if you get hurt your insurance company may tell you to pound sand and the guy that has hired you is liable as well. Think about it.
Your surface tender should know a set of line pull signals so you can communicate to some extent. I reccomend you reference the U.S. Navy Diving Manual U.S. Navy Diving Manual or SEA 00C3 Diving Publications and Technical Documentation for line pull signals. The line is a "lifeline" make sure you use a rope that is strong enough to haul you up and possable out of the water with. Don't use natural fiber rope, or anything under 3/8". 1/2" polypropalene work really good and it floats, so it will stal out of the way, most of the time. The surface tender also needs to maintain slight tension to feel you movement/signals and keep any excess line out of your way.
As a commercial diver, we are required to have a minimum of three people on a dive team. Two are required to remove a diver from the water if there is any problem and the diver is incapacitated. Have a plan if you are injured: where is the hospital?, how do you call EMS?, is there a ladder for access or is there is sloping shore line at the end of the slip?, how is the surface team going to get the diver out of the water?
If this guy is offering you any reward, or compensation, you are now a commercial diver and you must follow the OSHA rules for diving work. Otherwise you can be fined, if you get hurt your insurance company may tell you to pound sand and the guy that has hired you is liable as well. Think about it.
LeadTurn_SD
Contributor
Good call, Scubanoob. Your safety is worth a heck of a lot more than a stinkin' prop 
Best wishes.
Best wishes.
GrumpyOldGuy
Contributor
Good call.
I was watching the discovery channel awhile back. Some idiot logger decided to try to salvage some old logs from a river. Had a friend in dive gear (can't get myself to call him a diver) connect a rope to some of these logs. It was scary how many times he endangered himself in a few feet of water. It was not the depth, but the pressure from the logger to do stuff too fast with no forethought that caused the issues. I consider the would be diver lucky to have survived.
I was watching the discovery channel awhile back. Some idiot logger decided to try to salvage some old logs from a river. Had a friend in dive gear (can't get myself to call him a diver) connect a rope to some of these logs. It was scary how many times he endangered himself in a few feet of water. It was not the depth, but the pressure from the logger to do stuff too fast with no forethought that caused the issues. I consider the would be diver lucky to have survived.
GrumpyOldGuy- I saw the same show...that guy was ridiculous! If I remember correctly he was hanging on to the boat being pulled through the water and the whole situation seemed very dangerous! Very fast and without thought, like you said!
He was also a "Grumpy Old Guy" if I recall....yelled at his kid a lot! Crazy!
He was also a "Grumpy Old Guy" if I recall....yelled at his kid a lot! Crazy!
GrumpyOldGuy
Contributor
Yup - guys like him give us more mature types a bad reputation.
Guba
Contributor
Good call, Noob. The cardinal rule is "stay within your limits". Remember that divers have died in as little as four feet diving for golf balls.
Just recently I was approached by a local water department supervisor. They had lost a valve in about twenty feet of water near a reservoir dam, and he wanted to know if I'd consider getting it for them, and they even offered up to $500 for the job. The problem was it's in a notoriously murky lake with a very thick and soft bottom (the last four feet or so is like chocolate pudding). I've done some supported searches in murky conditions before, but I thumbed this one. The dive was just a bit outside my envelope, and besides, I didn't want my gear smelling like the bottom of that particular lake forever.
Just recently I was approached by a local water department supervisor. They had lost a valve in about twenty feet of water near a reservoir dam, and he wanted to know if I'd consider getting it for them, and they even offered up to $500 for the job. The problem was it's in a notoriously murky lake with a very thick and soft bottom (the last four feet or so is like chocolate pudding). I've done some supported searches in murky conditions before, but I thumbed this one. The dive was just a bit outside my envelope, and besides, I didn't want my gear smelling like the bottom of that particular lake forever.
Water Districts/Companies are natorious for being cheap and will do really stupid stuff, like hire someones buddy to dive for something.
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