Solo diving in overhead environments

[Dive-aholic]

Like was stated earlier, boredom leads to risk taking!

Sometimes going solo reduces the risk...

 

[texdiveguy]

And dealing with the added risks is what drives the inner being of solo and technical divers to a great part.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Now, here's my curve ball question!

How many people have done a course such as the SDI solo diver course, or any technical diving course that talks about diving solo.

I know, for example, that the SDI solo diver course explictly states that solo diving in any overhead environment is not such a great idea..... Yet around 80% of solo divers (myself included) here are quite happy doing just that.

I'll give a curve ball answer...

By suggesting that anyone that is tech or cave trained is already sufficiently prepared to solo dive, probably more so than their Recreational Instructor, and need not take such a course. These persons should also have sufficient situational awareness to know their limitations and act accordingly. For example, maybe a new cave or tech diver isn't ready to for a solo tech dive, but can certainly handle a solo rec dive. If a tech diver can't handle a easy solo dive, then he probably should rethink his tech activities too.

 

[Stoo]

How many people have done a course such as the SDI solo diver course, or any technical diving course that talks about diving solo.

LOL... I was doing virtually all of my diving "solo" for about 20-odd years before solo courses were "invented".

Most of my diving involves deco... it might be a few minutes, or it might be 20-30 minutes or more. I don't really see what a buddy can do to "assist" with deco. Either you manage your gas properly or you don't . In fact, the more I think about it, it's during the deco that a buddy is the biggest pain in beavertail... up and down, kicking you in the head...

I don't tend to run into much overhead stuff up here, but there are a few notable exceptions, and I will happily plug into them.

 

[down4fun]

I will do some light penetration of wrecks while solo. I carry a second bottle for back up gas. I am not trained for deco diving and thus don't do it. If I was and had the same level of confidence that I do in rec diving then I imagine I would also persue that solo.

 

[nereas]

I will do some light penetration of wrecks while solo. I carry a second bottle for back up gas. I am not trained for deco diving and thus don't do it. If I was and had the same level of confidence that I do in rec diving then I imagine I would also persue that solo.

The "cavern class wrecks" [lots of holes cut into them so you can see daylight] are probably fine for this. But you better be able to ditch and don your rig alone without help, in case you get snagged.

Having said that, a well known tech instructor died this way, solo, apparently looking for his lost student, in a cavern-class wreck.

I believe the general rule of solo diving that says never try anything alone solo for the first time applies here. If you did the cavern-class wreck before with a buddy, and you can ditch and don alone without help, then it is probably ok to do it solo.

But even then obviously people die.

 

[seaducer]

I will do some light penetration of wrecks while solo. I carry a second bottle for back up gas. I am not trained for deco diving and thus don't do it. If I was and had the same level of confidence that I do in rec diving then I imagine I would also persue that solo.

Pretty much the same with me. I stay in the light zone which some may not consider "overhead", but I certainly do.

 

[nereas]

LOL... I was doing virtually all of my diving "solo" for about 20-odd years before solo courses were "invented".

Most of my diving involves deco... it might be a few minutes, or it might be 20-30 minutes or more. I don't really see what a buddy can do to "assist" with deco. Either you manage your gas properly or you don't . In fact, the more I think about it, it's during the deco that a buddy is the biggest pain in beavertail... up and down, kicking you in the head...

I don't tend to run into much overhead stuff up here, but there are a few notable exceptions, and I will happily plug into them.

It's just a general rule not to go into deco solo.

I have always had a buddy with me whenever I have been deco diving so it has never been an issue for me.

And I have never been on a solo dive where I needed to go into deco, either.

 

[down4fun]

The "cavern class wrecks" [lots of holes cut into them so you can see daylight] are probably fine for this. But you better be able to ditch and don your rig alone without help, in case you get snagged.

Having said that, a well known tech instructor died this way, solo, apparently looking for his lost student, in a cavern-class wreck.

I believe the general rule of solo diving that says never try anything alone solo for the first time applies here. If you did the cavern-class wreck before with a buddy, and you can ditch and don alone without help, then it is probably ok to do it solo.

But even then obviously people die.

Hmm, not sure why out of all the people who posted here you picked mine to question my skills.

The wrecks I solo I have been to before, some many, many times. These are wrecks usually in the 70ft range(only once on a deeper wreck 120ft), that are what I would consider small wrecks. I'm not talking about going solo on the spiegel grove. Furthermore there are others on the wreck with me, just not "my buddy." I am not sure why I even felt the need to explain myself, but there it is.

 

[Stoo]

It's just a general rule not to go into deco solo.

Really? According to who? Is this what is taught in the solo certification courses? I don't know I see the logic here. If someone is a competent diver and able to manage the additional challenges of decompression diving, why would he be any less likely to be able to do that alone?

I suppose that the logic is that if a guy totally bags a stop, and ends up looking like a pretzel, then his buddy can help. But assuming that the buddies did the same dive, and thus have the same deco obligations, I don't really see that the buddy can do much to help without getting b*ggered up himself.

Sorry, but I don't agree with this logic. I prefer to not screw up my dive, whether it's a deco dive or otherwise.

Last Saturday, I dove alone to 115' with a 25 minute bottom time. I think my deco was about 25 minutes if I remember correctly, and I used 02 for most of it as my safety factor. The water was 39F at the bottom and 40 near the surface. I had vis of over 100 feet in Lake Ontario. It was a fine dive, but had I had a problem during deco, I really don't know what a buddy could have done to help that I couldn't do myself...

Just my opinion of course...