Would you dive alone?

[Southerncross]

Lake Travis treasure hunting in 25-40 feet as a single diver,would you do it? Having trouble finding a dive buddy during weekdays.

 

[MichaelMc]

The biggest problem I see is the summary dismissal of entanglement problems in a lake that is heavily fished and has lots of junk/treasure in it.

It is also very low vis, as I recall from living there and never bothering to dive it.
Low vis, junk, salvage ops, solo seems like stacking the deck.

 

[SlugLife]

Any divers in Austin Interested in meeting for treasure hunting on Travis? I have a 23’ pontoon boat in a slip?

Feel free to DM me, I have a flexible schedule, and dive lake-Travis looking for treasure! Last weekend, I pulled up 3x Ray Bans in good condition, over 4 dives. Especially if you have a boat. I dive off my friend's boat about every other weekend in lake Travis and live about 1-hr away. I usually dive solo in Travis, due to visiblity, or "dive buddies" that take off solo before I'm in the water!

I have to warn you that visibility is absolute garbage in some of the treasure-spots. Specifically, places like Devil's cove, you'll have 3-inch visibility towards the middle ... but also lots of sunglasses, boat anchors, etc. Starnes Island is nice, but the "Austin Scuba Boat" brings packs of about 10 divers there several times per week.

Since solo-diving and entanglements was brought up, aside from a course, I would strongly recommend redundancy around everything important.

• I dive either side-mount, or with a 19cu pony. By the way, there's one on craigslist $80 OBO, just north of Austin when I looked last-night. I'm very tempted but really don't have a use for it. Offer the guy $70 and pick it up before it's gone. It's out of hydro, 2017 tank.
• I have 2x cutting devices. My favorite is linked below. Compact, sharp, and durable ... and not likely to cut yourself (knives suck for diving).
• Redundant buoyancy, in the form of a DSMB. It's also good for increased visibility when swimming back to the boat, and potentially drunk boaters.
• That aside, I try to stick 60ft or less, move slowly (especially in poor vis), surface at the shore, and listen for boat-motors.
• Practice regulator-switching "blind" & clip the reg somewhere ocnsistent. I take a few breaths off my pony-tank every dive.

Entanglements haven't been a problem in most places I dive, but I did need to cut fishing line off sunglasses last weekend. The worst was when I dove near the dam, but outside of the scuba-park around the swimming area. I ran into something like 20 pieces of fishing line on a single dive. It wasn't a big deal, and I was prepared for it.

DGX Titanium M-Cut Safety Tool

The DGX M-Cut is a lightweight and corrosion resistant cutting tool.

www.divegearexpress.com

 

[Southerncross]

In Hawaii last week I was chatting with the kid running a lds. As he grabbed a pair of tanks I told him if my wife wasn't able to drive I'd just drop solo, no biggie. He started repeating "I hear nothing, I hear nothing, I hear nothing" and only quieted down when I told him I dive with a pony and am not new to solo. He was still leary as I filled out the paperwork with my 20 year old OW cert card.

 

[Southerncross]

It is also very low vis, as I recall from living there and never bothering to dive it.
Low vis, junk, salvage ops, solo seems like stacking the deck.

Completely certified now as a solo diver

 

[Bill Parker]

Solo dives are funner.

 

[GDHLEWIS]

One of the next course Ill be doing is Solo

 

[johndiver999]

One of the next course Ill be doing is Solo

It's more fun if you take it with a buddy!

 

[GDHLEWIS]

It's more fun if you take it with a buddy!

Unfortunately I do not have a regular buddy at this time hence taking the course. Its more a need of necessity as I like to go diving after work during the week and most do not want to do that.

 

[Stanleyh]

I am new here, so don't light me on fire.
I was trained a while back as a solo diver (non-buddy dependent), and I have been diving solo for many years. I feel now these days, solo diving has been seen by many as "risky and dangerous" and is discouraged by many.

I certainly won't and shouldn't go wreck, deep, or cave dive by myself, but I am confident in my self-sufficiency and self-rescue ability at some local lake with a depth less than 50ft. To me, it's "me time".. lol

 

[okrunner]

I do it all the time but my pool is only 10' deep. lol. Seriously, though, maybe with the right training, equipment, and acceptance of the risk.