The go-to reason for CCV is the macro critters. By their nature, they cluster in the upper 5o’ of the water column. I’ve done likely 2,ooo dives there and my avg depth is 29’ with a BT that runs around 1:20.
If you run out of air, I suppose you could stand up.
In all of those lifetime recreational dives, there nor anywhere else, have I needed to hack my way out of a situation. When I’ve needed a blade while recreational diving, I’ve used the tiny 1,25” Victorinox Alox MiniChamp hung on my neck.
I too find it curious that as a self-identifying solo diver, you’re puzzling over a cutting tool. I advocate gearing up for the task at hand, for the specific environment. CCV would be one of the very few places where a Spare Air would actually suffice for whatever.
Shears are always simple and easy. A pony tank is a rarely seen widget at CCV, and that should be no bar to you diving with one, but now you’re going to get to drag that with you uncorked in your luggage. I know they have 63’s, ask them if they have 30’s. Better than schlepping a cylinder. Bring school supplies for the kids, instead.... or, what with your profession, how about medical supplies? CCV is a clearinghouse for such donations.
My basement looks like an LDS. Backplates, BCDs, wings, cannisters, stuff. When we go to CCV, we just rent our gear from their Dockside Dive Center, it’s that good.
Call me a risk taker, but at CCV, I bring no SMB, carry no 2nd mask, and may PADI forgive me- no snorkel. CCV is essentially a 84 degree pool.
I solo night dive there a lot. Again a guess, but likely 300 of them at 1.3hrs each.
If your profile dive count is correct, you would do very well to stick like glue to your DM for the two guided dives each day. Unless you have early magical abilities, they will show you more little treasures than you could ever find on your own. You’ll have two unguided boat dives and as many shore dives and night dives to go off on your own. I’ve always had much better results shooting macro/micro while with one or more other sets of eyes.
Click on the u/w micro link in my sig line. A lot of that is CCV.
Regulator failures? I’ve had three iirc (one at CCV), but what with regs designed to go fail-safe to “open flow”...the air is just up there above you a few feet. Not a big thing for a skilled diver.
If you run out of air? Again, at CCV, you should be in 5fsw, poking about in the shallows at the end of your dive.
Sorry that I wandered a bit, but I’m known to do that. CocoView is going to present you with a very simple dive environment, not many challenges, but a lot of opportunities.
Have at it: