The solo diving movement, a good idea?

[TSandM]

I have lived with vertigo since I began diving. My first few charter boat dives ended in ascents where I lost my buddy and I was absolutely sure I was doing somersaults in the water. I couldn't fix it, so I learned to do my somersaults at 15 feet . . . I have learned a whole host of strategies for preventing vertigo, and some for coping with it when it occurs, but the absolute best way to prevent and correct vertigo, regardless of the cause, is a good visual or tactile reference. If I can see my buddy and my buddy is stable, it helps ENORMOUSLY. The solo diver does not have this immediate and excellent resource. Even nowadays, if I lose sight of my buddy and get vertigo (and that's the usual cause now, is looking for someone who isn't where he ought to be), I have trouble maintaining position and buoyancy control.

 

[DaleC]

I have had some minor bouts of vertigo in the past and from that I knew what the signs were and how to cope with them. I also read Don Shirleys account of his severe vertigo on the Dave Shaw dive and from that gained an understanding of how disabling it can be and yet, if one keeps calm, one can still survive such an event. Those two things gave me some background to work with.

I have said in the past that I have an altered idea for recreational soloing than that which I first started out with. In the past I though I should approach solo diving like a technical diver and be willing and able to solve all problems at depth. I admit this may have been an incomplete view of that concept, but I generally viewed solo diving as having the capacity to do everything a buddy team could do, but alone.

These days I do believe that a solo diver is actually handicapped by the lack of assistance from a competent second person, so the approach to problem solving needs to be centered on early detection (prevention) and maintaining ones connection with the surface. For me, the most dangerous place to be is at depth alone, trying to solve a problem, and being sucked farther into tunnel vision and fixation. There I can become confused, over breath my gas or finally feel I have only one option remaining - bolt for the surface.

Thal, on the board, sometimes talks about the cone of safety, which is wide near the surface but narrows with depth and dive complexity. As long as one stays within the cone one is generally safe but the further outside that cone one travels, the more risk one assumes. My philosophy is to either stay within that cone or one jump out of it.

So, when a problem occurs, the first thing I do is move into the cone (which for me translates into orienting myself to my pathway to the surface). If I sense I cannot easily manage the problem at depth, I move upwards, where more options become available. If I still cannot resolve the problem, I surface. I would rather solve a problem at 50' than 100' and I'd rather work on a serious problem while doing a safety stop than delay it and have to surface directly.

In the case of this vertigo which began mildly on a wall dive at approx. 60', I tried to equalize, flood my hood a bit, close my eyes, focus on an object etc... without relief. I then got my bearing and moved close to the wall and upwards until I hit twenty feet. By then it was moderate and unrelenting vertigo. What I focused on was a slow controlled ascent, which helped take my mind off the disorientation. I did a safety stop (I had been to 90+) with my eyes mostly closed or focused on my computer for depth (which also helped) and just tried to relax into the event.

On the surface I signaled the boat for pick up and swam out to it. When I made contact nausea hit and I puked my guts out. Then I climbed the ladder and puked some more. I was wobbly for the rest of the day and had kinda sore ears so I suspect I may have have a bubble in my ear canal or eustachian tube that expanded to quick ( I don't know for sure).

So, I guess what I did was based on:

Prior personal experience
The experience of another
recognizing early what I can and cannot cope with at depth
Moving up in a controlled manner
Accepting the event and focusing on what I needed to do to effect a positive outcome.

 

[TMHeimer]

DaleC, Thanks for that description of what you did. Very informative. I only solo dive to 30' or a little deeper--have had slight vertigo ascending maybe a half dozen times (probably one ear not equalizing as fast). I just watched my depth gauge and slowly ascended. Nothing at all like your situation, but your idea of slowly ascending to a shallow depth and then dealing with a problem certainly makes sense. I like the cone idea. I've never been nervous about diving deep, but always aware of how far it is to the surface. Once you hit 30' (or somewhat deeper) you can CESA--pretty much home free. On deep dives I want a buddy, hopefully a competent one--but either way, there's another gas supply. Anything about 90' or deeper I probably also want the pony.

 

[TSandM]

These days I do believe that a solo diver is actually handicapped by the lack of assistance from a competent second person, so the approach to problem solving needs to be centered on early detection (prevention) and maintaining ones connection with the surface

Beautifully said.

 

[undrwater]

Key word competent. Thank you DaleC, that was helpful. I have significantly reduced my solo diving these days, mostly because I have found some very competent buddies willing to dive with me.

The one thing I notice that annoys me is; if I take my video camera down with me and a buddy, the video looks like crap. If I go solo, it is much better.

 

[McGlencoe]

Just did a semi-solo dive tonight....

The LDS I took my training at had a shop dive planned for a 5:45 splash time. I was running 10-15 mins. late, I parked, suited up and got down to the water just in time to see the heads of the last couple divers descend about 30 yards off the beach....

So, just like any other dive, I took a compass heading out to the area everyone would be at, double checked all my gear and splashed, heading out to the group of pilings everyone would be diving around. Within about 5 mins I caught up to the divers at the back of the pack, passing them, looking for my normal dive buddy, 'course he was already paired off with someone else and I was thinking I would tag along as a 3rd wheel. However by the time I caught up with them I was in solo mode and was enjoying the freedom of not worrying about my dive buddy, trying to keep up with or slow down for a buddy.

The water was great, dive was only 30' average and viz was 30' or so (a great for the NW!) and it turned out to be a great dive by myself, but with another 10 people or so in the water, I wasn't totally by myself. A few times during the 45 min dive I would end up within 10' or so of a buddy pair, but most of the time I was poking around all the stuff myself, at my pace and only worried about me and my gear.

Those of you looking to give solo diving a shot, but are a little unsure, you might try a semi-solo dive. I did and enjoyed it immensely.

 

[Harmonyhallresorts]

It's really all about perspective. As a recreational diver you are taught and trained and preached too. I watch guys who dive solo almost every day not for amusement but for fishing for sustainability. Both food and money for themselves and their immediate family. Any good diver knows the inherent risks involved with their sport. In the end you are the only one carrying and using gear attached to you. In skiing you remind people to remember the only one riding your skis is you. CPR is only performed on dead people. If you are relying on another diver to "rescue" you, realistically it's already a little late. The one person in life you need to rely on more than anyone is yourself. Of course I see the benefit in the idea of safety in numbers, but I also see the reality involved and say every person should "feel their own vibe". Do as you feel comfortable.

 

[Dragon_Rckr_PR]

Did my first solo dive this past Sunday, this was mainly because I wasn't able to find a dive bud. Went to a very easy dive site close to home which is Crash Boat Beach in Aguadilla,PR. Visibility was good, its been better. Was down for 55min and surfaced a few feet from shore with 600psi left in the AL100 to take off my fins.


Was taking my time checking the piers and the sea life there as well as relaxing. Spotted huge Atlantic Spadefish and another fish I haven't been to identify for the first time... Wasn't able to capture anything cause my GoPro decided to lock up and not work :/ Got a chance to get familiar with the compass and use it to navigate my way around and use reference points at the bottom, like rails that had sunken and some how aligned with the piers making a trail "connecting" them.


Need to keep practicing solo dive since I might not be able to find a long or short term dive bud, hopefully I will :fingers crossed:

Going back this weekend if I manage to get my GoPro up and running, my guess is that my mobile saved a file that is causing troubles for the camera to start up... If all goes well there, then I'll do a second dive at a reef which is about 5min drive from that site.

 

[Nemrod]

I have been diving solo all of my life. I have hundreds of solo dives, some dark, deep, strenuous. Some involving long distance surface swims of several miles, others into total darkness. In fact, I have far more without a buddy than with. My wife is my primary buddy, when I deem the dive too much for her or when she deems it not of interest to her, I go solo. By solo, I mean absolutely alone.

My two favorite solo dives in recent years were one a shore dive to the third reef out of the beach at Commercial Pier. It was nearly a three mile swim out. I did not have a BC either, I swam it, dove it, swam back in.

The other, a solo dive on the TR Lake Kimberling Bridge. Just as I was about to head up, I felt a snag and a gush of bubbles. Cut my second stage hose in half nearly. Since I was at approximately 120 feet, I breathed my tank until it quit, switched to my 30cf pony. Always something, so I plan for it.

My primary fall back plan is physical fitness (but know your limits) and water confidence (not over confidence). Or to borrow a line from a recent movie, "I believe in physical fitness" not equipment or for that matter, buddies. And by physical fitness, I do not mean muscles, I mean stamina, endurance.

N

 

[gcarter]

I admit I haven't read the whole thread, but based on the topic I am going to be a rebel and respond anyway...

The issue is not whether the solo diving "movement" is a good idea...

The issue is that it was a BAD idea to marginalize solo diving in the past, in ignorance of the fact that people are free to do it anyway - evidenced by its prevalence. This marginalization meant that those who sought training had no good source for it. Denying people training for something they are going to do anyway is a bad idea. Even regulation - please no - would not stop those so inclined from solo diving.

So it is less about a new good idea than it is about getting rid of an old bad idea.